The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-06-04

I
where they fell.
How much these testimonies and de-
of honor, esteem and graf.
tude for a people who had sacrlnced
their lives in defence of their Liberties,
,onduced to enhance the merit OF valor,
and services they had rendered their
country, and inspired the living with
emulation and courage and how exceed
ingly we'll calculated all this is to culti-
yate and perpetuate a spirit OF bravery
among the people, and to make them in
vincible in time OF war.
The Grecians, ever jealous OF their
liberties, were proud OF the achievements
Of their soldiers, and never tired OF doing
honor to the memory of the slain. But
they did not stop at a mere outward
show Of gratitude, but took unto the
state the widows and orphans Of those
of her citizens who had fallen In battle,
and made them the honorable wards OF
a greatful people. Is it any wonder
then, with the knowledge that those they
left behind would be cared for by the
state, that Leonidas and his heroic three
hundred could lay down their lives at
the pass of Thermopylae, after having
vainIy defended the narrow detile
against Xerxes whole army? Nor are |
we surprised at the words Of that Spar
tan mother, when dismissing her son,
who was about to depart for the scenes
of conflict, $50, my son, said she, and
come back with your shield unstained
by any act OF cowardiee, or be brought
back upon it corpse.p
\ hnr inn
around the graves OF our departed COM
rades mean? Nay, what does itnot meanY
Is it not an epitome of the great war
waged for the preservation OF the Amer
lean Union, and for human freedomP
to review the scenes of a civil war, the
likes Of which has no parallel in recorded
history, and to teach the generation of
men and wemen who have grown up
since the close of that mighty conflict,
lessons in loyalty, and to tell OF the hero
ism of the soldiers who, sacrificing home
and friends, throwing aside the ties OF
kindred position and society, buckled
on their armor and marched to the field
Of battle in defense OF our common
country?
Laying flowers as we have done today,
not only upon the graves OF our com
rades who lie buried in the cemeteries
here, but in typical and loving man
ner upon the graves OF all those of our
our comrades who died with disease or
wounds in the hospitals or by the
wayside, or perished nobly in the
front OF battle; and especially do
we place, with deep reverence,
the fragrant blossoms upon the grave
erected here to represent the unknown
dead" whose lonely sepulchers are scat
tered over the Southern battlefelds, and
whose place of burial will ever remain
unknown.
In the silent cities of the dead through
out our country are sheaves reaped in
the harvest of death from almost every
battlefield of the war, and if each grave
had voice to tell what its silent tenant
last saw and heard on earth, we might
stand with uncovered heads and hear
the whole story Of the war. We should
hear that one perished when. the first
great drops of the crimson shower began
to fall, when the darkness of that first
disaster at Mana ssas fell like an eclipse
upon the nation; that another died OF
disease after having fingered long in the
hospital; that this one fell in sight OF
the spires of the rebel capital, little
dreaming that the flag must be carried
over many fields of blood and carnage
ere its beautiful folds should triumph
antly wave over the citadel of treason
: We should hear mingled voices from the
different battle fields, and triumphant
shouts from Gettysburg, the Wilderness
Charlottesville, Vicksburg, Nashville
Stone River, Atlanta, Savannah, Mis-
sionery Ridge, Bentonville and scores o
: others, each exulting with wild acclaim
Of victory. And best of all we should
!, hear the sweet refraina of peace which
! after all these years of conflicts, haC
settled once more over the land.
AS we 90 on and down through life le'
us not shut out these sweet sounds, bu
. rather let us teach our children 70 revere
these phantom voices, and while we art
teaching them these things let us no
I forget to tell them that in the dark days
D when light went out at home, soldier
e iell in battle, and that through all thest
: years dark shadows still shut out thu
8 light in the hearts of hundreds of thou
e sands of our people, who gave father
: son, brother or husband to the cause o
the Union who did not return.
1t is upon occasions like these that tn
D past achievements of the old soldier i
e again fresh in his memory, Once NOR
e he sees the long line of blue as it leave
It the cover of yonder woods and marche
II out to meet the foe he knows to b
e strongly entrenched behind breastwork
:. awaiting his coming. With whitene
It face and firm grasp of the muske
/ he advances upon the works, when sud
denly puff of white smoke is seen t
e issue from the enemy's lines, then ther
e is loud roar OF artillery and the deadl
e shell strikes the advancing column an
n bursts with awful effect. The smok
IT and dust clear away and what do "
!, behold? Wreathing in their lifeblood lie
?. little Johnny Moore, the brave Irish lad
Is James Hunter, John Musselman, Jon
/ Thomas, Mat Ryan, our color bearer
u who had but lately been promoted
g that honorable position for his braver
n in having rescued the flag after the colo
sergeant had been shot down-Cyru
h Hale, and others whose names hay
Ie forgotten, some dead, others dying, Will
lie others we're wounded, among the latte
ID he who has the honor OF addressing you
10 the line halts but only to recover froI
lie the shock, when with an impetuosit
l. which knows no bounds, the line rusht
n on and up to the works, leaving many
S. their comrades along the way, stricke
n down by the murderous fire which
le poured into them; they reach the dite
n and are soon seen climbing upon the reb,
h works, and with dubbed muskets al
Of dealing and receiving blows ON ever
e, side. And, ah, what is that we heal
is there is no mistaking that sound; "
had often heard it on similar occasions
II it is the glad refrain of victory, shoute
is back to those who lay where they iel
Sc Once more Old Glory waves on higl
lg CONTINUED on page A.