The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1917-09-28

men arrange the targets on the side
of Kennesaw, preparatory to the
practice drill for which they had
tramped thru mud for miles. And
when heard the boom of the cannon
and saw the sides of the mountain
again torn by fiery balls and bursting
shells, it seemed to me that even
Heaven wept for the "sons of men"
that they were forced to use such
instruments of destruction on their
fellow-men, and not the adamantine
sides of our mountains. Time will
again cover the mountains sides with
fragrant bloom and verdant green;
but what of the wrecked lives and
broken hearts of those who mourn
ga vanished hand and the sound of
q voice that is still?" Even in learn
ing to war, Marietta has again writ
ten Georgia history in blood, and gil
ven another lesson to the world that
she will not soon forget. For out of
all this written history and sad TRACE
dy, Marietta has given to the world
many lessons of unselfish heroism,
wonderful strategy in warfare, I'M
daunted bravery, and now, the terri
bic effects of even preparing for war,
For war means death in some form.
Let us hope that we are preparing
for the end when there shall be war no
more, "And they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation
shall not lift up sword against ma
ton, neither shall they learn war
any more" ,,,
Isaiah in prophecy saw that time,
and he broke fort into song, saying,
Sing, o Heavens; and be joyful, O
Earth; and break forth into singing,
o Mountain: for the Lord hath COM
forted his people, and will have mer-
cy upon his afflicted" Oh! if we
can hasten that time, even if lives
have to be sacrificed, and our dear
mountains again be torn by shot and
shell, let us not falter or stand dis
mayed; we of Georgia and Marietta
are making History" not for time
but for God and eternity; and we
must see that "our future copies
fair our past" 1t was from
our Kennesaw Mountain that
sherman sent his signal message
thru the sky to General Corse at
Altoona-"Hold the Fort, for l am
coming, that the great evangelist,
?. I. Bliss wove into the stirring song
of that name, that has led thousands
to God. And when one climbs those
mountains and still can see those
indestructable forts and rocks of de-
Tense, piled there in huge masses by
General Joseph E. Johnston and his
brave defenders that we should enjoy
our mountains in ''peace and plenty"
is it not something that we should
emulate their example and consider
the good of others and "Hold the
Fort" to bless future generations?
Those mountain forts are as strong
and indestructable as the ages, and
the hands that placed them are but
dust, but they still speak to US in
a language that defies time and is
written in eternity.
But our Kennesaws do not ALWAYS
give us the tragedies of life, nor is
her fame always written in blood and
pathos. | presume many have read
the story the N. Y. Sun published
not long ago; but it will bear repeat
ing. Just after the battle of Kenne-
saw a soldier from Ohio who fought
on the federal side, received word
from home "that unto him son was
given. He was so impressed with
the beauty of our Kennesaws and
the dauntless courage of Gen. Joseph
E. Johnston and his brave followers,
to keep back for twenty three days
General Sherman and his onrushing
hosts of twice the number of men;
entrenched as they were in the fast
nesses of the mountains, and were
only driven out when Gen. Sherman
divided his army and would have sur
rounded it, Gen. Johnston knowing
that discretion was the better part
of valor", to try and save Marietta
retreated. And the Ohio soldier
wrote home, "Name the boy "Ken-
nesaw Mountain. Years passed, and
while our mountains covered their
war torn sides in verdant green and
fragrant bloom, the little boy grew to
ripe and vigorous manhood, honor
ed by state and country Who is
it in the U. s. OF America and also
in Europe that has not heard of
Judge Kennesaw Mountain Lands
and his fine of more than a half mil
hon dollars he imposed on the Stand
ard Oil Company-the richest Cor