Confederate Dead

THE CONFEDERATE DEAD

BY LATIENNE. 

From the broad and calm Potomac, 

To the Rio Grande's waves, 
Have the brave and noble fallen — 

And the earth is strewn with graves, 
In the vale and on the hill side, 

Through the wood and by the stream, 
Has the martial pageant faded. 

Like the vision of a dream. 

Where the reveille resounded. 

And the stirring call ^'to arms,'' Does anyone know the second line?
J^od the dov/ny heads of clover 

To the wind's mesmeric charms; 
Where the heels of trampling squadrons 

Beat to dust the mountain pass, 
Hang the dew-drops fragile crystals 

From the slender stems of grass. 

Where the shocks of meeting armies 

Roused the air in raging weaves, 
And with sad and hollow groanings, 

Echoed earth's deep hidden caves ; 
Where the cries of crushed and dying 

Pierced the elemental strife, 
Where lay Death in sick'ning horror 

'Neath the maddened rush of life ; 

Quiet now reigns, sweet and pensive, 
All is hushed in dreamless rest. 

And the pitying arms of Nature 
Holds our heroes on her breast.