Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-06-01
No. As.

quarter Of century has passed since
then. The shot on Sumter flashed
like lightning through the land and
left red spot burning in the bosom
of every patriot. A nation of civil
ians became conglomera.ion Of ar
mics, and long and fiercely ragged the
conflict. Loyal men rallied around
the Old flag aud barred their bosoms TO
the hurting bayonet. shell and ball.
Tue morning sun greeted land OF
smoke and blood, and drinking mp
the gore from many a battlefield.
sank red faced behind the gloomy
mountains. The moon flooded with
pale rays the CHASTITY faces of the dead,
and fingered sadly on the white tents
and the war cursed earth. From the
first marshalling in battle array to the
final grand review. from the first Bull
Run to Appomattox. where and when
did human bravery ever surpass that
OF the soldiers OF both armies3 Half
million men went down before
bayonet, shell and ball: many died in
prisons, and of disease. while thou
sands sleep to-day under the hemlock
and the pine, or in cemeteries like
this, under the slabs Of the ''un-
known" All. the scenes of that
strife come back to US again. The
old gray-headed mother stands in the
door way, her honest. tear.stained
face bathed in the glory of the setting
sun. to catch last farewell look al
her darling boy, as he fades from
view in the gathering shadows of the
coming night. There are whispered
tgood-bys." On the trembling lips
the last fond kiss is pressed
There are tears and farewells. as
fathers. sons and husbands hurry to
the front. Some of them never again
return At Bull Run, with parched
lips and bleeding faces. they whisper
of home and mother, and die. On
the leaves and by the roots of dead
trees in the wilderness. they turr
their faces toward the red sun Of war.
and fall asleep with the din Of battle
in their ears. They are with Sher-
man in his march to the sea, and fight
with gallant Joe Hooker among the
clouds of Lookout Mountain. They
sweep up this valley with Sheridan,
or in the presence Of that "Silent
Commander Grant, fight like fiends
in the wilderness and before Fort
Donelsou, and on the heights o.
Gettysburg, with the gallant Meade,
Sickles and Hancock. sweep away
from their front with the bosom of de.
struction the steady line of gray.
Their bones lie buried under the grass
of the plains and under the flowers OF
the South, or at the bottom Of count.
less streams. Bravely they fought
an well. / wish TO bear witness
a. lin that the cause tor which
I ,ey died was right, eternally right.
{ was a great danger that threatened
is. But that danger was not 10 us
alone, but through us to the cause 'oi
liberty throughout the world The
success OF our popular government
had given great hope to the oppressed
peoples of the earth The thrones o.
i1onarchs were beginning to feel the
| ,rising Of the spirit Of liberty among
Il people. Our failure would have
cal ed the shadow on the dial plat,
of II. nan progress to turn far bach
towar- the midnight of absolute dies
potism. The question was not mere.
ly whether a few states should be al
lowed to withdraw from the Union
and set up a government of their OWL
but whether or not government o
the people. by the people and for thu
people" should perish from the earth
1t was to meet the perils of such
condition and demand as this. tina
you turned aside from the peaceful
/, walks Of life to endure the hardship
and dangers Of war.
4 In the light of this occasion tina
called for you. we may best read th
motives that prompted your response
There are various motives that in
spire men to take uparms and imperi
life. The savage braves death in at
lacking the foe, urged on by thirs
for blood and revenge. The Goth
and Vandals overran Southern Flu
rope led by lust for plunder Tn
arm OF the Roman soldier was nerv
ed by the expectant glory of conques
and universal dominion. The Crusa
ders were emboldened and made reck
. less oflifeby religious fanatacism. TIL
legions Of Napoleon rushed to con
quest or to death through admiration
of their leader. The courage Of Eng
lands army is kept up largely b
memory Of and pride in its histori
achievements. But none Of thes
) motives are to be compared with thos
that inspired our. citizen soldiery I
: do and dare and die. They sough
: not personal riches. honor, fame c
glory. They staked not their live
s for the agg,andisemenf of any leadel
| Their hearts were fired with an il
: tense love of country, and high ar
t probation of our civil institution
They saw tie cause of popular go,
: eminent assailed, and flew to the re
: cue. They looked upon our flag an
4 saw there symbolized. religious libe
{ Ity-political equality, personal fre'
/. dom-all that is desirable in govern
y ment and praiseworthy in civilization
: And when they saw the hand of 81
/ cession reach forth and pluck frol
E that field of blue, one by one, il
: shining stars. then all that was mai