The National tribune., 1900-04-05
ANOTHER YEAR TO THE GAR.
BY T. II. BRISTOW.

BY T. II. BRISTOw.
Another full year has widened the way
Between Appomattox and the peace Of
to-day;
Another full year has added gray hairs
To the heads of the boys, but they came
unawares;
Another full year has seen scores of boys
fall,
And some of our number answered AYE"
to the call;
Another full year has completed its round
We are nearer tonight to the last camping
ground.
Like leaves of the Autumn, the boys, one
by one,
Are falling in silence when the race has
been run:
Like the mists of the morning. thcy are
melting away
They are Stacking their arms" at the close
Of the day.
They are marching "at WILL" but the
marching is fleet;
Each day for some boy there is muffled
drum-bcat.
Each day the sun shines upon a new mound
Which tells that some comrade his long
rest has found.
They fall from the line which can not
about"
And add to the list of tho boys mustered
out"
The mighty array of the boys as they went
To the march, into battle, TO the little white
tent,
Has been going so swift to the other fair
land
That they outnumber those of this side
of the strand.
The army in blue was enlisted for life,
Though we thought at the time it was but
for the strife.
1t won with the f1ag-aye. it carried the
day;
And it won in the blue 'gainst the army
of gray.
We can not forget that the flag was assailed;
That by some its bright folds in the ashes
were trailed;
We can not forget that some boys wore
the blue
Meath the old starry flag, and to country
We're true;
We can not forget how some fell on the
field
With face 10 the foe. and never would Yield;
We can not forget how each would cntrcat
That the bright starry flag be his last
winding sheet;
We can no. forgct-.hough for charity,
pray
There were some who wore blue; there
were some who wore gray.
We love to forgive all the wrong that was
done;
We clasp hand in hand, for the country is
one.
1t was brothers who fought, and brothers
forgive;
But can we forget? No, not while We live.
We know that hearts beat meath the old
coats of gray
AS warm as the sunlight, as constant as
day;
We know that they fought for their homes,
as did we;
For mother, for sister. for lover, may he;
For wife, and the babe in the cradle so
fair
For the father who sat in the old armchair
They, fought us like mon, and like soldiers
they died;
But who can forget, they were on the wrong
side?
They fought meath the flag that carried
the bars;
We fought meath the flag with the stripes
and the stars;
They trailcd iii the dust the old emblem
They fought in the gray; we won in the
blue.
They fought to divide this fair lard of the
free;
We kept it one land from the sea to the sea.
So the Grand Army, boys, has meaning
Who stood by the flag when assailcd by
its foes
With its stripes all unfurled, the stars on
the blue
And We here swear allegiance and our
VOWS we renew.
We cone here and talk of the deeds that
were done,
The BATTLES we fought; and the victories
won.
In sacred remembrance the heroes we hold
Whose blood stained in crimson the old
banners fold.
We talk of the marches, the camp, and
t." pen;
Swear that treason must die, and answer,
"Amcn."
so, comrades, be up and be doing for 10.
How quickly 10 longer 4 conraAc you'll
know.
Bring, every old soldier who fought i'll the
blue
To the altar, allegiance again 10 renew;
For the long roll has soundcI-"iights
OUT has been beat;
We are all marching quick to the final
retreat.