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126
THE THREE BROTHERS.
Yes, 'twas a terrible, terrible fight,
With its tumult, rage, and slaughter;
Yes, 'twas a horrible, horrible sight,
For the blood flowed there like water.
'Twas a victory bought at a fearful price,
A triumph dimmed in the getting;
And many an eye saw the bright sun rise,
That saw not the sun at setting.
With its tumult, rage, and slaughter;
Yes, 'twas a horrible, horrible sight,
For the blood flowed there like water.
'Twas a victory bought at a fearful price,
A triumph dimmed in the getting;
And many an eye saw the bright sun rise,
That saw not the sun at setting.
There were three brothers in that fight—
The same flag floating o'er them—
While the booming cannon, left and right,
Crushed all that stood before them.
Fire, and smoke, and hurtling lead
Hovered in clouds about them;
But together they fought, 'mid the living and dead
Who ne'er had cause to doubt them.
The same flag floating o'er them—
While the booming cannon, left and right,
Crushed all that stood before them.
Fire, and smoke, and hurtling lead
Hovered in clouds about them;
But together they fought, 'mid the living and dead
Who ne'er had cause to doubt them.
They saw the enemy onward pour,
Their death-tubes poised and gleaming,
They heard the belching cannon's roar,
And the rifle bullet's screaming;
But still they fought with a hearty cheer
For the friends who lived to love them,
And their every thought was bright and clear
As the sky that smiled above them.
Their death-tubes poised and gleaming,
They heard the belching cannon's roar,
And the rifle bullet's screaming;
127
For the friends who lived to love them,
And their every thought was bright and clear
As the sky that smiled above them.
The eldest, a youth with an eye of fire,
And a spirit that ne'er was broken,
Was coming the words of his veteran sire,
The last that to him he had spoken:
“God bless you, my son, as forth you go!
'Tis well the nation has won you!
But if ever you fall with back to the foe,
My curses for e'er be on you!”
And a spirit that ne'er was broken,
Was coming the words of his veteran sire,
The last that to him he had spoken:
“God bless you, my son, as forth you go!
'Tis well the nation has won you!
But if ever you fall with back to the foe,
My curses for e'er be on you!”
The second, a youth with a dreamy, brown eye,
And a form erect but slender,
Thought of a maiden, coy and shy,
But kind, and loving, and tender.
“My love, I bid thee go,” said she:
“May Fame with her laurels wreathe thee!
Fight for God, and country, and—me,
And carry this poor heart with thee!”
And a form erect but slender,
Thought of a maiden, coy and shy,
But kind, and loving, and tender.
“My love, I bid thee go,” said she:
“May Fame with her laurels wreathe thee!
Fight for God, and country, and—me,
And carry this poor heart with thee!”
The youngest, a blue-eyed, fair-haired boy,
Fought bravely as any other,
But his face lit up with a beautiful joy,
As he thought of his sainted mother;
How she had soothed his weary woe,
Ere death had come to sever;
And he thought, “Perhaps, ere the sun is low,
I shall be with her forever.”
Fought bravely as any other,
But his face lit up with a beautiful joy,
As he thought of his sainted mother;
How she had soothed his weary woe,
Ere death had come to sever;
And he thought, “Perhaps, ere the sun is low,
I shall be with her forever.”
128
Rattled and thundered the brazen guns,
And pealed the war-cry louder;
Forward rushed the undaunted ones,
Through dust, and blood, and powder;
Slowly the foe were forced to yield,
Onward came the others;
But a thousand dead lay on that field,
And three of them were brothers.
And pealed the war-cry louder;
Forward rushed the undaunted ones,
Through dust, and blood, and powder;
Slowly the foe were forced to yield,
Onward came the others;
But a thousand dead lay on that field,
And three of them were brothers.
There they lay—by their comrades sought—
With their good blood all around them.
Side by side they had bravely fought,
And side by side they found them.
'Mid the wrecks of the battle-storm
They vainly strove to weather,
Torn and mangled each bloody form,
They all lay there together.
With their good blood all around them.
Side by side they had bravely fought,
And side by side they found them.
'Mid the wrecks of the battle-storm
They vainly strove to weather,
Torn and mangled each bloody form,
They all lay there together.
But I have heard, that upon each face
Was a smile of manly beauty,
As to say, “I perished in my place,
And I strove to do my duty.”
And I have thought, that in God's good time,
When a few more years were fleeting,
Far above, in His courts sublime,
There would be a happy meeting.
Was a smile of manly beauty,
As to say, “I perished in my place,
And I strove to do my duty.”
And I have thought, that in God's good time,
When a few more years were fleeting,
Far above, in His courts sublime,
There would be a happy meeting.
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