Year: 1863

We see very different side Of tht
war, in these nondescript southwesterr


cities, from what you do in New Eng
land. You see the heroic side, see youl
young and brave march away with mu,
sic and streaming banners I; and although
you feel that henceforih life has lost much


of its charm for you, yet you say, under


the influence of that true loyalty that is


the glory of New England, 'Thanh


God we had such sons to give to such q
country


Only too we'll do | know how many
of those, thus unselfshly surrendered tc


country and God, come back TO you how


vainly agonizing tears fall on cold, dead


faces, how dreary the whole earth look:


to you, as wrapping them in their starry


shroud, you leave them in country grave.


yards and city tombs. Still, you have


the inexpressible, never to be estimated
joy of feeling, that if death was to be
their portion, if the young life was to be


laid down, you would infinitely rather it


would be on those fields of right and


duty, than anywhere else on the earth


Indeed, in every town of New England


there is more or less of the exalted feel


ing that makes men into martyrs for


truth and human progress. Here, on


the border, we lose sight to a great de-


gree of those motives. We are 100 near


the strife. We see the very foundations


of business and society broken up see
our streets filed at all hours by federal
soldiers and confederate prisoners see
all our beautiful public buildings crowd
ed with sick and wounded, while every
day scores of frightened exiles from the
interior seek refuge and sympathy in
our midst. Indeed while clear vision
seems to be given New England, so that
her people see the full meaning Of this
fearful struggle, we whose homes are
overturned, whose villages are desolate,
who dread friends only trine less than
we fear foes, sometimes lose all heart
and hope. and despairiugly murmur,
How long, o Lord, how long?'


Often, however, from the chaos of this
unsettling Of all things, there CLEAN as
bright instances of heroism as any that
have shed glory around your Berkshire
hills, and made the marshes of Essex
forever famous. Many come to our
knowledge, as we stand by the narrow
cots where they lay the wounded from
Donelson and Murfreesboro and one
such, let me try to tell you.


Last summer when Buell. ran that
famous race for the possession of our
city, several regiments Of his holly press
ed, sparsely fed men, were encamped
around our house so near, that we
never opened a blind, or looked out of
the door but we saw soldier gazing in.
think no soldiers ever had a harder
time than those poor fellows endured
the remnant of those who fought at Pea
Ridge, Donelson, and Shiloh. A roof
had not sheltered them for months; some
times for weeks together they had not
even tents and through that fierce
August sun, they had marched an incred
ible number Of miles in the least possible
time, then rested little time in our
midst, to gain strength to go out and win
the hardly contested field of Perryville.


They were in and out of our house as
often as they pleased, and usually our
daily paper went the rounds of the camp.
One morning a young fellow came for it
whom we had not noticed before, and as
we watched him coming up the walk, we
said, Whoever he is, consumption has
stamped her mark on his face.' Hand
NC the paper, and asking him if he was
lot sick, he admitted that he had a cough
which he contracted lying out in the in
ense cold after Donelson but assured
Is be was all right; he had seen plenty
If fellows get well, who we're worse than :
le was. We took up strong liking for
he cheerful, manly boy, and as there was
title doing in the camp, he spent great
many hours with US, usually lying on
ettee, always saying, because it SEEM !,
d so much like one bis mother had
We were not surprised that he turned !
rom his coarse, miserably-cooked rations, !,
With absolute disgust, or that after we ;;
,vercome his first scruples of pride, he !.
,artook of our tea and toast with almost


child's eagerness. To this day certain
rticles of food always bring before our
yes that soldiers thin, eager face, and
,rilliant eyes. We learned that pleas :,
mt home on the far off prairies of Illinois !
saited for him, that mother and sisters
earned lovingly for bis coming. Know :,