The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-23


Ho. buglersi sound the charged
Ho, marshals, clear the wayl
For southland's knights, in all their
might,
Ride Richmonds streets today
And every gate and doorway,
III Is decked in color bright
In honor of our chieftain,
And heroes of the fight.
U They come, each crowned in glory
They've won deathless name.
But renowned within that number.
Is brave Lamar Fontaine;
Who. like Horatius Coolies.
81 In brave days of old,
& Feared neither flood nor foe.
Within his heart of gold.
3 His eagle eye and steady aim.
Twice thirty foemen slew,
/ While the pulsing minutehand,
Once. round the dial flew
And Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson
Stood gazing in surprise,
At the calm and valiant scout,
Who thus the foe defies.
He spared not blood nor muscle,
His duty was his pride,
TIL many CORY wounds
Believed his gallant side.
on on through blood and carnage,
He'll ever press his way,
And will continue
It'll southland wins the day
Hol buglers, sound a louder note,
Hoi marshals. lead the way!
For southland's knight in all their
might,
Ride Riehmond's streets today.
But in the serried ranks
OF that long glittering train.
Breathes none more brave, more true
Than Scout Lamar Fontainel
From an old clipping from the Rich
mond Wing, published August, 1862.
Day by day the ranks of the veterans
of the sixties. those heroes who bore
the brunt of the greatest crisis that
ever faced the American republic, are
rapidly diminishing.
A few years-a generation, perhaps,
and none will remain to recount in
personal reminiscence the stirring deeds
the trials and sufferings of SO years
ago. when the nation was torn asunder
by four years of civil strife.
Then history alone must enkindle
within the breasts of the rising gen
ration that sectional pride and ma
tiona1 patriotism that is born in the
love and admiration of the heroes of
that memorable struggle: for then none
will there be to draw aside the dark
curtain of forgetfulness and to live
over again by the ffresides of American
homes both in the North and in the
South the stirring events of that mo-
mentous conflict, and none will be left
to picture from the indelible imprints
Of memory the calm fearlessness of
Lee, the impetuous chivalry of Stuart,
the indomitable determination of
Grant, the patient suffering of Lin
coin, and the sterling character and
military genius of Stonewan jackson.
Standing among the remnants of his
fellow soldiers of so years ago, a hearty
link in the feeble chain of veterans that
binds the past to the present, is Major
Lamar Fontaine, recent visitor to Bir-
mingham.
Veteran of Three Wars
veteran of three wars, scout under
Stonewall Jackson, soldier of fortune
in foreign lands. there is probably no
more picturesque figure in the nation
today than Lamar Fontaine. Poet philo-
sopher and soldier, since early childhood,
when clad only in the garb of nature,
he roamed the prairies of Texas as the
adopted son of an Indian chief and the
PLAYMATE of the since famous Geronimo
his life has been one of endless adven-
ture
During his service through three wars
he was wounded 81 times. Eleven of
these time. bullets passed through his
lungs, and on 20 occasions he has been
pronounced mortally wounded by army
physicians. From the tribal battles with
the Indians on the plains of Texas to
the snow-covered fields of Russia during
the Crimean war, he has faced the shrap-
mel of the enemy and endured all the
heroes of the captive ana prisoner And
now, though the slender figure Is bent
with an age of service and the hand whose
steadiness was marvel TO sharpshooters
of two generations has lost its frmness,
the cool grey eyes retain their piercing
glance, and the firm, clear cut ligaments
are unweakened by the wrinkles that
overshadow them.
Marquis of Lothian's Tribute
The Marquis of Lothian. Lord of the
Lothians and a Scottish commander dur
ing the Crimean war, in his work on the
Confederate session says of Major Fon-
taine
"A man OF remarkable experience is
Lamar Fontaine a man whose life reads
like the pages from some enchanted ro-
nance. From his birth in a tent on
NSaberdie prairie in what is now known
as washington county Texas. his being