The record-union., 1891-08-01
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Tribute to Those Who Then Battled
For the Union.
An Old-Time Bill of Fare-AIen Who
Ran the Political Conventions
In Early Days.

The following poem by Ethel A. Carter,
entitled Thirty Years Ago." was writ
ten at the request Of Fremont Post,
Grand Army of the Republic, of Downie-
vile, and was read at the Memorial Day
services there on the 30th of May last.
Thirty years ago the rattle
And the sulen roar of battle
sounded through the stricken Union, from
the sea TO mountain side;
And the first shot did awaken
Echoes that our land has shaken,
whose reVerberations on the Nations year
yet have scarcely died.
Steady hearts grew faint and weary;
CHEEKY hearts were cold and dreary;
Freedoms sons sprang bravely forward, and
her daughters sadly mourned-
While the nag, no longer flying
Proudly, in the dust was lying;
Trampled by the foeman's feet it lay, insulted,
bood-stained scorned.
Fields where birds so late were singing,
With the bugle's notes were ringing,
And from pleasant towns and cities burst
forth flames and battle smoke
flushed the sounds of mirth and gladness;
Death was there, and tears, and sadness
AND the laugh and song were silent When the
mighty cannon spoke
Peace, through weary. souls is stealing
With soft touch, the deep wounds healing,
Though to those who loved and lost, the scars
must evermore remain.
Time has brushed away the traces
Ofhot tears from wistful faces,
And has washed the crimson life-blood from
the fields and battle plain.
And Columbia naughty, peerless,
With her valiant sons and fearless,
Her bright stars about her forehead, and the
flag about her furled,
With the light Of peace upon her,
Blessed with liberty and honor,
She stands to-day-the Goddess that she is
before the world
Where are they who strove and suffered
When dark clouds around them lowered,
Who raised again the banner to its old place,
proud and free?
Where the hearts with ardor glowing?
Where the blue wave southwark flowing,
That swept away nations curse-the stain
OF slavery?
Some grown gray will tell the story
OF the battles, fierce and CORY
When years have paSsed-to round-eyed chill
dren held by wonder dumb;
And old soldiers eyes still glisten
When TO that grand tale they listen,
As they wait till the Commanders final order
bids them "comeP'
These were not all. The burning fever
OF those war-days gone forever
Ragged in many other hearts that answered to
their country's cry
Loyal hearts that thrilled and bounded
When the first loud cannon sounded,
Hearts Of men who bled and struggled-men
resolved 10 win, or die.
Wherea are they? When war was ended,
When Gods peace on earth descended
Silent were their vOices-heard not in the
soldiers swelling cheer;
From the glen and sloping hillside,
From the river banks, and rill-Side
From the plain, the fen, the valleys, comes
the answer, I'VE are here ~
Where the sunshine shifts and Dances
And at night the moonlight glances
Where the song birds come IN summer, sleep
the true, the tried, and brave!
There, oh birds, sweet be your singing!
Green the grass above them springing
And tair May, with tender fingers, decorate
each soldiers grave!
Whether fallen in the watches
OF the night, or in the marches
Wasted by disease, or dying In barren hospital
or nall,
Whether their stanch souls have risen
From the reeking Southern prison,
Or from crimSoned field of conflict they were
heroes-HERoES all
We, who share the good that cost them
All they had-their nveS-who lost them
SO little we can give to them who SO much
for gave,
What grand words or burning speeches
To their glorious hight eer reaches
We can only give them tears, and love, and
strew with flowers each grave.
Sons of heroes! come with cleaning
Banners on the soft breeze streaming!
And fair daughters, bring your tributes-gar-
lands fresh with morning dew,
Blossoms like the flag they fell for
Like the flag they fought so well for
Roses, yiOlets, and lilies, bring the red, the
white, the blue.