Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-06-16

hundred thousand true:
iou returhed the flag unsullied. as it
was given you.
have seen that starry banner in our
pro loyal Governors hands
rreseh5ed ni1,a.o to regiment, then sent to
nave seen it leave Camp Curtin. with
mi, lts coiors bright and gay:
Inc scene, 1t was inspiring, not as
solemn as to-day.
have seen the color bearer, a stall
wart brave and true,
Lead OH thousand men, and they all
wore the blue:
they had buckled on their armor, in
NJ eighteen sixty-two,
10 cross Ger Mason Dickson's line, a
rebellion to Subdue.
But that brave young color bearer,
%ho marched through Southern
His bones to-day are bleaching. where
49,, mat brave young soldier lies;
ana tnat dear old starry banner, is
carried by other hands;
Perhaps the remnant of his regiment,
but there in line he stands.
Our Legislature passed an act to re-
move those dear old flags
Many colors now have faded, their
stripes are all in rags,
And that brave young color bearer,
who was ever brave and true,
He surely will be missing, he has
ceased to wear the blue.
Now some other brave old comrade,
with suit of faded blue
VIII Try TO stand in line. not as then
His footsteps now are feeble, his locks
have all turned gray
This may be his last grand march, on
this great moving day.
This is just a safe removal to save
those stripes and stars,
Don't mar its bright escutcheon, place
there no rebel bars.
Don't change that old bronze button,
that was so dearly won,
by TOUT long years of lighting, with
the man behind the gun.
That fblag bagFst9s to-day floats float proudly, on the
IL forms our beacon light, guards the
sword of Bunker Hill;
across the sea,
And from every village school house
where education's free
On the top of Lookout mountain. far I'm
above the clouds,
Where Hooker's men fought nobly, and
,,, no man wore a shroud;
Where brave mems blood formed foun-
tains, for towards there were
few;
There many brave men fell, the gray
beside the blue.
At the storming of old Vicksburg, that
was struck by shell and ball.
Ihen Pemoerton surrendered. and great
was that mans fall;
lhere our brave old unconditional
placed our banner on the wall,
Ihen he ordered General Pembertor
to dismiss his soldiers all.
General Meade with his old veterans
had reached high water mark,
Many brave men then had fell, who
~ had fought from morn till dark
Then around the Bloody Angle. where
many brave men fell,
Around the Old Peach Orchard, then
into Devils Den.
Robert Lee was then defeated, and his
army moved away,
And recrossed the ola Potomac, back
on his Southern way;
our army followed after, the move
mentS they were slow,
Ihen II TOOK few more years, the
rebellion to overthrow.
Fifty years then passed away, after
Iour long years of strife
1t was fearful sacrifice to save a
nations life;
brave men were set free,
And sherman marched his army, from
Atlanta to the sea.
We had n grand reunion, sure that
you boys all know,
Where hfty years ago we had met a
There was a joyful meeting, between
the blue and gray,
They buried ali their enmities, all
brothers now to-day.
To-day / saw those dear old flags. some
all torn In rags,
This takes me back to days of yore,
when they were grand new
flags;
They were carried four long years, in
battle and in strife,
To-day they wave unsullied and saved
the nations life.
This flag was made with thirteen
stars just one for every state,
We have increased their number, we
now have forty-eight;
Don't soil its bright escutcheon, just
add another star.
Don't disgrace that dear old flag,
place there no rebel bar.
That flag designed by Washington, and
waved Ger Valley Forge.
Where our brave old continentals, lay
in that frozen gorge;
That flag was made by Betsy Ross,
in our old Quarker city,
To change our national emblem.
sure it would be a pity.
joyous glee
Hurrah! for Father Washington, who
made this country free.
Three cheers for you old veterans, you
men who wore the blue,
You buckled on your armor, rebellion
to subdue.
This may be your last reunion, you
soon will pass away;
Your footsteps getting feeble. your
locks have all turned gray.
A few more yearly meetings. now this
to you / say,
Hand clasp and friendly greetings. for
you no pension day.
You will answer your last roll call, just
one more vacant chair.
A comrade will be missing, for he will
not be there.
A chair all draped in mourning, and q
little maiden fair,
Will strew the finest flowers, on a COM
rade's vacant chair.
Composed and written by Comrade J.
r. Miller, Seneca G.. Simmons Post