The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-07-05
wounaed and eantured

f. tls .#hA 3 htAl4tfGA s+Af s. tAtN taNA AtItl
tum, but next o. Gettysburg this
WAS the bioudiest battle 81 the
eivil war.
!, myself, took part III d small
affair. in which 3, 600 men
charged batteries and entrenchod
lines in an open field, and in less
than one hour 1900 Of them were
lying dead or wounded upon the
battle iield-more than the total
loss Of cur army at Santiago.
Understand me, ! do not make
these comparisons for the pur-
pose of epreciating the yalor Of
our soldiers of the Cuban war.
The Americans, whether from
the North or from the South, are
fighters Of the first class. None
know that better than you and !;
and ! only mention these facts to
remind you how fearful the strug-
gle through which we passed,
when Anglo. Saxon fought with
Anglo Saxon and fought to the
death. Things were different
then, on our side, in other re-
spects. read a published letter
from young soldier. written
from the trenches before lSanti-
ago, in which he complained
most pathetically that he was
supplied with nothing but bacon
and hardtack and coffee for three
entire days! | can see you old
Rebs smile, for you have not for
gotten the luxurious meals you
made off Of parched corn; and
how you lightened your belts on
tae march to make your capacity
for food adjust itself to the mea-
ger rations which our poor coun-
try was often forced to issue %
US.
know you have not forgotten
! the old story Of the straggler in
Lee S army, who was found up a
persimmon tree in early spring
and how he escaped punishment
by explaining that he was only
trying to save himself from star
vat On by puckering up his stom-
ach with green persimmons 50
that his short rations could ill it!
How wildly | remember the
sumptuous feast enjoyed in
Nicksburg on pea -meal-by the
way q most original invention Of
General Pemberton-and how our
commissary. in a fit Of reckless
extra aganoe, slaughtered our
quartermaster's pet saddle mule,
which he loved even as the apple
Of his eye; even as honest Sancho
loved his dapple; and how en-
Enthusiastically we welcomed that
unfortunate muleinto the trenches
at supper time! Like the Fiji
islanders who had killed and eat
en- their beloved missionary
owe said, while we deplored her,
We loved her dearly live and well;
But roasted we adored her"
But | will return TO my prom
ised illustration of the truth thaf
the nations of earth are in God Il
hands, and that he guides them
by tracing through 1900 year;
the sublimest drama in the
world 8 history; and one il
which the unitiea are as strictly
preserved as by Horace in hi
most finished poem. The frs
act in this great drama was thC
covenant Of God with Abraham
that his seed should become G
great nation, and through them 8
Savior should be giyenato man.
kind.
In the second act the Egyptian
Empire was raised up, and be-
came great and powerful, anc
reached a high plane Of ciyiliza-
ton, and made some progress ii
the arts and sciences. Egypt
became the refuge, and the
guardian Of Gods chosen people
and Tor many years they shared
ils prosperity and its culture, anC
waxed numerous as the sands up.
on the seashore. But the time
came when Egypt forgot Joseph
and oppressed his race. and wai
false t. the great trust committed
to its keeping. So Israel was
freed from bondage, and entered
upon its wonderful career as The
chosen people Of God.
The third act Of this grea
drama shows Israel gathered II
the promised land, and grown
to be a great and powerful natior
under David end Solomon; ant
contemporaneous with the Assyr'
ian empire is raised up upon th'
ruins of Egypt. which it con,
4 quered, and it t'became a rod il
| the hands OF God for the chas