The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-06-04

V1Vo Jul ioyolVy, ouo, 90 "o ooouo
midst the graves of our fallen heroes,
our love for the old flag, for country
and native land is renewed; and the
fires of patriotism and tender regard
kindled.
To those of us who bore the brunt
of that terrific and sauguinary conflict,
Decoration Day is indeed milestone
in life's journey. To US it is day OF
hallowed memories of comradeship; of
camp life; of marches and bivouacs; of
fierce charges and mighty battles; of
hospitals and sickness: of sutferings
and Of death. To US, comrades, it has
a still deeper siguifcance; and one that
is rapidly leaving it's impress upon our
lives; for to us comes the realization
that soon we too will be the especial
objects ofa grateful peoples remem
brauces. We realize that in few
short years we too will have joined
that innumerable host that has
h;v uacked on fame's eternal camping
grounds" and that the last sentry of
that magnificent army of almost 2,OO0,-
900 loyal patriots of '61 to '65 will have
responded to tatto, and that the Grand
Army of Republic will then be leaf
in the history of this giant republic.
But what page it will be! 1t will
be lustrous with acts of bravery and
loyalty, and blazoned with deeds of
daring that will command the admira-
tion of all succeeding generations and
that will call Into activity the genius
of the greatest poets ond historians,
who will portray in words of burning
eloquence the prowess, skill and un-
faltering courage of those we honor
today.
To al of our people this day is sacred; !;
for all over this broad land are ceme-
teries within whose sacred confines,
peacefully sleeping, lies the dust of
father husband, aon or brother, or
other kin of living millions that per-
ished during that terrible conflict, or
that have since surrendered to the
grim destroyer, and all, with one &C.
cord, assem- bled today to do honor
to the illustrious dead, and be-
strew with springs choicest blossoms,
the grassy mounds that rise above their
last resting place. So to all of our
people this day is pregnant with SOL
emn and deep significance. Our
fallen heroes gave their lives, will
ing sacrafce, purely for the sake of
humanity. Our battles were fought,
not for conquest, nor yet for glory;
they were fought for God, for home,
for native land and for humanity.
War at its best is barbarous: it is re-
fined cruelty. But the two great wars
waged by the United States, was for
self preservation, and for the uplifting
of the human race. Mr.. Silsby ther
gave brieJ but comprehensive resume
of the causes of the war of the rebellion
and briefly traced that conflict to its
: close, ending hatportion of his address
as follows: "During that brief period
from April u, 1861, to April 26, 1865
nearly 5000, 900 soldiers in both armiei
we're enlisted. Nearly 100000 o
them wore the blue. OF that number
, thousands were killed outright upor
, the battle fields, multitudes died il
hospital, camp and field: while many
: thousands of our brave boys literally
| starved to death in rebel prisons
| where mans inhuman ingenuity wa
seemingly taxed to the limit in devils
> ing atrocious regulations to make lif
q burden and death almost certain
r That fearful feature of the war is
. dark blot upon our escutcheon as ma
3 tion and upon civilization and it's sea
will remain as long as history shal
: last. Notwithstanding all the horror
of the rebel prison pens, many of ou
l comrades survived, only to experienc
. living death through the few remain
: ing years of their lives.
/ The rebel authorities offered ther
Z, their liberty if they would renounc
S the old flag and swear allegiance to tn
n confederacy; but-all honor to them
: they steadfastly refused; preferrin
d death, in all its horrid forms, to dir
y honor. * After the veterans {
8 hundred battles were discharge
Q they quietly and peacefully returned
y their homes and at once assumed th
t peaceful occupations they had le
a when responding to their country
n call, and from that day to this no equ.
}. number OF men, anywhere within tn
J. confines of this nation, have so faitl
l. fully observed the laws as they, and Z
d equal number have done 80 much to il
'r culcate in the minds of the risin
'f generations love Of country, tru
J. patriotism, veneration for our Law
l. and flag. It was the old soldier WI
n first proposed memorial day.
': 1868, General John A. Logan, as Cor
ID mander-in-Chief of the Grand Arm