The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-11-25
and resources Of both sides were devoted

granu IN lt6 physical prOpOrtlOue, now
much grander, how infinitely grander it
was in the interests involved, and in the
far re aching significance OF its results.
Not from the Potomac to the Rio Grsnde
alone, but from the Klondike to Cape
Horn, nay, wherever men we're strug.
Cling for freer life and nobler man.
hood, our triumph was felt as mighty
inspiration and will continue to be an
inspiration of hope while our proud flag
floats upon the breeze.
"The fact that both armies were com.
posed Of men of heroic blood, made the
co mbat as direful and costly in human
life as it was vast in proportions.
"The Secretary Of War has officially
announced that at the close of the great
struggle 100000 soldiers of the Union
Army were dead.
"This includes the killed in battle and
those who died OF disease or wounds,
while of those surviving many hundred
thousands more were either MANNED or
else made invalids for life, by the exper
fences, hardships and suffering of active
army service. About 100000 names
appear on our army lists, but it is esti.
mated that fully 100000 of them were
re enlistments, and that as fact We had
barely two million men in our army
during the war, and of these as stated
400, 900 gave their lives in defense of the
life of the nation
"Now by the laws of human vitality
practically reliable-upon which the life
insurance business of the country is
conducted, involving many millions of
money yearly. The average probabili.
ties of lie to all the soldiers who enter
ed our army was forty years.
''Thus each of these 100000 men
makes 16, ,0O0,0 900 years of individual hu.
man life given for the life of the nation
But the War Secretary says further, that
by the same laws OF vitality, and human
longevity the average soldier who serv.
I'd two or more years in our army less.
ened thereby his probabilities of life by
twelve years. The records show that
about one million men were two or
more years in our army service, and this
would make twelve million years more
If individual freeman life given in the
defense of the country. Of the 100000
soldiers remaining who each did less
than two years service, it is estimated
that each had his probabilities of life
essened five years, and this would make
A contribution of 100000 years more,
and thus the grand total of all these
classes of our soldiery shows 100000
years Of individual human life given as
\ vo ountary offering for the life of this
great Republic.
"Not in the history of ages-not in
he annals of time was there ever be.
ore any such offering or sacrifice like
hat. Thus our great struggle for the
lation's lite WAS not only the grandest
,attle of modern times, but in it's vast.
less, in its direfulness, and in the far
results OF its overwhelming vic.
ory, it was the grandest battle of all
ges. 81 that the men who fought that
'attle, and the heroes who won the vic.
Dry were not simply the heroes of the
nineteenth century, but the heroes of
II time.
And to all the patriotic citizens of
Highland county it ought to be mat.
Or of deep pride and congratulation that
owhere in the state or country was
be spirit OF patriotism more manifest or
ndaunted than here; that nowhere
'as there prompter or heartier re.
ponse to the call for men to do, and die
" their country. And that the men
'ho represented your county in the var.
,us armies of the Union were men OF |
lch character and courage, or to make
lem the peers and equals of the very
est soldiery in our armies.
ITO you all it must be deep gratifica.
on that while yet many of the old vet
rams linger among you, it has been pos
BILE for you to aid in building this
haste and beautiful monument to the
wing and the dead, who all alike offered
leir lives for the life of the Republic.
nd thou, o beautiful memorial of
,during granite and bronze, stand in
~ simple beauty through decades and
trough centuries And generations as
ley come and 60 shall read with pride
~ record OF heroic deeds
"No vandal hand shall mar thy per.
ct symmetery; no enemy shall raze
lee to the ground. But thou shalt
and through the ages and tell to the
,es the matchless story of the courage
I'd the sacrifice of the brave men of
ighland.
"Mute though thou art
Thou shalt repeat the story
Enr xl