Training us early
At first I thought the following would be great to include in yesterday’s post because it referred to 1861. But really this must have been a poem filled with faith and hope for the future because the Union armies had mixed success against the rebels in 1861. This isn’t really my taste in poetry, but I can see how it would help buoy the spirits of Union-loving people in Seneca County. Of course, I sort of bit on the allusion to the bloody feet at Valley Forge.
At any rate, the following was published in a Seneca County, New York newspaper sometime in 1861:
For the Courier.
THE VETERAN OF “’61.”
Father, that little flag you gave
To brother Will and I, –
With pretty stripes of white and red
And bit of starry sky, –
We raised upon a pole, to-day,
And as we made it fast,
A poor old man, with but one leg,
Came hobbling slowly past.
“That’s right, my little men,” he said –
A tear shone in his eye, –
“Send up your tiny stars to join
Their comrades in the sky!
For that good flag I lost this leg,
When we the vict’ry won,
And crushed Secession’s hydra-head
In eighteen sixty-one.
“The colors of that flag, my boys,
Were hallowed years ago,
When from starving patriots’ feet
Blood mingled with the snow!
Whilst for each a State a star of hope
Shone brightly in the sky,
Directing them to ‘trust in God
And keep their powder dry!'”
The old man told more stories, then
Of ANDERSON the brave,
And ELLSWORTH who so sweetly sleeps
In a patriot’s grave.
It made us wish that we were men,
And we’ve resolved to-night,
When we get big we’ll raise our flag
And battle for the Right!
F.M.B.
"Blood mingled with the snow!"
Sacrifice for the Right?
First month's namesake
My wish for whoever lands on this post: a 2012 with as much worthy peace and prosperity as possible
