Evening journal., 1911-06-20
WAR VETERAN
COMPOSES POETRY
William Il. Hyde Recalls
Events Of Half Century
Ago

Mayor Spruance has received a
copy of the Brooklyn Eagle that con-
tains the following interesting arti-
Gle about former Delawarean:
William Fl. Hyde, a veteran of the
Seventh Delaware Regiment, and who
served in the Union Army during the
Civil War, has been for some time at
Coney Island. where he has a penny
scale During the time when bust
ness is dull. which is seldom. the old
veteran INDUCES in reminiscense and
occasionally. like Silas Wegg, drops
into poetry.
The one I'm thinking Of happened
fifty years ago" said he. the other
day, "and there are not many living
today who took part I'm the incident
II was a rebel meeting. held in Union
Hall, Wilmington, Del, over two
stores occupied by me as a hoopskirt
factory and salesroom. About 300
persons were present and the speaker
was protesting against the war with
the South, and his hearers were get
ting much excited.
Il put half a pound Of cayenne pep
per In the furnace in the basement,
which furnished the heat for the hall,
and IN a few minutes the crowd clear
ed out The 800 Confederate sym
pathizers we're very angry, but not
about the war. II It had been learn
ed that I had driven them out with
cayenne pepper they would have
lynched me-
Tells His Story for the First Time.
III some Of my old friends read Of
this they will learn the facts for the
first time. for I dared not tell Il
then, though most Of the people Of
Wilmington we're Unionists When
Jeb Stuart's cavalry got by the Union
forces and threatened TO burn Will
mington, we raised full regiment in
six hours and marched next day TO
Conawingo bridge, on the Susque-
hanna. and kept him from crossing.
He burned Chambersburg, Pa, and
returned South.
"Jeff Davis. when he was captured,
had a woman's dress over one of the
hoOpskfrts ! manufactured It was
about three and a half yards around"
Mr.. Heyde then dropped into poetry
and said:
When he started to run. he tripped on
the skirt,
And down fell Jen Davis fat in the
dirt.
Old Jeff cursed the hoop skirt
Mrs Davis blamed Hyde
For making a skirt 10 bring down
Southern pride.
Another of his productions is as fol-
lows:
F." A War Veterans WISH"
It will soon be Decoration Day,
The air is balmy as in June;
Wild flowers rare, DER this fair land
Exhale their sweet perfume.
The trees have now their bright green
hue,
And the sky, deeper blue.
Birds from the South, with plumage
bright,
Marble their songs from morn till
night.
"Peace on earth. good will to men, '
Is the song they sing.
It's fifty years since war took place,
Between the North and South, which
gave
Their freedom to the colored race.
A million who then wore the Blue or
Gray
Sleep their last sleep until the Judg-
ment Day.
Eacn year their comrades in every
state
VIII meet TO honor them, their graves
to decorate.
When the few that are left have pass
ed away,
Their children and grandchildren
should remember the day,
And inscribe on fame's scroll the
names of the brave,
Who fought IN that war the Union TO
save
Let us have peace, ne'er war again (;
Then the Brave Boys in Blue" have
not died in vain.
Let all the "Great Nations" the peace
compact sign,
No more to fight until the end Of time
Thus hasten the day, the bright COM
ing morn,
When IN all future years the millions
unborn
Shall live here in love and peace from
their birth,
Then we'll soon have Heaven on this
beautiful earth