Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-07-04
FORT lIEIGS.

~
ING SPOT is the old fort, although ma
turp has done all in her power to atone
Tor mans neglect and desccration.
High above the river it lies, its back
ground group of green wooded hills,
n Enr reaching view of Maumee and
Miami on one side, and of the beautiful
little city of Perrysburg and adjacent
country on the other, while the river
dotted with tiny green islets winds its
narrow way far us the eye can reach.
On the east side of the fort and on
down toward Perrysburg winds deep
ravine in which until recent years 1t
was no unusual sight to see human
skulls and bones lying about bleaching
In the sun.
All traces of the sanguinary struggle
which took place there so long ago are
being fast obliterated; the breast works
are fading away, and of the ruins OF
the old log house scarce II trace re-
mains, while the wide and deep fort
we'll has Swallowed out to the merest
hollow. And here on this neglected,
unnoticed almost forgotten spot, lie
the heroes of 1912, officer and private
alike, their graves unmarked.
For them their is no Decoration
Day." no Offering of sweet flowers, no
tears, no word of praises.
'.But little they'll reck if they let
them sleep on
In the graves where their comrades
have laid them"
But even this privilege has been
denied them, for many years ago while
the river road, which runs directly
through the fort, was being construct
ed. the graves of the soldiers were dis
turbed and skeletons were turned up in
great numbers, no further notices be-
ing taken of them than to toss them
carelessly aside into the "bone heap"
or crumble them up by driving the
teams over them and then leave them
TO mingle with the dirt of the road.
For Il long time after the construc-
tion of the road through the fort, skulls
marked with the little round perfora-
fion sadly suggestive of the deadly
bullet, lay scattered along the high
way and, as it seemed, stared re-
pt-oachfully up at the passer by or
skeleton hands with long bony fingers
pointed pititully toward the ''bone
nf
honorcd. Since the fort has fallen into
the possession of private parties in re-
cent years, further desecration of the
Kind has not been permitted but above
the graves of the soldiers cattle Craze
and sheep find there Il quiet pasture
For many years it had been custo'
mary for the veterans of 1912 to hold
reunions at the old fort and it is only a
few years si6ce the last reunion wa:
held.
Such q sad, sad reunion Only JUS
one old vetorn was there. One ole
snowy haired soldier, one old hero
feeble, bowed with the weight of years
and with such u sad waiting, far of
look in his patient eyes.
OF all who had been wont to Assem-
BILE there, he alone was left. OF cours
he was lionized by the great crowds o
people which had gathered there from
all parts of the State in honor of th
OCCASION; bands played and grea
orators spoke, but in the midst of /
all, il was observed that the old veter
ans thoughts had wandered away bacl
to the times of long ago. Leaning
heavily on his cane and white hea
dropping low on his breast he whis
pered softly to himself and bystander
caught the words.
Then rousing himself with an effort
he looked straight out toward tn
West and slowly raising his han
pointed TREMENDOUSLY to II little hi
sharply outlined against the settin
sun, aud still speaking to himself mul
INJURED:
'.There, just over There. on yOnde
hill he stood when the bullet struc
him. He fell on my bosom. Oh!
begged him not to die, my only brother
Poor foolish me! | tried to hold bac
with my hand the crimson tide thi
flowed from his faithful breast. Cou
age Jim, help will come, but anothe
gush of crimson and then-Poo
poor jim! dear, dear Jim
"We shall meet on that beautif,
shore" sang the chorus and AZ the la
sweet echo died softly away among I'll
green hills over beyond the fort, I'll
old veteran raised his patient eyes
the blue dawn above. A tear course
its way slowly down his furrougho
cheek and splashed on the turf at Ii
feet. To the companions of his chill
hood the friends of his manhood, III
his comrades of the bivouac he b;
paid his last tribute and he march'
f'in the morning early" for just as Il
first golden rays of the next morning
sun tipped the little hill on the Q
fort where death had claimed Il
beloved young brother, the old veter
died.