Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-06-24
PATHETIC WAR SONG.
SOMEBODY'S DARLING" AND
ITS HISTORY.
Written by Army Nurse Who Learned
the Life Story OF Youth Who Died
as a Result of the Night Attack of
Cedar Creek.

. I
War songs have become popular Of
late and some of the verses that were
popular when some of us were youne
are being printed and sung again. Many
readers will be glad to once more peruse
the lines in Somebody's Darling" This
is one of the most pathetic pieces that
grew out of the civil war. Here it is in
part:
Into ward of the whitewash'd halls,
Where the dead and the dying lay,
Wounded by bayonets, shells and balls.
Somebody's darling was borne one day
Somebody's darling. so young and so
brave,
Wearing yet on his pale, sweet face;
Soon to be hid by the dust of the grave
The lingering light of his boyhood's
grace.
Matted and damp are the curls of gold.
kissing the snow of that fair young
brow,
Pale are the lips of delicate mould
Somebody's darling is dying now
Back from his beautiful blue-veined brow
Brush all the wandering waves of gold,
Cross his hands on his bosom now,
Somebody's darling is still and cold
Kiss him once for somebody's sake.
Murmur a prayer soft and low,
One bright curl from its fair mates take
They were somebody's pride you know;
Somebody's hand had rested there
Was 1t a mothers, soft and white?
And have the lips of sister fair
Been baptized in the waves of light?
God knows best; he has somebody's love,
Somebody's heart enshrined him there;
Somebody waited his name above.
Night and morn on the wings of prayer.
Somebody wopt when he march'd away,
Looking so handsome brave and grand;
Somebody's kiss on his forehead lay,
Somebody chung to his parting hand.
Somebody's waiting and watching for
Yearning to hold him again to their
heart;
And there he lies with his blue eyes dim,
And the smiling, childlike lips apart
Tenderly bury the fair young dead,
Pausng to drop on his grave a tear;
Carve on the wooden slab at his head:
Somebody's darling slumbers here"
More pathetic still is the story that
the lines fail to unfold. The poem was
written by Sister Lacoste, member of
one of the sisterhoods that did service
during the conflict between north and
south. Coming into the dead room
of the hospital she saw the corpse of a
young man who had been fatally
at the battle OF Cedar Creek.
He proved to be Patrick Feeney, a
young Michigander, who enlisted at
Detroit. In some way his mother
earned of his enlistment and she hast
IN hof of4
he state to save him. She was too
ate, however, for her son was already
n suit Of army blue and ready to
march. His mother saw the general in
command and asked him if she could
lee her darling boy. "He is my only
me and so precious to US ALL" she cried.
Then she shrieked with grief and faint
ID away. While in this condition her
on was brought In. She stared at him
II vacant way for a few seconds and
hen look of admiration came to her
yes. The sight of her brave boy in
is new suit of blue touched her pride.
The was the mother of one willing to
acrifice his life while fighting for his
ountry. She embraced him and said:
Heaven has blessed me with such a
on. I came to take you away but nov
wouldn't if l could. If you come back
live I'll thank God, but if you are
illed it will be joy to me to know
nat you died a good soldier"
Tears came to the eyes of those near
hand as mother and son parted never
meet again, for few months later
letter came from Sister Lacoste say
lg that Patrick Feeney had been
ounded unto death, but that he had
we'd to receive the last sacraments of
le church and to send word to his
other that he had been shot during a
ght attack of the enemy. Had I
zen awake they could not have killed
g."
1t was month after his death that
e poem first appeared in print. be-
we that it was first printed in the
uthern Churchman of Savannah.
evious to the war Sister Lacoste had
en- school teacher.
We are told that Sister Lacoste after
lrds married a young lieutenant of
confeferacy. with whom she fell in
re VIII. rising at Savannah