Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1907-10-10
A Tribute to a Good Soldier.

An honored man has passed from
among US. Again the Dictator OF
Events has called nome one of our be-
loved comrades, Milton j. Billmyer,
Captain company F, First Virginia Cav
airy, and it is but fitting that we, his
living remnant of men, should honor
his memory with tribute Of respect
both for his glory in war and for his
great private life in our community.
Men die, but humanity still lives on.
Happy is the man who has so lived in
this world and SO impressed his char
acter upon the minds of his fellow-men
that the future as well as the present
will hail him with undying praise.
Such was the type of manood our com
rade gave to those who knew him. He
had no enemies save those OF war. and
they afterwards became his cherish ed
| friends. The stamp Of Christianity was
upon his soul, thing indelible, and to
the end he was captain OF his host
and bearer OF the cross. Truth and
honesty were his watchwords. Throgh-
out the civil strife he was urged on by
what he thought to be right, both in
the face-of man and God, and his honest
convictions were ever reproved by his
zeal and valor.
Bliss it was to be alive in those days
when such men with their loyalty and
devotion red their people. Our cap
tain was always a heroic leader, and it
became him to follow such men as
Morgan, Ste wart and Lee.
Captain Billmyer was at all times a
fearless and ready 6ghter. He struck
but to strike again and did not finch
from the return. His Southland rose
before his hot Imagination like some
beautiful goddess of the ancient world
with the light Of perpetuity cleaning
in her radiant eyes and heavenly
smile upon her face, with the right
hand guarding justice and the left
no ding out a protecting shield. Ever
before this grand vision he lowered his
penitent head in reverence. None but
the brave deserve the praise of men
and the gift Of heavenly crown.
Throughout the war this man was
found upon the field Of action. Even
while still suffering from wound he
returned to his company. He saw his
need, he heard his call, and duty found
hi m at his post. For four long years
he showed himself good fighter, and
when Dixie's land went up holding the
flag of truce, when the last cali sounded
TO cease firing, he was found among the
last chargers at Appomattox. His
cause was stifled and dead forever.
and he with one OF those thousand
bleeding hearts of his Sunny South"
returned homeward.
We Of this community know OF his
private stay among US. AS he proved
| himself a soldier in warefare, so he
| proved himself citizen In time OF
| peace. We say he has passed away,
| but he still remains our captain. We
thank God for his influence, his earthly
| pilgrimage. Soon his entire company
shall be transplanted TO more glo-
rous field, where there shall be no
more warfare, no brother emptYing out
brothers. blood. The passing hence of
our comrades is what makes dying
easy for the rest Of us remaining. 1t
| is not that we grow old, lame or blind.
| believe that in that final day when
the trumpet sounds that we shall again
be united, resurrected company with
Captain Billmyer still our captain, but
| Christ over all. ~
Thus departed our leader. He, like
Jackson and Lee, heard his Command
ers call to furl the flag, drop the an
Choir, for he was in the haven OF rest
Yes "he has crossed over the river and
rests under the shade OF the trees"
AS Browning wrote in his old age,
he, too, might have said he was
One who never turned back, but marched
breast forward,
Never doubted clouds would break,
Never dreamed, though right were
worsted, wrong would triumph,
Held we fall to rise, are baiiled to fight
better,
Sleep to wake.