The Somerset reporter., 1905-04-13

Written on the 4Oth Anniversary of Lees
Surrender and read At Il. A X. banquet
Hotel oxford.


Hotel oxford.
The north and south. the blue and gray
Each bore part on that eventful day,
When from the great lakes to the sea
All hearts thrilled by the surrender OF Lee.
-Four long years OF constant strife,
-Four weary years that tried the nations life,
Hearts made sad, homes rent in twain
Ere sweet peace come to us again.
1t was no dream, no vision of the brain,
And our minds to- night wonder back again
To the mighty drama enacted so long ago
That meant to our country its veal or woe.
Lincoln vas there whose depth of brain
Our country can never hope to see again
Grant was there great leader in command,
Sherman and Sheridan beloved DER all the
land.
Mcclellan whom many of US loved so well,
Sedgewek and Mcpherson on the front line
fell,
Our own Howard who went out from Maine,
Mansfield and Reynolds among the slain.
The stubborn Meade and Burnside too
We're leaders in the lines of blue
While the great Lee had his say
With the solid lines of gray.
Stonewall Jackson is soldery pride
A foremost leader on the southern SIDE.
Ionpstreet and the Hills of Lees command
Were each part of the Confederate band
Fighting Toe Hooker we knew him well.
One armed Kearney at Chantlly fell,
Franklin who led in many hight,
All are with us in memory her tonight
Stearn old Thomas of western fame,
Fremont our hearts thrill at thy name,
The heroic Ellsworth who SO early died
Mcdowell and Birney on the union side
Johnston, great leader OF the gray,
Bragg and Hood each had their day
In the mighty conflict that serged around
The battlehelds on southern ground
The firey Pickett who in vain hope
Charged our lines on the Gettysburg slope,
The brave Magruder with stern will
Tried the safe at Malvern hill.
Stuart. the cavalry leader of the gray
! Morgan oft held our cavalry at bay.
Beauregard, Gordon and Ewell too
Fought against our lines OF blue.
Rosecrans was our leader in Tennessee,
| Hancock ught the battallons OF Lee,
Sipel, Stoneman, Sickels and Banks
| Had high commands in the union ranks
Then there's the Navy with its heroes all,
! l.
As we meet tonight to celebrate
The fortieth anniversary Of that date.
| 1t is enough, we proudly revere
| The honored names mentioned here,
| With million others of less fame,
But as deserving Just the same.
omrades, we are almost through our day,
Our locks are thin and getting gray,
| We'er not as we were IN slxty-one,
| Full f life and Joy and fun
Not as we were when Sumpter's alarm
! Called US from schoolroom factory and farm,
{ allied US to the front where we sa"
The active scenes of the. civil war.
| ON Antietam's restless stream
We saw the southern bayonets CLEAN,
Up the valley Of the Shenandoah
We heard the terrific cannon roar.
Where the waters Of the Chickahominy glide
We stemmed the storm of the battle-tde,
Where the James flows to the sea
We grappled with the hosts OF Lee.
BY the Rappahannock' growth OF pines
We charged upon the enemy's lines
And felt the battles whitening breath
AS our comrades went down IN death.
Along the Atantics southern coast,
We contended with the Confederate host,
, Where the broad Mississippi runs
We stood by the side Of the Union guns.
By the Cumberland's winding course
/ Gathered our comrades IN mighty force,
/ Where the Tennessee SO quietly flows
We fought against our country's foes.
! Through all these years We held our breath
lust outside the gates of death,
/ When the fosts Of Lee lay down Their arms
We sought once more our northern homes.
| We turn our faces to the setting sun,
| Our Appomattox soon must come,
! / ct us be loyal, brave and true
As when We wore the army blue.
April, 8th, COS, SAN. r. hAtksoN.