Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-05-30
Thumon Frederick County, Maryland, Thursday May 80, 1901.
back in the States

back in the States
The boy Jarvis was silent for a mo-
ment, and then his eyes cleaned.
v know what they are doing-at least
in my part Of the country he said
| Don't you know what day this is, Will
SON.?
The regulor shook his head.
How do you expect fellow to keep
track OF time, when for days and days
and days he's been following the little
brown men in a Luzon jungle? We
don't have a chance to rest and sleep
much less trying to think what day Of
the week it is.'
But I remember said Jarvis. Tt's
the 3Oth of May, and it's Decoration
Day, the day when we remember those
who fell in the Civil War. Say, Will
son, over there in my home, way up in
old York State, by Lake Ontario. all
the women are out today putting flow
ers on the graves of the old soldiers
The pretty girls are along, too, God
bless EN- can see their blue eyes
and brown hair and red cheeks new
1t ism so sad, you know; that war was
such long time ago that all the sting
of it has passed. 1t was fought before
was born, and We just feel that they
were all heroes together. We glory in
EN- and the grief is gone. You know
how it is, Wilson,
Yves, l know how 1t is,' replied the
regular,
There was sudden increase in the
firing of the skirmishers and Wilson
appeared to be listening intently, but
his thoughts we're far away and in a
time long past. His face was too brown
and scanned to show emotion, but there
was a faint suspicion Of uist in his eyes
Yes, | know how it is, Jarvis he
repeated, but you see was on the 9th.
er side. and amt got any cause to be
ashamed of it. We thought we were
right and your people thought they
were right. and with only that little
difference Of opinion between US we
made the grandest fight of it the world
has ever seen. Well, it was over long
ago and those that were n it amt got
any bitter feeling against each other.
It's right that the northern people
should decorate the graves OF those who
fell and in the south we do the same.
Hark to that trumpet. They are still
gathering. They know that we'll charge
'em pretty quick, Just az soon as our
skirmishers and cavalry turn their left
flank, it'll be up and at EN-
Soft, but mellow and clear, the note
of the trumpet once more came through
the Jungle across the marsh. The fiIe
of the skirmishers swelled into steady
crackle.
That trumpet is signal said the
regular, and it's like another but bigger
signal heard long time ago. Hear
those shots over there The cavalry
are on their hanks now. We haven't
got much longer to wait; then we'll
swing forward as We did that day up
Cemetery hill, but to a luckier end
1T was hot then,' said the youth ten.
lively.
The regular laughed quietly.
Hot" be said 'HCt was no name
for it. 1t was the road to the internal
regions. I'm Virginian, Jarvis, and
| was with Pickett. Twas no older then
than you are now. We were lying on
Seminary ridge facing the Yankees on
Cemetery hill and biding our time. We
had been fighting nearly three days
you know Jarvis, but we, under Pickett
did not come up until the last day. DO
you see any OF EN-, Jarvis?'
No: the skirmishers are still lively,
but dou't see anything
Yt's still to early for US. There had
been tremendous fire of biz guns, about
300 of EN- altogether, for an hour or
two, and then they stopped all of sud-
den. 1t was 80 still you could hear an
ant crawl. Then came the signal for
us with Pickett to charge home to the
heart of the northern army and we did
it, and we didn't come back-at least
not many of US. 1t was abou. a mile
across the open and there were less than
5000 Of US going against the Yankee
army of 10000 or $4,000 men, though
TIH