Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-06-06

Men have died gladly since that ancient day
When the three Hundred gave Myriad pause
For Grecian freedom at Thermopyl9.
These drew the spartan sword;
TheS +, knew the Spartan word
with it, or on it," These the Spartan spirit
stirred.
On the m ,st glowing page of human story
Are wr;5 in lines of light their deathless
names.
Our herita se is their eternal glory;
Their re. )rd of undying deeds is Fame's:
Tne immemOrial roll
Oh Tar respondent scroll
Their hon - and their valor shall extol.
VII
Ger that st fell, made red with their first
Rang tar ough the tumult bugle-call
His kinsIy 7oice, who royalty bestowed
On JasSson's soldiers standing like WALL
The battle accOlade,
kri hitting the great brigade
And hin no at its head had drawn his sword
an :'rayed. VII,
Booted AMI snurred, his troopers riding ever
Ready "a the fierce fray. entwined around
Theme forth the name OF Stuart glory
crowned;
IN , followed where he led;
t., conquered where he bled
Gladly Il each one died in the lost leaders
ste al.
Can you !, Is hear booming across the years
The thu ferrous echoes OF young Pelnam
guns!
There Wen TO war than her req CdUnOuteIS
None hi; 1er- hearted of the Souths true sons;
Wn ,tever else betide,
N the dim years they ride
Who joyo IS rode to death as bridegroom 20
his . ide.
Beyond the vast of time we can deScry
In memory the white foam and the sweep
OF the great ram, Virginia, and on high
The Southern pennant f1utterlng DER the
All hear the sullen roar
Or the grim guns she bore
Proclai n ing Freedoms fight from listening
shore to shore.
In many battle on the wandering wave
The sailors whom this shaft commentaries
Wrote his on Glorys record that the brave
Who fail for Freedom sleep at Freedoms
gates:
Tint after life lived free,
Life lost for Liberty
Is Gods most gracious gift that hath been OF
shall be.
For Free ON aye! for Freedom! Twas this
That Sent the steady, steel-tipped line of gray
Fringed with hell's fires up the steep, slippery
slope
OF Gettysburg, on that most fateful day
That found our pathway crossed
BY an Outnumbering host;
That with essed high hopes flown: that saw the
dear cause lost"
Unfalte.ing in their grave fidelity
Steadfast in purpose to the bitter end,
They closed thin ranks, and set brave eyes to
And dauntless hearts to bear what Fate
Not looking vainlyrbacs
Along the traVerSed track
But facin Z Wars last blast, its hurricane and
When ca ne the bitter end, the bugle blew
Its last sad note, that brought the binding
Do IN wasted cheeks from eyes that only knew
Honor and Death through all the weary
Tie long, hard fight was done;
Silenced was every gun;
| And what we lost cen now they do not dream
WHO woh' Wv
Let not the worth of any such be weighed
By battles balance. They who gloriied
Their righteous cause and lived, and they who
maize
The sacrifice supreme, in that they died
| To keep their country free,
| Alike gave men to see
What hero hearts were theirs who thus loved
| Liberty!
They did their duty in the leal, fearless fashion
OF antique knighthood's flower, each man a
knight,
whispering should greet them in the roar Of
| fight,
| Or Life to ceaseless pain
| Should lead them forth again;
| Knowing that duty done is never done in vain
| Time shall not dim their memory. The web
| The spider weaves may hang across thu
| mouth
| OF the dismantled cannon, and the ebh
| And flow of erstwhile battle in the South
| Be but the shadowy CLEAN
OF long-vanished dream;
But ever over all this shaft shall loom supr eme
XVIII
Silently telling in majestic beauty
| Throu III all the years the story Of their faith
Their 10 ge of Truth, OF Freedom an of Duty
| Trans candent Love, triumphant over Death
| Harm now can reach them never;
| Their fame is sure )rever
| While stands the sacred H i'll or flows the shin
| ing River