The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-06-03
Touching Tribute Paid to the Memory of His Comrades
Who Have Gone Before.-.Speech Made With
No Previous Preparation


three-fourths of the missing lost
their lives and now fill the 15O, 600
unknown graves in our country
today. Take into consideration
the number that went home to
die, shattered in health, and
there must have been nearly
100000 men in the loyal states Of
the Union who lost their lives "a
a direct result of the war.
''These figures are so stupend-
Gus that the average mind can
grasp them only by comparison.
Form this great host in line of
march in four columns, suitably
divided into infantry, artillery
and cavalry, begin the line of
march at Bemidji and continue
it for two weeks, at the rate of
twenty miles per day, six days
in the week, and the van guard
will be in Minneapolis before the
rear guard has left Bemidji.
SIN my mind I see the shadowy
forms OF that great column pass
in review, beckoning and leading
us on to that grand encampment
on the other shore.
To-day the spectres of our
fallen comrades keep silent watch
on the banks of that historic
river. Their hearts are stilled,
that generations ago beat with q
strength equal to the mighty
rush of their own deep tides.
GAS we assemble together on
each succeeding Memorial day,
in the hallowed grounds of the
cemeteries, as the little mounds
become more numerous and our
ranks become thinner, as the
hair grows white and the step
more feeble, let US, the living,
twine leaves of the fairest flowers
in memory of those unknown
heroes; those who fell in the
great conflicts at Fredricksb burg,
Cold arbor, and Malvern Hill,
at Antietam, Gettysburg and the
Wilderness; at Shiloh, Stono
river and Chicamauga, at Look
out Mountain and Mission Ridge,
where the brave boys of the west
climbed the steep hillside in tho
face of sheeted fire and flame and
carried our country's banner.
Those who fell on that grand
march with Sherman from AT.
lanta to the sea; those who fell
on the long and wearisome
marches, in the hospitals and
prison pens of the south, now FILL
the 10000 unknown graves.
They were our friends and com.
rades.
Sleeping side by side,
Awaiting the judgment day,
Under the roses the blue,
Underline lilies the grey
II remember an incident in
the seven days battle on tho
peninsula. After six days of de.
feat for the Union army, outgen.
eraled and discouraged, six days
of fighting by day and retreating
by night,surrounded by enemies,
many of their number 19.year-
old beardless boys, more than q
thousand miles from home, in the
drizzling rain, wet to the skin.
with dead and wounded com.
rades lying all around, trying 10
make themselves as comfortable
as possible with little tires;under
all these conditions, some OF the
boys began singing the patriotic
song Of we will rally round the
flag, boys, We'll rally once again.
Hundreds of voices joined in, and
when they sang that verse where
it says, we will fill the vacant
ranks of our brothers gone be.
fore, it was SO pathetic that the
hardest.hearted man could not
have helped crying.
"And there was not one Of
those boys who thought for q
moment that he was one of the
world 8 greatest heroes.
"Remember the unknown dead
and do full justice to the ereat
effort they made to preserve in.
tact this glorious republic"
Judge Pendergast was q mem
ber of the famous First Mime
sofa regiment, belonging to Go.
l., which was recruited from
Lake City and Wabasha, and,
which was in the First Army 8
Corps.