Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-14


Coleman put on its spiritual body. IL
was in tho first clencb OF that long
death grip which lasted from the
Wilderness to Appomattox that as John
Thompson Brown rode to the front OF
his batteries to secure an advance posi-
ton. a bullet from the brown brush
which Ind the enemy's sharpshooters
laid him in the dust. The beat OF one
OF the warmest hearts, making man 8
breast like q woman's there ceased, aud
the bright outlook Of life oil afiame
with generous and manly hopes had
fallen auenehed. The sword presented
TO him by those Howitzers who, under
his orders, had fred the first, and over
his memory did afterwards fire tue last
shot in the war, chung to him as he Tell.
He fell with q harness OF honor on MIN,
worthy his fathers son.
FACE WITH A LASTING BRIGHTNESS
II 1 wanted picture OF the intrepid
cain which knows how to face unmoved
q crashing world, there could be found
no truer face for 1t than that OF David
Watson--a countenance which only
seemed to light up in the rage OF battle,
but which kinded with lasting
brightness in the bloody angle at
Spotsylyania Courthouse. And II
sought as companion piece that
bright. Joyous vaIor which meets danger.
not as simple duty. but clasps her as
bride, whose descent into danger
il like the sea.bird's toss upon
the waves, | would draw 1t
from Ned Mccarthy, down to the hour
when his bright day sank, with the set
ting sun, in the fires Of Gold Harbor.
Peer of any whom l have named, firm
with tine frmest, cool with the coolest,
brave with the brayest. patient, heroic,
and magnanimous was Henry Jones.
These were men worthy of renOwn N
any field. Their courage knew no dan
ger. On the restless front OF battle they
were stars. ! count 1T my greatest
pride to have been their humblest fol-
fower.
And OF that following what shall |
say? ! will say that | count 1t the best
of all academies, the MODEST university.
No craven graduates in the firm tuition
of Gods discipline. Tn leesson of cour-
age in daily jeopardy Of patience un-
der priyation and strain the pursuit OF
high aims in disdain OF earthly menace
or disaster was taught to me. | trust not
all in vain, 10y the Howitzer Battalion.
The heart TO scorn death--nay, the heart
to scorn self, the surrender OF all for
duty-was preached by their detach-
ments from Bethel 10 Appomattox and
from Manassas to Manassas-and then
at the last the highest, the bravest of
all courage, the courage which shrinks
not from defeat
no SILK-AND-SATIN WARRIORS.
They were no warriors of the silk-and-
satin kind, who joined their throat OF
thunder to the grand tones Of that epic
OF wrath. Seasoned veterans, with the
faces of boyhood, stood behind the ord
nance. which had been drawn from York
town to the Chickabominy, and which
rang from Gettysburg to Petersburg.
Never once were the cannOneers driven
from the guns which had been captured
for them from the enemy. The strength
of conflict was in their snews, the
strength of conviction in their
hearts. They moved in obedi-
ence to a principle which ruled the
whole heart, and welded the
whole strength. They were made by
pressure and fire az q diamond is made.
AS they faced storm after storm they
added cubits to their stature. Far be-
yond all material triumph in building
the character of people Is the struggle
for that "baptism " which We name
1.-THE answer OF q good conscience. "
From this source only comes the forth
| tude for that mistaken struggle with
lifes reverses which counts for more than
all the exploits of romance. None real
ly, none lastingly, conquer who trim
their sails or their souls for every breeze
and have no permanent chart. "All that
pass from this world" said John Foster,
"must present themselves as from bat
tie, or he denied to mingle in the eternal
joys and triumphs OF the conquerors. -
BATTLES OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY.
I witnessed that wonderful sight as
tried by all the past, four years of bat
ties, which stand forth as scenes OF a
TRANSPORTATION wherein as the war
strain grew more tense the warrior grew
more noble-battles which were images
of spiritual growth and spiritual victory,
wherein each in turn registered one more
ascendancy of mans higher nature,
wheriu his ignobiiity was trampled by
his nobility under foot, so that AS rank
by rank mortality was thinned the
ranks of the immortals were recruited.
For here soldiers presented themselves
like disciples as a living sacrifice on the
altar of all they revered On Gods
great altar their lives were laid.
Their battles were the litanies Of he
roes. Their valor was consecrated
not under fame, but under duty.
Their welcome to the foe as day by day
he gained on them in numbers, but not
renown, stands out for me as the most
illustrious portrait Of mans spiritual
wrestle, wherein he greets world IN
arms against him as his appointed angel
the true arena to which his sponsors IN
baptism devoted him They steadily
assembled on their ladder of pain. 1t WAS
like the struggle of strong will IN
weak body. AS in Angeles figure, the
soul grew as the body wasted. When
the only way in which the victorious
cause could commend Itself to the ICON
sent OF the governed" was to "wear
ont by attrition all who failed to per-
ceive its beauty when such warfare
"did like pestilence maintain its hold
and wasted down by glorious death that
race of natural heroes"
oBEDIENT TO THEIR CAPTAIN.
Our little band shared with their
brothers the desolating tempest until 1t
was their glory to stand with the 1000
of Appomattox. Obedient to their
great captain to the last, at his word,
and only at his word, did they surren-
der. They wept as they dismounted
their guns. IL was still the courage
which is 10th to yield. When all was
lost save honor their roll remained the
roll of honor. The surrender of them
selves to their great captain ana his
cause had been their great surrender
which swallowed up all other. OF such
is the kingdom which Is victorious
over defeat. 1t is the panoply which
no defeat can pierce. The great souls
of sacrifice, wherein civilization hath its
root and whereof is its true branch
they truly have their symbol in that