The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-09

sumption of the command of that
district. He had already performed
some of the most brilliant exploits of
the war, and great hopes rested on
him for the future. His death was
Justly regarded as one of the greatest
losses that the country has sustained.
His name will shine with luster in
American history, as long as the
memory of patriotism, valor and gen.
ius shall abide among men. A gentle
man who watched at his bedside has
given the following description of
his last hours:
THE General, as | stood near him,
reached out his hand and taking
mine, looked up into my face and
said, 1T is blessed thing to have a
Christians hope in time like this!'
After an hour, perhaps, he beckoned
to me, and feebly shaking my hand,
said, You must not stay longer; go
now, and come to me in morning.
Major Birch, who had been untiring
in his attentions, entered, almost con-
vulsed with grief. He conducted the
Rev. Mr.. Strickland to the bedside
of the General, and beckoned me
to follow. | did not hear all the
words of the General, as the Rev.
Mr.. Strickland stopped to speak to
him; but I did hear him say, 'kneel
down. and then add the request
that he would offer a short prayer.
How sill he lay while that prayer
was addressed to the throne of the
God of battles! At it's conclusion, as
we rose from our knees, his eye rested
on me, and his hand was extended
again, you can do me no good,
said he family, do not stay His
mind seemed perfectly clear and
calm, but he was failing constantly.
Oh, it is a fearful sight to us all to
see father thus dying at the same
hour with his two sons, and they not
know it,-not permitted to treasure
up his last words, his last look, that
all these must be given to strangers.
But they are too sick yet to bear the
blow; it would shatter them, there
fore they must be kept in ignorance
till coming hour"
At 7pM of the same day the writer
adds: "Gen. Mitchell has breathed
his last. He is gone from us. Our
hopes that were placed on him must
be placed higher,-higher. With
Victor Hugo, we must learn to say,
1T is not generals nor soldiers, but
God, who must give us the victory
in this war of the powers of dark
nessp Gen. Mitchell had entire
possession of his faculties till within
an hour or two of his departure, when
his reason seemed to wander. His
last intelligent expression was, II am
ready to CO. His last intelligent
look was directed to the Rev. Mr..
Strickland, and when he could speak
no longer, seeing that friend APP
proach, he pointed with his hand
twice toward heaven and the next
moment his soul took its flight thither.
He died after an illness of four days
only"
Thus did that scourge, yellow
fever, take from our country one of
her noblest generals, and from the
world a Christian astronomer. The
thousands who had listened to his
eloquent lectures with delight
mourned his sudden departure, and
as they looked upward to the starry
host, sighed for him who had SO
helped his generation to understand
that 1.-THE heavens declare the glory
of God" A writer in the New York
Evening Post commemorated his
worth in a poem entitled "Old Stars"
with the motto
Hung be the heavens with black"
These are some of the stanzas:
Ellis mighty life was burned away
By Cardinals fiery sun;
The pes Hence tn 1t walks by day
Smote him before his course seemed run.
The consultations of.the sky
The Plsitdes, the Southern Cross,
Looked sadly down to see him die,
To see a natl IN weep his loss.
Take him, We stars take him on high
To your vast realms of boundless space,
But once he turned from you to try
His name on martial scrolls to trace.
That once was when his countrys call
Said danger to her flag was nigh
And then her banners stars dimnel all
The radiant lights which gemed the sky"
Every soul which can appreciate
scientific attainment and a noble pa
triotism will gladly render to Gen.
Mitchell the tribute of praise which
is his due. | commend his writings
to the young mind, fresh and earn
est and enthusiastic. They will in
struct, inspire and bless you, dear