Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1920-12-17
CAPTAIN HUBBELL
REVIEWS WAR DAYS
Fluently Pictures Some OF
Scenes Enacted Sixty
Years Ago

DO you remember that mighty
host that marched away under
haunting flags, keeping step to
the wild strange music OF war,
down the broad streets Of our
cities through the towns. across
the mountains and streams to the
field Of battlc2 Can you remem-
Der the boom Of the signal gun
on the nearby hill top and the
sharp strains of the buglc, calling
loyal men to march away and
fight for the preservation Of these
United StatesY DO you recall how
Tom and jim and Sam and Joe
buckled ON their armor, kissed
Susie and mother good bye, and
became one in that long swerving
line marching, marching onward
to victory or death? The fresides
of JOY and mirth gave way to sad
ness and prayer. The vacant seats
became more and more numerous.
The flowers that festooned the bril-
liant windows were draped with
the crepe of death; the bells in
the different church towers sound
ed the toll of death in every com
munity throughout the land long
lists Of names in the county and
city papers were bordered in black
The flash of the battle and the
smoke from the field dimmed the
rays of the sun.
Days, months and years passed
away, the moss bearded live oaks
of the southern lagoon, the tow
ering lines of the mountain side,
The cypress of the swamps and the
savamas were stripped Of their
leaves and foliage by grape and
canister, their huge trunks rent in
twain by solid shot. The vast
plains Of the southland with its
valleys Of grass and flowers, were
stained with smoke and crimson.
'Hhe plumed bird of paradise, the
arble Of the hooking bird. the
curlews restless cries were hushed
in the death knell of thousands,
for they slept by each river and
tree.
The Battle of Manassas occurred
with a loss to the union side of
14,462; Antietam, 12,410; Shilo,
1901; Stone River, 1929; Fred
ericksburg-12, 653; Charlottesville
17,2S7 Chickamauga, 1919 ];
Spottsylvania, 1896; Wilderness,
1866; Gettysburg, 23,001; Cold
Harbor, 12,747; Fort Donaldson,
1899; Petersburg, 1885
After four long years of strife
of death and pain what was left
of those marching ranks return
cd-manly men made to govern
America. The politician, the cap
italist, the sanctified man in the
pulpit, the architect, the merchant,
the laborer, the doctor, and the
lawyer-men from all walks and
vacations. With the soldier hav-
ing a standing of two fold. These
pure mdeliled magnificent relics
of that once mighty host with not
the least item if an inclination for
political or selfish reasons to a.
bandon or in any part forget their
patriotism and loyalty, stand the
answering opponents of all that
tends to the upbuild and keep of
our great America.
Though the once powerful frame
has become weakened or whiten-
ed by creeping years, the once
chivarous smile of on to victory
frozen by the frost of time, yet the
hallow eye grows bright in the
knowledge that the Supreme Ruler
of the universe graciously grants
unto him longevity in which he
beholds the rsults of his great
sacrifice, IN the grand possibilities
of the wonderful growing great
ness of our free America. 1t is
always my great pleasure to talk
of these men Of heroic mold as my
comrades. How often | picture
them again in the flying squadron,
the rush of the artillery over the
hlazened field, the marching Esch-
long ranks on the double quick
to the line of battle, that unearth-
ly yell, the battle cry of north and
south alike, the breaking columns
as one, then another dash over
the Entertainments, Old Glory lead.
ing in the charge to the hand to