The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-10-07
A Wartime Picture.

Kansas, QreW LOT GTdnu ARMY CAMP
fire held in Topeka, back in 1885. He
had old soldiers for his audience-men
who had followed the Stars and Stripes
through sunshine and storm. These men
felt the thrill of that story. The picture
other days, and was as follows:
AS wildly as if it were an event of yes
terday there is photographed on my MEM
ory scene presented in the early au-
tumn of 1862. Buell's army was moving
from Louisiana to the battlefield of Per-
ryville, and early one evening our corps
went into camp on beautiful farm in
one Of the loveliest regions of Kentucky.
A clear, sparkling brook wound through
charming valley, from the hills to the
west, and bluegrass pastures climbed
gentle slopes on either side of the stream.
AS background, south, north and west,
were heavy forests of noble trees, while
eastward an extended landscape, embrac-
ing range of finely cultivated farms,
stretched far away. The evening shad-
ows fell slowly upon the camp; SO slowly
you could scarcely tell when the day end
ed, and the night began. Supper was
over, and the soldiers, lying at full length
on the luxuriant grass, or sitting around
in groups, were lazily resting and chat
ting, after the days long and dusty
march. Thousands of smoldering camp
fires dotted the hillsides and valleys in
every direction; the wide armament,
cloudless and peaceful, glittered with
stars; and the air, mild and balmy, had
in it that indefnable and delicate per-
fume which belongs alone to trodden pas
lures, Or to meadows freshly mown. All
the noise and hustle of the day and even
ing gradually died away. The camp
guards paced their posts slowly and noise
lessly; the hum of conversation was
faint and low; the mirth Of the soldiers
was hushed; the jokes and jibes and
| laughter of the camp had faded into 81
lence; and a peaceful calm, resembling
that Of a quiet Sabbath, had fallen like a
benediction over all the scene. Save the
stacks of FURNISHED guns, from which the
light of campfres ftfully glinted, and
the parked cannon, and the groups of
uniformed men, the picture presented
was as peaceful and calm as it had been
before war swept into this pastoral para
disc. But suddenly, from the edge of the
woods across the intervening valley, half
mile away, band began playing
ing chords of that familiar melody flood
/
and know that moisture welled up in all
eyes, and tender thoughts of far-away
scenes filled all hearts in that great host
of stalwart and bronzed men, For when
the music ceased, silence so deep that
it was almost oppressive succeeded; and
then mighty cheer, echoing and re-
sounding for miles away, went up from
0,000 threats. When the cheer ended,
another band, far down the valley, made
! the hillsides echo with the patriotic
strains of The Star Spangled Banner, ,
and again followed the great shout of
applause, mingling like the roar of many
winds. Then, from the hill-tops, far off
to the west, was waited the music, low
and sweet, Of Annie Laurie, and again
the hush of an almost oppressive silence
fell upon the camp. But no cheer fol-
lowed its rendering. Into the hearts of
the listening soldiers had stolen thoughts
of Armies who were christened with all
sorts Of names. This Scottish lassie
repl esented all womankind, and the notes
of the song which celebrated her beauty
and her virtues had touched hidden
founts of emotion in thousands of men.
The deep silence that followed was brok-
en- by the majestic music of John
Brown Then how the camp did cheer
! and shout! So, for hours, one after an
other, the bands filled the air with music,
and the soldiers sat, rapt and thrilled,
listening and cheering alternately. The
camp fires faded out, but the music went
on, and it seems to me never heard
such music. At least, have never SO
appreciated music; never known it to
thrill and melt and sway men as on that
far-away autumn night, when the army
rested in the bluegrass meadows of Ken
lucky, under the silent stars.