The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-09
THE PHANTOM HOST.

For the dreamer in bis dreams.
stood 10 woDdrous woodland,
Where the sunlight nestled sweet
In the cups of snowy lilies
Which bloomed about ms feet;
And while the Gothic forest arches
Stirred gently with the air,
TIE lilies underneath them
Swung their cepsors, pale in prayer.
stood amazed and wondering,
And grand Memnon;an strain
Game sweeping through the forest,
And died then rose again.
II swelled in solemn measure,
Till my soul, with comfort blessed,
Sank down auorg the lilies
With folded wirgs to rest.
Then to that mystic music,
Through the forests twilight aisle,
Passed host with uufflsd footsteps,
In martial rank aud 6ie;
And knew those grey.clad figures,
Thus slowly passing by,
Were the soals Of Sonthero soldiers
Who for freedom dared to die.
II front rcde Sidney Johnston,
With brow no longer wrung
Dy the vile ard senseiess SANDERS
OF prurient, raoble tongue;
Ard near bin mighty Jackson,
WITH a placid front, IS one
Whose warfare was accomplished,
Whose crown of glory won.
There Hill, too, pure aud noble,
Passed in that spirit traip,
For be joined the martyred army
From the South's last battle plain.
Then next 10 order followed
The warrio--priest, great Polk,
With joy to meet bis Master,
For be had nobly borne HIS yoke.
There Stuart, the bold, the daring,
With matches Pelham rode
With earnest, chastened faces,
They were looking up TO God.
And Jenkins, glorious Jenkins,
With his patiert, fearless eyes,
And the brave, devoted Garnatt,
Journeyed 90 to Paradise.
Before shadowy squadron
Rode Morgan, keen and stroag,
And knew By bis tranquil forehead
He'd forgotten every wrong.
Apd peerless Pegran marching
With daoutles5 martial tread,
l bresthed Sigh for the hero,
The young, the early dead.
Mid spectral Black horse troopers
Passed Ashby's stalwart form,
With that proud, defiant bearing
Which 30 spurned the battle storm
But his glance was mild and tender,
For in that phantom host
1t dwelt with lingering fondness
% the brother be bad lost.
There strobe the brave Malony,
Kind, genial adjutapt:
Aud next him walked tho truthful,
The lioa-hearsed CAN'T.
Then, to that solemn music,
Passed traid of the brave
Hayne, Taylor, Alfred Pinckney-
Each had found 6 soldiers grave.
They we're young and gentle spirits,
But they quaffed the bitter cup,
For their country's Aag was falling,
And they fell to lift it up.
Ay. there passed in countless thousands
10 that mighty phantom host,
True hearts and noble patriots
Whose names on earth are lost.
There s'tbe missing" found thei. places
Those who vanished from our gaze
Like brilliant, flashing metsors,
And were lost 10 glory's blaze
Yes, they passed, that noble army
They passed 10 meet their Lord
And voice within ne whispered
"Tbey but march 10 their reward"
The above poem was written in 1866
Rev. P. D. Hay, rector of the Church of I
Holy Comforter, this city, and then re:
lent of this city, bat at that time be had n
aiken orders A snort time after the poe
vas written it was published in the Sum,
Watcbman, which was its 6rst publicatio
The poem was widely copied, and in time
YES attributed to Father Ryan, By near
very body
consider it not ooly pleasure but
luty owe to ny neighbors to tell about t
wonderful cure effected in my case by I
imely use of Chamberlsin g Collie, Chole
md Diarrhoea Remedy. | was taken ve
,adly with fux and procured bottle of til
emedy. A few doses of it effected perm
,antcn-. take nleaanre In recommendi]