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Show BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD. He who has ever visited a national cemetery, north or south, cannot fail to have observed, placed along, the winding wind-ing ways that thread the green turr, beneath which sleep the heroes wno wore the blue and the gray, cast iron tablets, bearing in bronze letters selected select-ed stanzas from the poem which is tne sole basis of the name of one himseii a hero, who may be said to have sung his own memorial, standing upon his unmade grave. As it was written to commemorate the death of his comrades com-rades who fell in Mexico, and was reaq. by him on, the occasion of the Dunai in the plot set apart by the common-weaiith common-weaiith for their reception in the ceme tery at Frankrort, ivy., wneie was buried with military honors, and considering that he was one of the earliest ear-liest who shed their blood for Cuba L'bre, it seems both timely and appropriate appro-priate that something should be known of his life, and that his great poem should be reprinted. Theodore O'Hara, soldier, poet, lawyer law-yer and journalist, was born in Danville, Dan-ville, Ky., Feb. 11, 1820. He was the mn of Kane O'Hara, an Irish patriot, who fled his own land on account of political po-litical oppression, settling lit Kn: tucky, where he became distinguished as an educator of great learning and ability. Theodore was prepared for college col-lege by his father, and afterwards graduated at St. Joseph's college at Beardstown, Ky., with honors. After this he practiced for a time, holding an appointment in the treasury depart- j ment at Washington during 1S45, and was nominated captain of the United States army. He served through the Mexican war, and was breveted major for gallant conduct on the field. Returning Re-turning to Washington he resumed his law practice, but again drew his sword when Lopez attempted the liberation of Cuba in 1S51. O'Hara joined the ill-fated ill-fated expedition and led a regiment at Cardenas, in which battle he was severely se-verely wounded. He was subsequently concerned in Walker's invasion of Central Cen-tral America. He afterwards engaged in journalism in the south, with great ability and briHiancy, obtaining for his paper, the Mobile Register, great prestige. pres-tige. At the beginning uf the war of the rebellion, he went with the south, and was in command for a time of the defense of Mobile bay, Avhere 'he again , distinguished himself. After this- he served as aide-de-camp on Albert Sidney Sid-ney Johnston's staff, and was beside that officer when he fell at Shiloh. Subsequently and until the end of the war, he was chief of staff to General Gen-eral John C. Breckinridge. With Bieck-Inridge Bieck-Inridge he took part in the famous New Year's day charge at Stone River, in which in twenty minutes the Confederates Confeder-ates lost 2.090 men. It is worth noting here, for the benefit of those who have begun to speak of the afflictions of the war with Spain, that in three days' fighting before Murfreesboro on this occasion, t'he Confederates lost 14,000 men. the Federals 13,000 in killed, wounded and mtesing. a total larger by several thousand than the Tecent army invasion of Cuba. After the war O'Hara retired to an Alabama plantation, where he died June 7, 1867. In 1873 the Kentucky legislature made an appropriation appro-priation for bringing his body to his native state and marking his grave in the state cemetery at Frankfort. In 1S74 he was reinterred with military honors within a few feet of the spot ... .. u-. efrtrtrl -Vion Vi r rfr a Tits f - mous poem. What a career cf romance and adventure, and what a triumph of the spirit of poesy over tsectionalism and partisanship! The son of an exile, always the champion of the losing cause fate ordained that the lines of this young Irish-American, true descendant of the old bards cf Erin, shall be taken up as the most fitting inscription over the National Cemetery at Waeihington and wherever fallen heroe3 rest: The Bivouac of the Dead, The muffled drum's sad roll has beat The soldier's last tattoo; No more in life's parade shall meet That brave and fallen few. I On Fame's eternal camping ground Their sUent tents are spread, . But Glory guards, with solemn round, The bivouac of the dead. No rumor of the foe's advance Now swells upon the wind: No troubled thought at midnight haunts Of loved one left behind; No vision of the morrow's strife The warrior's dream alarms; No braying horn nor screaming fife At dawn shall call to arms. Their shivered swords are red with rust. Their plumed heads are bowed; Their haughty banner, trailed in dust. Is now their martial shroud. And plenteous funeral tears have washed The red stains from earfi brow. Ami the proud forms of battle gashed. Are free from ang-uisli now. The neighboring troop, the flashing blade, The bugle's stirring blast. The charge, the dreadful cannonade, The din and pfiiout are past; Nor war's wild note, nor glory's peal. Shall thrill with fierce de-lifjht These breasts that never more shall feel The rapture of the tight. Like the tierce Northern hurricane That sweeps his great plateau-Flushed plateau-Flushed with triumph yet to gain-Came gain-Came down the serried foe. Who heard the thunder of the fray Break o'er the field beneath. Knew well the watchword of that day "Was "Victory or Death!" Long has the doubtful conflict raged O'er all that sricken plain. For never fleTcer fight had waged The vengeful blood of Spain: And still the storm of battle blew, Still swelled the gory tide: Not long our stout chieftain knew Such odds his strength could bide. 'Twas in that hour his stern command Called to a martyr s grave The flower of his beloved land The nation's flag to save. By rivers of their father's gore His first-born laurels grew. And well he deemed the sons would pour Their lives for glory, too. Full many a mother's breath has swept O'er Angostura's plain j And long the pitying sky has wept Above the mc'.dering slain. The raven's scream, or eagle'e flight, Or shepherd's pensive lay. Alone awakes each sullen height That frowned o'er that dread day. Sons of the dark and bloody ground. You must not slumber there, . When stranger steps and tongues resound Along the heedless air, lour own proud land's heroic soil Shall be your fitter grave; She claims from war his richest spoil The ashes of her brave.- Thus 'neath their parent turf they resrt, tar from the gory field. Borne to a Spartan mother's breast ' On many a bloody shield; The sunshine of their native sky :' . Smiles sadly on them here. And kindred eyes and hearts watch by-.The by-.The hero's seaulcner. Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead. Dear as the blood ye gave. No impious footsteps here shall tread The herbaare of your grave; Nor shall your glory be forgot While fame her record keeps. -O honor points the hallowed spot Where valor proudly sleeps. Yon -marble minstrel's voiceless stone In deathless song shall tell When many a vanquished age has flow The story how ye fell; Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight. Nor Time's remorsele? doom. Shall dim one ray of g!ory's li?ht . , lhat gilds your deathless tomb. |