The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-28
NOT PLAYED OUT,
WICHITA, Kan, May q, 1891

WICHITA, Kan, May q, 1891.
To the Editor of the Eagle.
For several months past I have heard
the remark frequently made: The old
soldier business is played out" l can
not believe this, because elaborate prep
arations are being made all over this
country to observe Decoration day. lam
in receipt of an invitation to speak at
Mound City over in Linn county, and
| shall go, because the locality is historic
and the invitation is an urgent one. 1t
was not my privilege to wear the blue.
was years old when the war broke
out, living on a dairy farm in western
New York. l well remember how my
father read in the weekly village paper
of the first shot on Sumter. You will
remember that April day. How it
kindled my boyish wonder! How the
people wondered, those quiet, unassum-
ing people living in those peaceful val
leys of the great Empire state. Then
followed President Lincoln's call for
troops. How the great loyal heart
of the north beat and throbbed
to the music of the Union!
In every city, village and hamlet of the
great state of New York war meetings
were held for the purpose of enlisting
men. Local magistrates were appointed
recruiting and mastering officers. Flags
fluttered in every breeze, companies
were rapidly formed, and the quota was
soon filed.
In my native village, in Wyoming
county, New York, was raised a COM
panv of the Fifth New York cavalry.
/ had an adopted brother who became a
member of that company. Scarcely IS
years of age at the time of his enlist
ment, on a summers day he marched
away. How manly they looked, those
young soldiers of Capt. Wheelers COM
panv. How the old men blessed them.
the mothers embraced them and the
Young girls cried. How the boys cheer
ed them and the children burdened them
with flowers. How the drums beat and
the banners kissed the breeze.
Then came the anxious days of wait
ing, as that army went TO the front.
Finally letters from the front and news
of the individual members of the home
company.
Two fell in the first skirmish shot TO
death. one shot on picket 4 BUSH
wacker's ball found his loval heart
Others sorely wounded sighed for the
northern air, languishing in southern
hospitals. And SO the time dragged on,
until my father received the news that
Wallace was shot at Cold Harbor. and
buried on the field. How we'll / re-
member the sorrow of the first news.
Sorrow soon dispelled by later news,
saying that he was sorely wounded and
was coming home on a thirty days fur
Tough.
And how well I remember on a sum
mer's evening, when the labor of the dav
was done, the horses turned afield. and
the slanting shadows were lengthening
over the western hill. that up the dusty
roadway, l saw coming, slowly and /
YEARLY along on crutches, a figure wear /
ing the martial blue. And the boy, fair |
haired and beardless when he went |
away, sound in limb and light of heart, /!
returned TO his childhood home, weary /
man. Manned and shattered by reoel |
lead, the bronze of southern suns upon 1
his cheek, the best blood and vigor of /
his young manhood, left upon the ensan-
guined field.
For weeks he fingered, anxious 10 re- /
turn, eagerly reading every word and 4
line of news from the front. One day 4
Cots aazcr ioached hina and Es died.
How we'll | remember the day we /
buried him on the green hillside; how /
the bell tolled; how the guard Of honor /
led the way with arms reversed, and 4
reverent uncovered heads. The droning 4
Of the bees IN the dandeliOus: the smell 1
5f the new mown clover; the mufiied 4
drum; the dropping flags; the flowers on
his coffin lid. All these have left within /