Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-30

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who laid down their lives in defense of the
Union and to preserve the liberties our fathers
bequeathed to us. Grand ARMY day is the
grandest day of the whole year. 1t recalls tho
grandest achievements of the grandest army
ever assembled in any nation, and q grander
cause than ever inspired an army Of freemen.
In other lands armies went to battle for con-
quest, but We fought for liberty and the pres
ervatlon OF the Union. The dead about whose
graves our comrades are gathered today are the
nations dead. They were our comrades;
touched elbows with us in the fierce conflict in
which they gave up their lives, and have claim
upon us to see that the lesson of their sacrifice
shall not be lost upon the coming generations.
THE NATIONS MONUMENTS
The national cemeteries, in which sleep q
quarter of a million of our fallen comrades, are
the nations monuments, which will forever en-
dure, calling coming generations to reverence
the cause in which they fell.
No estimate can be placed upon the value of
this day and upon the sacred and solemn OBJ
servances OF this hour. generation have
grown up since the battles of the Union were
fought and another generation are coming on
who are old enough to understand the meaning
OF these sacred observances. When they hear
the drum beat, look upon our glorious flag
hear the story of the gallant deeds of the
nations dead and witness the grand spectacle of
covering their graves with natures sweetest
emblem OF new born life to man." there will be
born In their hearts spirit of patriotism which
Will make them willing to die for their country
All men are not patriots; during the war Of
the rebellion nearly every man in the country
who was willing to fight for the Union had an
opportunity to enlist In most of the states
the government was compelled to resort to the
draft. This fact gives the soldier a higher
claim upon the country. But for the sacrifices
made by these men we would have witnessed
the disruption Of our Union and the humilia-
ton OF our flag. But for the victory achieved
by our armies 200, 900 of our gallant heroes
would now be sleeping in country that had
tralled In the dust and discarded the glorious
banner OF the Free the stars and stripes. One
OF the saddest thoughts that come to me is the
fact that 200, 900 of the nations dead lie buried
on southern battlefields away from any great
number OF comrades of the Grand Army of the
Republic who can assemble every memorial day
to commemorate the day and cover their graves
with flowers. never think of the army corps
OF our dead who sleep at Andersonyille without
experiencing feeling of sadness indescribable.
L try to contemplate the awful sacrifice by re-
calling an army Of Is, 900 men as l saw them
IN the war; grand, brave young men, full of
life and manhood. think of them as they APP
peared at their homes after the company was
complete, bidding farewell to mother, wife,
sister or sweetheart, as they set out for the
front, fun of hope and expecting to come back
covered with glory and honor. Alas the horri-
BILE fate; starvation, death and sleep in a grave
uuhuOWu was the tate OF the many.
; HISTORY AND WAR.
The history of most of the nations Of the
world is history Of their military achievements.
Our own country is not an exception. Every
advance in civilization from the day when the
free sons of Athens hurled the Persians back
from the shores of Greece at Salamis to the
present time has been accomplished by the sac
ritice of brave men on the battlefield. This is
true of all the nations of the old world and it is
true of our own country. The most enhancing
pages OF our own history is found in the story
of the revolution. That something called
patriotism which finds a Judgement in the
human breast, which makes a man willing to
die for his country was born in many hearts on
the Fourth of July while celebrating the anniver-
sary of our independence a nation. The
achievements of our revolutionary fathers were
inspiring themes which the orator dwelt upoa
on these occasions. The history of the war OF
the rebellion has to a large extent superseded
the history of all earlier wars. Decoration day
has superseded the Fourth of July and the lesson
OF these days will continue to be felt for all
time. Who can look into the graves of our
fallen comrades without feeling that we who
survive can never fill so honorable grave.
A few days since stood bv the tomb of our
great and gallant commander, U. s. Grant. l
listened to the story of his life and the wonder
full achievements he accomplished. l saw there
the President and his cabinet, great numbers Of
army and acres of people, who had assembled
to participate in the ceremony of LAYING the
corner stone to the monument which is to
cover his remains. do not say to perpetuate
his memory for that will live as long as time
shall last. While gazing upon that vast multi
tude thought OF the gallant armies composed
OF the flower of the young manhood of our
country as saw them, upon whose gallant
deeds and cheerful sacrifices Gen. Grant built
his fame and of whom we are able to say he
was never defeated. There came to nv mind
many familiar faces of old friends and COM
rades who had fallen on the battlefield 1
thought of Col John b. Wyman of the
thirteenth Illinois infantry, who babe me
goodbye when leaving Helena. Ark, with Sher-
mans army to attack Vicksburg, in December
1862. saying, "Here's for brigadier's commits
sion or glorious death" In less than ten
days a boat landed at Helena with Wyman's
body on its way to his home i'll Illinois for
burial. He had found glorious death in Sher-
mans repulse at Chickasaw Bluffs.
THE BLACK SERGEANT.
I thought of the gallant negro in one Of the
colored regiments at Baton Rouge, to whom
Col. Stafford presented the flag of the regiment,
saying: ''Color bearer, take, guard, protect,
Defend die for this flag, but never surrender
it." The black sergeant took it and said:
Colonel, will return these flags to you in
honor or Ill report to God the reason why"
Not long after in the battle of Port Hudson his
body found riddled with bullets, and God
knew the reason why. thought of the dead
of my own regiment as saw them, scalped by
savages mutilated and bleeding. wrapped in
their blankets and piled side by side in a trench
and covered over to sleep until resurrection
day. thought of Maj. Peter Keenan, on the
battlefield of Charlottesville. 1t was when the
left flank Of our army Was turned and that
whole wing of our army was crushed in and
the men, horses and artillery were rushing to
the rear in confused panic. Gen. Pleasanton
hastily collected twenty-One guns and planted
them to sweep the advancing rebels But
there was no time to load or aim. the rebels
are right upon them. They are breaking
out of the woods 10000 strong with
their triumphant yell. In moment, before
they can load, they will have the guns and the
key to the battlefield. There is but one way TO
delay Jackson. Some force must be sacrificed
Pleasanton ordered Maj. Peter keenan, to charge
10000 rebels with 400 men. Hold them in
check moment and suffer themselves to be
fired upon by our own guns There is not
moment to spare. Keenan, knew it was certain
death. A sad smile Lit up his whole counte-
nance he said: General. will do it." At
thirty -four years of age. literally impaled on
the bayOnets Of the enemy, he laid down his
life and saved the Army Of the Potomac from