The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-27

= ALI = G4NOE1NN<A6A j -
Tit same eye witness says that he |
discovered, in the wods, a boy with |
fresh face, sitting against pine tree,
dead. with his head leaning on his |
shoulder, and in his hand was clutched |
a cluster Of wood violets. Another
one held in his dead hand note upon
which was written the address Of his
father, and the words: II am NOR
tally wounded. Do not grieve for me"
I hold in my hand a hickory sprout
cut from the midst Of Seven Pines bat
tlefield a few years ago where $4,000
men laid down their lives on May 31st
and June 1, 1852.
Nameless graves contain some Of the
most chivalrous and knightly dust that
ever grasped a sword in war, or made
the senate chamber ring with elo-
quence in peace.
What was the spirit which led so
many men for so long a period to huri
their lives into such caldron Of fury
as that?
| Surely, it was no common army, on
either side. At a distance we may
even see issues more clearly than at
close range, and many a hero seems
taller In death. Now that fifty years
of fraternal companionship have come
and gone, the dove of peace spreads
his wings north and south, and love
has conquered pride and passion, can
we not see that the heroes on both
sides of the lamenatble war are the
common heroes of the nation? They
were actuated by convictions as deep
as their natures, and controlled by a
spirit which makes men immortal, on
whatever side they fall.
We see the boys marching to the
front under opposing flags. What
were the convictions that led to the
long struggle?
1t is impossible to understand men
like these unless we are willing to ad-
nit the heroism, whether mixed with
mistaken or misunderstood purposes
or not. That which made the army OF
the south great was the character OF
its soldiery. They were not hirelings
but some Of the best cavalier blood OF
the earth. They felt that they were
repelling an invader, and the boys ir
blue, as they shouldered their musketI
and wheeled into line toward the south
to meet them, felt that they were call.
ed upon to conquer a rebel foe. Pas
sion had been excited by the leader:
for forty years before. and now thu
line is drawn and each feels he mus
act. Here is the way they felt:
A memphis mothers prayer for /;
boy of fifteen as he went to the front
: God bless my darling, venturous DO.
Whereer his feet may stray;
= God bless the sacred, righteous caus
\ For which he went away;
- God bless the little arm round whicI
:, My wristlet went not tight,
Strengthen it, Lord, till it become
Il A David's in the fight.
u So young, so bright, so fair, so brave
n To thee Oh! God above
lie leave the charge to shield and save
: The idol of my love.
ID One more to battle for the right
Is OF free men to be free,
/ Another factor which entered int
the personal of the great army r
ID the Confederacy was the spirit an
lie commanding personality of its illus
If trlous chieftain. Robert E. Lee wa
II generously endowed by nature in he
l. most bountiful mood. He was con
II nected by blood with the Washington
e ana other OF the best families of RI
II republic. He was a man of snIendi
n attachments, and as a captain of war
=: was master of men, and as he rod
s upon the back of Traveller, I'D an,
b down his lines his spirit, his tndorni
table courage, his Christian cbaracter
8 inspired confidence and wrung chez,
{ after cheer from his men.
b providence was against the confed.
S eracy, and we would not have IT other.
r wise. What was It but the spirit Of
f Destiny which twice snatched victor,
from the southern arms just as It was
lmmanent, by taking first, Stonewal
Jackson and again. the second time
striking down Longstreet, by the fire
, OF their own men?
Let 1t pass! The two armies learned
, 10 respect each other as brave men