Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-05-31

Prayer, by Rev. Il. Is. Gibbs.
Hymn America."
Benediction.
Organ Prelude.
Rev. Patch, pastor of the Baptist
church, delivered well prepared adj
dress, full of patriotism, with common
dation for the living and tender sym
patty for the dead soldiers. His re-
marks, interesting in every detail, were
listened to with the closest attention by
the large audience and particularly by
the old grey haired veterans.
There was not hitch in the execu-
ton of the Memorial program of yester-
day, either at the court house or at the
cemetery. Upon assembling at the SOL
diers monument on the county square
the following was the order of services:
Music by Band
Services ut the monument 1870 p. m.
Prayer-Chaplain James.
Address-Carl II. Mueller.
Flower Girls decorate monument.
Music by Band.
Mr.. Mueller addressed his old com
radeS as mere stated:
Again we have come to that season
of the year, when in accordance to the
mandates from the powers that be aud
nj pursuance to a now long established
custom, day is set apart as national
holiday, called Memorial Day, and
which ought to be observed by every
loyal citizen of this great republic,
although in the manner of proper
celebration, parties may honestly diff
fer, yet in any event it ought to be a
day of calm reflection, aud not day
for boisterous amusements. My COM
rades to you and me, who were active
participants in that great struggle
from 1861 to 1865, now calledsthe Civil
war or the War of the Rebellion, and
who are now old and infirm, and
expecting every day to be called to
answer that role call from on High, it
touches the numberless chords of MEM
Dry, yet it is proper and fitting that
the survivors of that great struggle,
oman ocnass,on like this should be
called to the stage. Involuntarily our
thoughts go back to those of our com
rades, who were taken from us while
in active service, some by being in
wound, some dying with blighting
diseases, and from criminal neglect,
and thousands and thousands of them
pest camp, and in the prison pen, ard
we also lovingly, remember the sur
vivors of that great struggle, lasting
four long years, who have since then
gone to their eternal rest. How quickly
hnr nj oh
years that bring old age, infirmities
and death are decimating our ranks
even quicker than the enemies fire.
Time Is our most relentless enemy,
comrade after comrade passes away
and in little while there will be no
one living to speak from personal ex-
perience about the hardships, pri-
vations, victories and deeds of valor
that he saw and it doesn't matter, if a
comrade was a general or corporal. a
private or captain, he has to meet
the common lot of all, for death is no
respector of person or rank. This
passing away is almost an every day
occurrence, and the poet so fittingly
expresses it, when he says:
1.-The air is full of farewels to the dying
And mourning for the dead
Yet grateful country will ever re-
member the yalor and heroism of its
defenders and keep their memories
green. But my comrades, although
lnstlnctively our minds go backto those
days that tried mems souls and make
rs remember the hardships that we
underwent, yet we are thankful that
providdenc has allowed US TO be actual
participants in that great struggle, aud
today we are, and ever since the close
of hostilities we have been happy III
that glorious trinity of results, the
saving of thenations life, the extinction
of the curse of slavery and the equality
of all men before the law My ades,
believe these glorious results are worth
even the cost of blood and treasure,
that we had 40 sacrifice in their accom-
plishment.
To those of our citizens who gave
precious Jewels from their household,
such as father, sou, lover or brother
never to be returned, it brings the
white rose into the cheek, and the old
keen pain into the heart, that pa u
which the years may soften, but cam
not cure.
This day with its recollections,
brings forth and reveals a wonderful
page of history, and to all who sppre-
mend the saii significance of the APP
polntment of Memorial Day, it is the
full bloomed, perfect blossom of a
peoples gratitude. To the children
who are amongst US, it ought To be a
school and instruction in patriotism
aud loyalty. We must not fail TO tell
them how that one shot fired st our
flag at Fort Sumpter in the year 1861
stirred like an electric shock, the
people of the northern states, its
echoes reverberated from hill to dale
throughout the whole country and
how il aroused such wonderful out
burst of patriotism. We must tell the
rising generation of those exciting
times, of the rolling of drums, the
sound of bugIes, and rustliug of flags,
of the prayer meetings turned into
war meetings, aud of the school houses
turned into recruiting stations. We
must not forget to tell them how,
when the call TO arms was issued, men
came from the pulpit aud the rostrun,
the factory and the farm, the mine
and lumber camp, TO take up their
countrSis cause, aud how under the
starry flag the young aud the middle
aged, the slender pale fac d youth aud
the bronZed aud weather beaten men
marched side by side.
Tell them that before the war was
closed over two million men had been
called into service, and tell them of
the anguish aud anxiety of those left
at home watching and waiting for
months and years which went So slow.
Tell them of camp and march, OF siege
and battle aud of the prison pen, of
danger and death, hope aud despair,
of victory aud defeat.
Tell them of the day when finally the
dark cloud parted and we saw coming
from the sky beyond, the white winged
angel of peace. how the az grew still
about us, and tie cannon ceased 10 thun-
der, and the musketry 20 rattle, how in
the disIan9 gloom we heard the drum
and fife, ard we saw coming home at
last. tattereI and tc-" The remb@hl of
our great army.
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