Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-13
"oLD HUNDRED" AT coRINTH.
How Hymn Stirred Southern Army
Just Before the Battle.

How hymn Stirreo oouthorn ARMY
Just Before the Battle.
The discussion of the old-time
hymns by ]. M. Lowe in the Star were
of unusual interest to me because of
southern incident in the fall Of 1852"
said James Thomas, known as "Chev-
alier Thomas" II was Juggling a gun
along with Pap Prices musketeers in
Mississippi. We were trying to join
Van Dorm so as to attack Rosecrans
at Corinth. All over the country troops
were being rushed to the scene Of the
impending difficulty We were on
the march to Iuka, a place just south
of Corinth.
"One day a queer-looking man rode
very slowly by the camp. He was on
a mule and his stirrups were so high
that his knees seemed to come up to
his breast. He wore an immense Tus-
cany hat, bent down in front to shade
the eyes, and tilted, up behind. The
rest of the riders apparel was In har-
mony with that outlaw hat.
"All sorts Of sarcastic illusions were
hurled at the rider as he slowly pass
ed down the long line. But he never
turned to the right nor to the left;
never quickened his pace, but looked
stolidly ahead.
"A couple of days later we camped
in Iuka and our commander said that
Bishop Cavanaugh was in town and
would talk to those who cared to hear
him. Fully 5000 soldiers assembled
at the meeting place. When the
'scarecrow' Of the road was introduced
to us as Bishop Cavanaugh, a man
noted all through the south for his de-
votion, you can imagine how some Of
us felt, and as we faced him we knew
he knew.
Bishop Cavanaugh began by lining
the first verse Of Old Hundred:
Before Jehovah's awful throne
Ye nations, bow with sacred joy;
Know that the Lord is God alone,
He can create and he destroy!'
What power the old hymn and in
the earnest tones Of that man! How 1t
resounded through the forest like a
declaration from the Almighty him.
self! 1 have heard eminent pulpit
orators, but never have been so
thrilled as I was then.
"a Missouri soldier led and 5000
lusty voices Joined in:
"'His sovereign power, without our
aid,
Made us Of clay and formed us
men,
And when like wandering sheep we
strayed
He brought us to his fold again!
II have forgotten many things since
then-the charge, the hand-to-hand
fights with clubbed muskets over the
east-works-but never will l forget
that song.
"And then the bishop talked to us.
He told us to be good soldiers, to do
-our duty to our God and our country,
and to let Him cast up the result.
II bring to you today battle hymn,
he said: the battle hymn Of Christ.
1t is great enough to fight for; it is
grand enough to die for. Take 1t with
you on the march; sleep with 1t in the
camp; let it swell aloft on the red field
Of battle! 1t is a beckoning hand to
the striving; a radiant halo for the vic
tor; garland for the dying!
God bless you, my men; may He
keep you true to the hymn, and what
e'er the adventure Of the conflict
"B-o-o-m! B-o-o-m!
May He bring you safe into His
beautiful home at last!'
"B-o-o-m! B-o-o-m!
"Rosecran's cannon were thunder
ing in the distance, and our guns were
rushing to the front. but not a man Of
the soldier congregation stirred until
the final word:
"'Amen!'
"Officers galloped about, delivering
commands to their companies: the
battle line was formed; the artillery
barked savagely and the beautiful au-
tumn day went down in a canopy of
smoke and flame
Wide as the world is Thy command.
Vast as eternity Thy love,
Firm as rock Thy truth must stand,
When rolling years shall cease to
move
Far into the night you could hear
the soldiers singing the hymn as they
worked with the dead and wounded
Under the trees, over the meadows,
across plain and valley, tenderly. low
'ingly, as a hope for the living and a