Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-13

nearly all On board persisted. They
were at the mercy OF the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. which have no mercy.
Such tempests as wrecked the Spanish
Armada might any day svoop upon the
squadron No lidiIs behind the earth
works No digging in OF cavalry spurs
at the sound OF retreat. Might.er than
eli the fortressss or all the coasts IS
the ocean when it boInbards notilla-
In the cemeteries for Federal and
Confederate dead are the bodies OF
most of those who fell on the land.
But where those are who went down
in the war vessels VII not be known
until the sea gives up its dead. The
Jack t2rs knew that while loving arms
might carry the men who fell on the
urSy and the honors OF war. for the
bodies of those who dropped from the
ratiineS into the sea, or went down
with all On board under the stroke o.
and the whale and the endless tossing
of the sea which cannot rest. Once
year. in the decoration Of the graves
those who fell on the land are re-
memhersd; but how about the graves
of those who went down at sea? Moth
ing but the archangel's trumpet Shall
reach their lowry bed. few OF them
were gathered into naval cemeteries of
the land and we every year garland
the sod that covers them: but who will
put flowers on the fallen crew of the
exploded WeStfield and Shawsheen.
and the sunken SCuthieid and the
Winfield Scott? Bullets threatening
in front. bombs threatening from
above. torpedoes threatening from be
meath, the ocean, with its reputation
OF 5000 years for shipwreck, lying all
around. am / not right in saying it
required special courage for the navy
in 1868. as 1t required especial courage
in 1898?
1t looks picturesque and beautiful to
see a war vessel going out through
The Narrows. sailors III new rig sing
ing
a life on the ocean wave.
a home on the rolling deep."
the colors gracefully dipping to pass
ing ships. the decks Immediately
clean. and the guns at quarantine
firing a parting salute But the poetry
is all gone out OF that ship as 1t comes
out OF that engagement. its decks red
with human blood. wheelhOuse gone.
the cabins pile OF shattered mirrors
and GestrOyej furniture. steering
wheel broken. smokestack crushed.
hundred pound Whitworth rifle shot
having left its mark from port to star
board the shrouds rent away. ladders
splintered and decks plowed up. and
smOha-blackene and scalded corpses
lying among those who are gasping
their last gasp far away from home
and kindred. whom they love as much
rs re love wife and parents and emil
6ren.
o, men OF the American navy re-
turned from Manila ana Santiago and
Havana. as well as those VINO are sur
viyors OF the naval conflicts of 1863
and 1864; men Of the western gulf
squadron. OF the eastern gulf squad
ron. OF the south Atlantic squadron,
OF the north Atlantic squadron. OF the
Mississippi squadron. of the Pacihc
squadron. of the Yves: india squadron
and Of the Potomac foJiila. hear orr
= Ta1r po 1f,.fi ~
churches Accept the inequalities OF
the nation. II We had our way we
would get you rot only a pension. bu:
Il home and a princely wardrobe and
an eQuipage and banquet while YOU
live. and after your departure a cata-
falque and mausoieum of sculptured
marble. with a model OF the ship in
which you WOE the day Ii is cOnsid-
cred gallant thing when. In naval
fight, the flagship With its blue ems gu
goes ahead up q river or into a bay
its admiral standing in the shrouds
watching and giving orders. But
have 20 tell you, - veterans of the
American navy, Il yea are as loyal
TO Christ as You were to the govern
ment. there is flagship sailing ahead
of you. Ct which Christ is the admiral.
and he watches from the shrouds. and
the heavens are the blue ensign, and
he leads you toward the harbor. and
all the 5roadsides Of earth and he'll
cannot damage you. and ye whose gar
mepts were once red with your own
blood Shall have a robe washed ard
made white in the blood OF the Lamb.
Then strike eight bells. High noon in
heaven,
While we are heartily greeting and
banqueting the sailor-patriots just now
returned. we must not forget the vet
Grams OF the navy now in marine hos
pitfalls. or spending their old days in
their own OF their children's home
steads. Oh. ye veterans. l charge you
bear up under the aches and weak
nesses that you s,ill carry from the
war times. You are not as staiwart
as you would have been but for that
nervous strain and for that terrific eX-
posure. Let every ache and pain, in
stead Of depressing. remind you OF
your fidelity. The sinking of the Wee
hawken off Morris Island. Dec 6. 1868.
was Il mystery. She was not under
fire. The sea was not rough. But
Admiral Dahlgren. from the deck of
the flag steamer Philadelphia. saw her
gradually sinking. and finally she
struck the ground. but the flag still