Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-09-28
friendship.


of them, or whether it was a Ma
ton, compact of States which was
indissoluble, one country over
which only one flag should wave,
and that flag the stars and stripes.
You all know the results and the
events following.
The booming of the cannon at
Forts Sumpter and Pinkney was the
tOcsin of war that aroused the
north. You will remember the
famous order of Gen. Dix. IF you
find any one hauling down the
American Flag shoot him on the
spot! You will remember the cry
to arms which reverberated over
the prairies and hills and in the
valleys of the north, and the ready
response of the people without
respect to political persuasion
tand by the government
and you Will remember that on the
10th day of April 1861 our lamented
President, Abraham Lincoln, is
sued an appeal to the loyal states
for rs, 900 volunteers. 1t was under
this call that we rallied around the
Standard of Third Wisconsin
Volunteer Regiment at Fond du
Lac.
For four years we stood side by
side through many engagements and
in the long dreary marches incident
to the campaigns we proudly
guarded the Red Star which we all
love so dearly.
We can look with pride upon our
service in the army for we returned
our flag to the state unsullied and
with honor.
Ours was great cosmopolitan
army. It was not composed of ma
tives alone, for thousands born in
northern Europe who, came to this
country to seek a home rallied
around the standard Of freedom.
After four years of strife and
struggle this great army was dis
solved and it's members returned
home and it was the most remark
able fact that quietly and peaceably
the two millions of warriors were
disseminated in the land without
perturbation, each member return
ing to his former occupation.
No country il the world could be
conquered which was defended by
a BODY of men whose moral standard
ranked as high as that of the Union
Army.
The time will come when our
ranks will be depleted and the last
comrade of that great Army con
signed to mother earth, but still the
spirit of patriotism which pervaded
us will not die but march on and
on SO long as this continent shall
stand above the sea.
The Womans Relief Corps, The
Ladies of the Grand Army and the
Sons of Veterans will perpetuate
that loyal sentiment for which we
fought and for which we offered
our lives.
will close this address with a
sentiment to our children, the
future fathers and mothers Of our
great nation; upon them the great
responsibility to maintain and
perpetuate this great republic will
rest
o Lord bless our dear children,
Watch over them with Thy paternal care,
Next to the love they owe to Thee, 0 Father
Teach them to love the land that gave them
birth.
To love the flag, for which in years gone by,
We left our father, mother. sister, brother
And that dear charming girl
Who used to meet US at the garden gate.
That flag for which we left our friends
And youthful haunts of pleasure,
That flag to which we offered all we had,
Our health, our limbs and even our young
lives.
Teach them, Lord, to honor and respect it
And never let it rail into the Dust,
Nor let ira tors vicious hand
Pluck but single Star from is blue crest,
Be ever stained again with patriots blood.
The Nation promised to remember
Her sons who offered all they had
When red rebellion rose in Southern Heaven,
Like simeon on Syrias sandy plain,
This promise as we see has not been broken
With garlands annually our graves will be
QedeCked
And sweet songs sung by hosts of lovely
children
Who in white raiment kneel before our
graves
And plant that dear flag
In the green sod.
1t will not be long before my task is done
And my old body Consigned to the earth
And when in future time dear children
You come to decorate my grave
BRING but a single flower in life loved it;
Bring a forget me-not
These are my sentiments and l
know they will find response in
your hearts Let MS be loyal to our
families, our friends and our com
RAIDS as we have been to our coun-
try, that when the time does come,
when we have to depart from all
that has been dear to us on this
earth, we may close our eyes in
peace and contentment and pass
over to the unknown beyond. where
war and carnagee are unknown to
meet, when at last the final trump
shall sound that great Army Of
the Free"
The following members of the as
sociation were present: Herman
Buchner, Lancaster; Clarence S.
Sawtell, Pawnee City, Nebraska;
James Goodwin, Geddes, S. D.;
John Armfeld, Geddes, s. D James