Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-10-07


carry tne men who fei on the land
and hurry them with solemn liturgy and
the horors OF war. for the bodies of
those who dropped from the rstlines
into the sea or went down with all on
board under the stroke OF a gunboat
there remained the shark and the whale
and the endless tossing OF the sea which
cannot rest. Once year. in the deco
ration Of the graves, those who fell In
the land were remembered. But how
s5out q = graves Of those who went
Town al sea? Nothing but the arch
angels trumpet shall reach their lowly
bed. 4 few Of them were gathered into
naval cemeteries OF the land, and we
every year garland the sod that covers
them. Dut who will put flowers on the
fallen crew OF the exploded Westfeld
and Shawsheen and the sunken South
field and the Winfield Scott? Bullets
threatening in front. bombs threaten
ering from above. torpedoes threaten
ing from beneath. and the ocean, with
its reputation of 5000 years for ship
wreck. living all around. am l not right
in saying il required special courage
for the navy in ls03 as ii required spe-
cial courage in lSss?
II looks picturesque and beautiful TO
see a war vessel going out through the
Narrows, sailors H. rev rig singing;
lfe on the ocean wave,
| A home on the rolling deep.
the colors gracefully dipi ing 10 passing
shipa. the decks Immediately clean and
the guns at quarantine firing parting
salute. But the poetry il all gone out
OF that ship as IL comes out OF that
engagement. its decks red with human
blood. wLcelhouse gone, the cabins a
pile Of shattered mirrors and destroyed
furniture. steering wheel broken,
smokestack crushed, a hundred pound
whitworth rifle shot having left it's
mark from port 10 starboard. the
shrouds rent away, ladders spiintered
and decks plowed up and smoke black
ened and scalded corpses lying among
those who are gasping thsir last gasp
far away from home and kindred.
Oh. men Of the American navy re-
turned from Manila and Santiago and
Havana. as well as those who are sur
vivors Of the naval conflicts of 1868 and
: 1864. men Of the western gulf squad
ron, OF the eastern gulf squadron. Of the
r South Atlantic squadron. OF the North
5 Atlantic squadron, OF the Mississippi
, squadron. of the Pacific squadron, of
the West India squadron and the Po-
4 tomac fotRla. hear our thanksl Take
3 the benedictior OF our churches. Ae-
n cept the hospitali;ieS OF the nation. II
J., we had our way. we would get you not
5 only n pension. but a home and q
e priucely wardrobe and an equipag'
e and a banquet while you live and aftel
p your departure catatalque anu
l. mauso.eum Of sculptuEed marble. will
s. 3 model of the ship In which you wol
l. the day. II is considered a gal.an
q thing when IN q naval tight the flagship
y with its blue ensign goes ahead al
= a river or into "a bay, its admiral stand
ing in its shrouds watching and givinI
:, orders But l have 10 tell you. o vet
H. Grams of the American navy. IL you ar
r as loyal TO Christ as YOU were 10 the gov
{. ernment. there Is a flagship saihn
N ahead OF YOU Of which Christ is the &C
or :uiral, and lie watches from the shrOud
n and the heavens are the blue ensigI
NJ and lie leads you toward the harbo
:. and all the brOadsides Of earth and he
AT cannot damage you, and ye whose ga
ld ments were once red with your ow
blood shall have robe washed an
IN made white in the blood of the Lam
he Then Strike eight bells! High noon
OF Heaven.
if- While we are heartily greeting al
rs banqueting the sailor patriots just no
n! returned we must not forget the ve
ms, erans of the navy now in marine he
TX pitfalls or spending their old days
nd their own or their children's HON
Nn steads. o ye veterans, 1 charge "
Ter bear up under the aches and we0
i'd nesses that you still carry from I
w! wartimes. You are not as stalwart
you would have been but for that mel
TO, Gus strain and for that terrific {
oO,- posure. Let every ache and pain.
D. stead OF depressing, remind you
by vour fdelitv. You have In nerve a
or muscle and bone and dimmed e.
900 sight and difficult hearing and sho
day ness Of breath many intimations Il
1st, you are gradually going down. II
the the service of many years ago that
ned telling on you. BE OF good cheer.
y ca, owe YOU just as much "a though "
zoo lifeblood had gurgled through the sc
by pers of the ship in the Red river
'eks pedition or as though you had q
yea, down with the Melville of Halter
hrst Only keep your Tag flying. as did
uch nlustrious Weehawken. Good chi
the my boy! The memory of man is P'
and ali that talk about the coun
sea- never forgetting those who fought
re- il is an untruth. IL does forget.
an ,asa ko-r .ha Veterans sometimes