The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-30
A FADED CAP OF BLUE.

Nothing. you say, but a faded blue
army cap, old and ragged. But look
you a little closer. All, there is the I'M
written story-a bullet hole clean cut
above the rim.
No need now TO ask the fate of its
owner. but with imaginatiOn's help we
are waited with majestic sweep through
the cloud land of fancy, and far away
in some lonely southern grave on the
mountain top beneath the ever-murmur-
ing pines or in the fair valley where
blooms the myrtle and magnolia, We
fancy our hero may be lying. Or. yet
again. his corpse may be reposing in
one of those common graves where, after
some great scene of carnage and blood
shed. when the hellhounds Of war were
Ioosed and the brazen-mouthed cannon
and deadly fire of musketry moved
down the ranks of men like the storm
wind the trees Of the forest-not one.
but many were buried "unknelled, I'M
cofined. and unknown"
What so eloquent, so full of meaning.
so rich with feeling as the thoughts
aroused by this bullet-scarred cap. On,
how our very hearts are stirred by the
mute appeal Of its faded and torn APP
pearance.
How many years have gone to join the
voiceless past since first the proud young
form put on the blue uniform of the
republic donned the soldiers cap, and,
under the starry flag went proudly forth
10 do battle for the preservation of the
union and the freedom of the serfs held
in a bondage worse than death.
How sad his heart when he babe good
bye to father and mother waved kiss
TO the fair young sweetheart, gave one
last lingering look at the dear old home
and familiar faces. and with martial
mien. yet tear-dimmed eye. waved a last
adieu.
Upon the hill ne turned
To take a last fond look,
OF the valley and the village church
And the cottage by the brook;
He listened to the sounds,
So familiar TO his ear,
And the soldier leant upon his sword
And wiped away tear
Beside that cottage porch
girl was on her knees.
She held alOft a snowy scarf,
Which fiuttered in the breeze;
She breathed a prayer for him,
prayer he could not hear,
But he paused TO bless her as she knelt.
And wiped away a tear
He turned and left the spot,
Oh. do not deem him weak,
For dauntless was the soldiers heart
Though tears were on his cheek.
Go watch the foremost rank
In dangers dark career,
Be sure the hand most daring there
Has wiped away tear.
But anon. the bugle sounds, the drum
beats. the starry flag floats free and its
bright folds kiss the wandering zephyrs,
while with tender and hallOwed thoughts
the soldier goes forth to battle
II is not our province TO follow him
through the many and trying ordeals Of
life upon the field of war. but we feel
sure that he bore nObly and well the
burdens Of a soldiers life and bravely
met a soldiers death
Whether at Rich mountain, Shiloh,
Donnelson. Antietam. Charlottesville,
Gettysburg or some other well-fought
battlefield. the leaden messenger of death
sped on it's fatal errand we know not
but il suffices us that our hero died as
a hero should. with his face toward the
foe. That at the last moment, when the
nobly fighting for his country, for the
flag Of Washington and OF the republic,
founded in the blood Of our forefathers,
shed at Lexington, Concord and Bunker
Hill. That his young manhood was
given with that Of many others that the
union might be preserved and the slave
might be forever free.
This faded relic. ragged and bullet
torn. IS one of the many evidences OF the
late civil war. the last, IL IL to be hoped,
our common country Is ever TO expert
ence- There are other mementoes Of the
unrecorded heroes besides this battle