The Newtown bee., 1906-06-08

rcises in Newtown,
veal and happiness Of unborn millions,
they came back home, took up the
thread of life where it had been sever
ed, and followed the avOcations of
plain, everyday citizens, all uncOn-
SciOuS, apparently, of having done
deeds, and accomplished results, which
history will never cease to glorify. My
Friends: When we see these old SOL
diers living out their simple lives, un-
pretentious, unboasttul, we are apt to
forget, we fail to realize that they
human history, and that they acted
their parts we'll. Let me make some
comparisons. The comparisons are
between the losses in some of the
great battles of the Civil war, and
those Of some of the most famous bat
ties of modern Europe. The official
reports give the following as the loss
es in killed and wounded in seven out
Of thousand hotly contested battles
during the four years war: Seven
Days fight, 929l; Antietam, 1926;
Murfreesboro, 877S; Gettysburg, 49,
1926; Chickamauga, 10,906; Wilderness
ana SQOGGSylV8Q1a, "a, 4Sl.
/. In the battle Of Marengo, the French
lost in killed and wounded. 47Oo; the
Austrians, CATS; in the battle of Ho.
henlinden, the French loss in killed
and wounded was 22OO, the Austrian
loss, 5000; at Austerlitz, the French
loss was 5000; at Waterloo, Yelling
ton lost 9O6l in killed and wounded,
Blucher, 5613, making the total loss of
the allies, 14674. quote these figures
from. the late Gen Wheeler, bwho says
apropos of them: II mention these
facts, because such sauguinary con-
f1ictS as those Of our Civil war could
only have occurred when the soldiers
of both contending armies were men
of superb determination and courage.
Such unquestioned prowess should be
to the world as they did, that the in
trepid fortitude and courage of Amer
cans have excelled that of any other
people upon the earth.''
The people of NeWtOwn have reason
to be proud of the part they took in
the great war.
of many Of the Connecticut regiments.
In my youth l heard much of their
doings from the mouths of the old SOL
diers. But heard very little Of their
bravery and dogged fighting. Heroes
let others recount their acts, and the
comrades from old Newtown, it seems
to me, have chosen to leave to history
the telling of their deeds. l am glad
to bear testimony that they were the
equals of the braveSt of the brave
men of the Civil war. I hope it will
not appear invidious to mention one
regiment, where all were equal. Alb
unO disco OmneS-frOm one example,
learn the character Of all. Several
years ago, down in Pennsylvania, view
ing the panorama tield OF Gettysburg,
asked the guide to show me the posi-
tion of the 18th Connecticut. Point
ing to distance, he said: 'They were
off there, during the first days fight,
and did some of the hardest fighting
of the BATTLE" Let us remember
there never was fighting comparable
to that Of Gettysburg. Never in all
history was there charge, for dash
and desperate courage, like that of
Picketts brigade at Gettysburg; and
we know it was stubbornly met, and
driven back, shattered and destroyed.
And the 17th Connecticut did some of
Comrades Of Custer Post: Over 40
years have rolled by since you laid
down your arms. You have been
spared to see the fruitful results Of
your sacrifices. You see your country
to-day, a world power, the admiration
and envy of the civilized world. What
emotions Of pride must thrill your
hearts to-day. And when the last re-
veille will be sounded and you will go
to join your brethren, whose graves we
decorate to-day, the thought that you
I, {va r,niyo
brance Of duty nobly performed will
sustain you, and you will lay your
selves down, conscious that as long as
freedom endures your deeds shall not
be forgotten.
Friends: 1 do not wish anything l
say here to be interpreted as glorifi-
cation Of war. No words can titly de-
scribe the cruelty and barbarity of
war. We all know what Sherman
thought of it. a lady once asked
tory. SMadam," he replied, "a victo-
ry is the worst possible tragedy on this
earth, except defeat" May the shad-
ows Of war never darken our happy
land! But there are worse things
than war. Injustice is worse than
war; tyranny is worse than war; ma
tional cowardice and dishonor are
worse than war; but should the emer-
gency ever arise, should crisis ever
come, may the Americans of that day
meet it, as did the men whose proweSs
and courage we commemorate to day
This solemn and Interesting observ-
ance OF Memorial day, by the good peo-
pie OF Newtown, is an auspicious
omen. 1t is proof that
THE FIRES OF PATRIOTISM ARE NOT
| EXTINGUISHED;
that you remember what the rights
and liberties of American citizens have
cost. Oh! that for all time, in every
hamlet and town and city, like serv-
ices might be held. Orville Dewey, a
celebrated New England preacher and
writer, says: IA free people must be a