The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-09-07
SOLDIER DAY AT MT. LAKE PARK
An Ex-COnfederate Soldier Writes of
G. a. R. Day at the Park.

For number of Years the manage
ment of the Mountain Lake Park As
ISOLATION has been paying public and
liberal tribute in the closing dav of
the seasons exercises to Union SOL
diers survivin"sthe Civil war, and to
the whole program of that day the
Chautauqua gates are annually OPEN
ed free to all old soldiers of both arm
les of the Civil war. Yearly the Fed
eral soldiers have used this generous
privilege for a fraternal reunion in
which to clasp hands and exchange
greetings with many of their foes of
fifty years ago as their guests. These
members of the old army from Scott
to Grant have cheered their chosen
orators and and talked over the hard
ships Of a four years strife at burn
ing camp-fres. The annual right to
these reunions as a graceful gift has
been widely appreciated and in their
harmonies lessons of ennobling fellow
ship have been taught and impressed
upon history. Massed in great null
titudes these gatherings of Union sol
diers have also been addressed by such
opponents from the Southern side as
Gen'l Gordon, of Georgia; Judge Far
rar and Genl Fitzhugh Lee, of Vir-
ginia, and others. Seeing such things
transporting in the widest enthusiasm
about us, our souls are not only
moved to their utmost depths but we
are enabled TO understand that by
the hand of a holy peace the beam
has indeed been extracted from the
brothers eye.
But time writes its wrinkles upon
every brow and in the diminished
gathering of the clans this season it
seemed to be clear that Maryland his
tory was repeating itself. From a
brilliant achievement of arms body
of veterans made famous in National
peril was long known in Baltimore as
the "Old Defenders Two of their
number, but boys in age, in defense
of Baltimore against the British in
vasiOn at North Point so heroically
gave their lives that Baltimore, in
commemoration of their valor, erect
ed a monument and inscribed upon il
IN granite lettering the names and
deeds OF McComas and Wells. All
each recurring anniversary of the
battle of North Point these odd De-
tenders would assemble, answer roll
call, march around the monument of
these two illustrious comrades and
hear their names aud renown extoled
in elCquence.
\ few years back only three of that
noble band were left. averaging oyer
ninety years of age, and in a little
while not one remained to respond to
the bugle's marshal call and answer
to his name at the base of that
statue.
And so, last Tuesday, in the dimin-
ishing numbers, hating step and
SHOWS that have sifted through the
ages upon the head, we could see his
tory relentlesslY repeating itself
among the soldiers of the great Civil
war.
One old fellow, still erect in form,
with an empty sleeve, said he went
down in the impetuous and bloody
assault of Burnside upon the lines of
Lee on fredericksburg Heights, a
charge that made that field famous,
and stands without a comparison ex-
cept in the charge of Pickett on the
fateful field of Gettysburg.
Others, some with empty sleeves or
substituted limbs, related events of
military movements and conflicts as
wildly pictured in the mind of this
scrlbbler as are the events of yester-
day.
On the grass under peaceful shades
in iovial converse with men once nv
foes in war uneXampled for the ran
cor and courage with which it was
waged on both sides, listening to
friendly expressions made possible at
Appomattox and mellowed in the
transformation of more than gen
Grafton of peace-soldiers of yester-
dsy and citizens of to-day, bending
under the burden of age and pathetic
in lights shed by the changing hues
and corrodings of life, gave proof that
"grim-Yisaged war hath smooth'd his
wrinkled 'front.'" but the melancholy
fact was no less in evidence
"a wonderful stream is the river Of Time,
As it flows through the realm of tears"
RELLIM.
Re-Opening of Briar-Bend Seminary.
Miss Swan, principal of Brar- Bend
Seminary, announces that the Fall
Term of that school will open on
Wednesday, Sept. 18th.
Briar-Bend Seminary is located at
Mountain Lake Park amid healthful
and good moral influences and has as
graduates some of the best Young
people of the county.
Writa 4ba pripoi,Nal For on,, -