The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-31

have given their lives for the national
life, illustrate the national gratitude
and teach our children the lessons of
lofty patriotism. l hope we shall
yet see on some suitable spot in the
capitol of our state, monument arise
in matches beauty, which will
wOrthily commemorate the immortal
deeds Of MinneSOta's sous in the
greatest Of all wars which history
records. Let it rise on some noble
eminence, like the AcrOpOlis at
Athens, open to boundless view,
saluting the citizen and stranger alike,
and tell posterity how grateful peo-
pie can perpetuate the memory of her
brave sons who died for the state and
nation.
But this day we stand in the pres
ence of the immortal dead Back
through the shadoWy aisles of mem
DRY they rise up before US in the fresh
ness Of their youth and manhood. To
day they sleep in scattered graves, in
the bosom of the land they died to
preserve! | would to God that l had
the power to fifty eulogiZe the nations
dead. l remember, with you, the his
tOric drama in which they were the
living actors. We hear the call to
arms in youths bright morning. We
witness the hasty preparation: the
sudden departure; the last kiss of
love. Then comes the camp, the
march, the hospital, and the field Of
carnage. We hear the thrilling fife
and drum beat, and the bugle'S wild
notes in the morning and evening air.
But bark We hear the roar Of hos
tile cannon and the sharp, shrill rat
tie of thousand muskets! There is
the gallant attack, the successful re-
pulsel Defeat comes today, to be
crowned with victory tomorrow. The
story Of the battle flies on the light
ning's wing, and in the village nome
the lists of the dead and wounded are
read, and mother and maid are blinded
with tear-dropS that fall for son and
lover. 0, that crimson field of death
Some persisted in the awful charges of
the Wilderness: some on the rugged
sides of Mission Ridge: some in the
trenches Of Vicksburgh; some fell
above the clouds on Lookout Mount
ain: some persisted on the deadly
field of Gettysburgh. Some fell
grandly in the front of battle; some
by prOtracted disease in the hospital /:
some in the noisome dens of a rebel
prison: and some returned home,
weakened and disabled to die amid
friends. OF the 2,213, 365 who enlisted,
more than 1,250,000 are in their
graves today! We have passed the
point where the army of the dead
, outnumbers the army Of the living.
The sleeping battalions are more
than the living ranks.
They died for country; they died for
liberty; they died for mankind. De-
plore them as we may, our lamenta-
tions will not avail. "They are free
dom's cow and fame's." Their ab-
sence, this day, is more eloquent than
our presence. The winds will moan,
and the winter storms will sift their
SHOWS upon their silent tOmbs. But
with grateful change the vernal sun
returns again to deck their graves
with bloom. We, too, join loving ma
ture in scattering flowers upon their
tOmbs. So each recurring Memorial
Day, we will stand by their sepulchres
and unwind the golden threads of
memory that Irvine around camp, and
march, and battle, till at last, we
ourselves, shall join the sleeping
army, when
I'VE Will meet and greet in closing ranks,
In Times declining sun,
When the bugles of God shall sound recall
And the battle ofklife is won."
The exercises closed by the singing
Of America, in which all arose and
joined. The band played selections,
during the program, and received
compliments.