Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-09-12
THE HISTORY or A POEM.
It Forms Ono of tho Most Touching Incl
dents of tho Civil War.

One of the finest poems in the mod
ern literature of song is that one
known everywhere by its first pathetic
line: .'ti
81 am dying, Egypt, dying"
And which was written by Gen. Will
liam Haines Lytle, on the eve of the
battle of Chickamauga. We are in
debted to the late Col Realf, poet,
author and soldier, who shared the for
tunes of war with his friend, Gen. Lytle,
for an account of the peculiar circum-
stances under which the poem was
written.
Col. Realf shared the tent OF Gen.
Lytle on the night l,i cceding the battle.
The two friends were both given to
writing poems at such times, and each
had an unfinished poem on hand. They
read and criticised each Others efforts
humorously for some time, when Gen,
Lytle said, with a grave smile:
"Realf, / shall never live to finish
that poem"
Nonsense" said his friend, ''you
will live to write volumes of such stuff. ="
NO" said the general solcmnly, "as
I was speaking to you feeling came
over me suddenly, which is more start
ling than prophecy, that shall be kill
ed in to-morrow's fight"
Col. Realf asked him to define this
feeling, and he said
"As was talking to you 1 saw the
green hills of Ohio as they looked when
l stood among them. They began to re-
cede from me in weird way-and as
they disappeared the conviction flashed
through me like the lightning's shock
| hot I IL,
Gen. Lytle was a native of Ohio, and
dearly loved his birth-state
Col Realf laughed at his friend, and
rallied him upon his superstition, but
acknowledged afterwards, that he be-
canned so thrilled himself with an un-
natural fear that he begged the general
to finish the poem before he slept, that
such fine work might not be lost to the
world.
In the small hours Gen. Lytle awak-
ened his friend from the slumber into
which he had fallen, to read to him
that beautiful poem, which must live
as long as our literature survives.
Imagine the scene. The two men
united by the bonds of friendship, of
congenial tastes, both ready and will
ing to face death on the morning in its
direst form, scanning by the light of
their tent lantern each others features,
when the finished poem had been read
aloud.
Col Realf said that his own eyes
filed with tears, but the general said
not a word, as he placed the manuscript
in his pocket and lay down to his last
nights rest upon earth.
Before dawn came the call to arms.
When Realf next saw his friend he lay
cold in death among. the heaps of slain.
Then he thought of the poem, and,
searching the pocket where he had seen
him place it, he drew it forth, and for
warded it to Gen. Lytle's friends with
his other effects. We give the poem in
| its entirety, feeling sure all will renew
their admiration of it, when they read
under what tragic circumstances it was
| written:
| ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.
am dying Egypt dyingl
Ebbs the crimson lifetide fast
And the dark Plutonian shadows
Gather on the evening blast
Let thine arm, o, queen, support me,
| Hush thy sobs and bow thine ear
| Hearken to the great heart secrets
| Thou and thou alone must hear.
|
| Rear their eagles high no more.
| And my Nreched and scattered galleys
| Strew dark Actum's fatal shore;
Though no glittering guards surround ne.
| Prompt to do their masters WILL
| Unjust perish like Roman
| Die the great Triumyir still u....
| Let not Cesar's servile minions
Mock the lion thus laid low;
Twas no foeman's arm that felled him:
| Twas his own that dealt the blow
His, who, pillowed on thy bosom
Turned aside from glory's ray
His, who, drunk with thy caresseA
Madly threw o world away.
| Should the base plebeinn rabble
Dare assa,i my fame in Rome,
Where my noble spouse Octayia 90. q,
We ps within her widowed home.
Seek herl Say the gods have told me
| Affairs, augurs circiing wings
| That her blood with mine commingled,
Yet shall mount lie throne of kingl
AS for thee, stare ed Egyptian!
| Glorious sorceress OF the Nile!
Light the path to Stygian horrors
With the splendors OF thy smile.
Give to CDsar crowns and archss,
Let his brow his laurel twine;
can scorn the senates triumphA
Triumphing in love like thine.
am dying. Egypt, dying!
Hark! the insulting foeman's cry!
They coming! Quick, my falchioni
Let me front them ere die
All! no more amid the battle
Shall my heart exulting swell;
Isis and Osiris guard thee
CleOpatra-Rome-farewe
Gen. William II. Lytle. in Detroit FREQ Prsns
SMALL SHOTS.
GEN. GEORGE III. THOMAS is said to
have struck the first hard blow the con-
federates got at Mill Springs, KY. jan
| hot 1a