Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-29
Memorial Verse
Our Ranks are GETTING Thin.

comrades. our ranks are getting thin
our numbers less and less,
10 you marvel that falling tear should
utter its distress?
NO wonder. as we look along our thin
ming ranks today.
Our silent tears should speak the words
our lips refuse to say.
AS each Memorial day recurs and the
muster-roil is read,
There steals along our shattered ranks
weird whispers of the dead,
We miss their genial faces boys, yet
stu on memory's scroll
They live, aye, shall forever live, en-
craven on the soul.
The warm grasp of each friendly hand.
Now cold in icy death
HAS left behind magic spell throbbing
with living breath
Though hushed the voice. though stilled
the heart by deaths relentless trust.
The lustre of heroic deeds survives the
crumbling dust.
A name is called, there's no response to
greet the listening ear:
No voice is heard. but solemn hush
proclaims the sad mot herel'
A soldier of the Union Guard undaunted
in the strife,
He stood beneath the Union stars and
vowed to serve for life.
Nobly he served the allotted time, hero
brave and true:
AT last he lays his armor down beneath
the starry blue.
Fen so my comrades, one by one. their
faces disappear:
One by one they step aside, We bear
them to the rear
We lay upon their ceffiued forms the
flag they loved so we'll.
And sadly march with muffied drum and
dirge of funeral knell.
We stand around the open grave with
saddened hearts and mute.
And watt soldiers last Farewell" a
requiem salute.
And thus our ranks are growing thin.
Why. we almost half incline
To think some unseen foe has charged
upon our shattered line,
IT'S true, we hear no cannons roar. we
see no glittering steel
And yet how silently they fall, as though
on battle field.
Time plants his batteries high and low to
sweep the embattled plain.
And points his noiseless. shotted guns
with strange unerring aim
Hark. how his balls so whStling by. his
bombs explode so nigh
All, boys. who'll be next to fall2 Per
chance It's you or /.
Still, we recall the by-gone days. when
the trumpet blast of war
Echoed DER the slumbering hills shaken
by the lannon's roar
How. with eager, Fastening step, you
were not the men to lag,
You were ready without faltering. to
protect the nations flag.
You were ready, life In hand. on your
eountry's altar laid.
Home and loved ones. fame and fortune.
Country first" you nobly said.
Are you ready still to say. Be il life or
be ii death.
I'm for truth and right and union till
shall end my transient breath"
Attention. comrades! fall in quickly. We
are yet in rank and file.
We are discharged from duty. Just on
furlouEh for awhile,
The bugle and the tapping drum, the
sword and the bayonet,
The knapsack and the old canteen set us
ahlaze cen yet.
On, on to Richmond. boys! Hurrah, let
not a soldier lag.
Hark do you hear the rebel guns? Up
with the Union flag.
But halt! what's this? My limbs are
weak; pain strikes me here and
My breath is short; my joints are stiff
comrades bring me chair.
All, yes: how strange! I see it now. My
memory comes again.
I thought twas eighteen sixty -One, but
10. tbs years since then
/ thought l was boy again. as thirty
But stiffened limbs and fading sight
locks whitening as the snow
All tell me we are growing old and soon
must face about
And wait to hear the stern command,
"'Tis time TO muster OUT
Then comrades. are we ready for the
final grand review?
Are you ready. as in sixty-one-you saved
the starry blue2
When the Great Commanders voice shall
announce the soldiers halt.
When we stack our Irusty muskets
when we meet the last assault.
We may have an honored entrance where
the elang and din of war
And the weary march and battle shall
deplete our ranks no more.