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"DON'T FEAR DEATH, MEN."

REPULSE OF THE REBELS AT FORT DONELSON, TENN., FEBRUARY 5TH, '63.

FROM Donelson's stern, serried hights,

For our country-God's blessing upon her !— Brings out our young heroe's brave rallying cry: "Don't fear death, men, fear only dishonor!" Charge bravely for Douglas, to-day,

Where patriots and traitors are meeting; Though dead, he shall win the proud field, While we shout a victorious greeting,

Remember the land of the West

Our homes toward the sun's golden settmgThat the hearts which have loved us the best May have naught for reproach or regretting! Strike home for our banner to-day;

For our country-God's blessings upon her!For the blood-baptized flag of the free;

"Don't fear death, men, fear only dishonor!"

Brave words, of a brave, loyal heart,
Fair sunlight for death's frowning portal;
Embalm them, O, centuries grand,

In their patriot beauty, immortal !
Ring out that brave rallying cry;

For our country-God's blessing upon her!For the blood-baptized flag of the free;

"Don't fear death, men, fear only dishonor! "

H. R. M.

THE WONDERFUL RIVER IS SILENT NOW.

THE RISING OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,

FEBRUARY 20TH, '63.

THE wonderful river is silent now,
Bolted, and locked, and barred!

Its current is rapid as ever before,

But the navies of peace its bosom once bore,
Are under suspicion and guard!

Vain are the riches of valley and plain,

All in that wonderful land;

For the river that wedded the North and the South Is closed at the middle and closed at the mouth, Closed by an iron hand.

On the limitless prairies the corn may grow rank, And down in the valleys below,

The cotton and cane may flourish in vain, 'Till God shall see fit to sunder the chain

That severs the palm from the snow.

The navies that float on the wonderful stream
Are navies of terror and wrath.

Destruction and death through the valleys they bear;
With sulphurous vapors they burden the air,

And fury flames up in their path.

The cities are sullen and sorrowful now;

Their beauty is wasted and worn.

The hamlets and towns are shattered and burned, The panther, the bear, and the wolf have returned To the fields of the cotton and corn.

WM. H. WILLETT.

IN WAR TIME.

CELEBRATION OF WASHINGTON'S BIRTH-DAY. FEBRUARY 22d, '63.

ONCE more, dear friends, you meet beneath A clouded sky:

Not yet the sword has found its sheath, And, on the sweet spring airs the breath Of war floats by.

Yet trouble springs not from the ground, Nor pain from chance;

Th' Eternal order circles round,

And wave and storm find mete and bound In Providence.

Full long our feet the flowery ways

Of peace have trod,

Content with creed and garb and phrase;

A harder path in earlier days

Led up to God.

Too cheaply truths, once purchased dear,

Are made our own;

Too long the world has smiled to hear

Our boast of full corn in the ear

By others sown.

To see us stir the martyr fires

Of long ago;

And wrap our satisfied desires

In the singed mantles that our sires
Have dropped below.

But now the cross our worthies bore
On us is laid.

Profession's quiet sleep is o'er,

And in the scale of truth once more
Our faith is weighed.

The cry of innocent blood at last
Is calling down

An answer in the whirlwind blast,
The thunder and the shadow cast
From Heaven's dark frown.

The land is red with judgments. Who
Stands guiltless forth?

Have we been faithful as we knew,
To God and to our brother true,
To Heaven and Earth ?

This day the fearful reckoning comes
To each and all;

We hear amidst our peaceful homes
The summons of the conscript drums,
The bugle's call.

Our path is plain; the war-net draws
Round us in vain,

While, faithful to the Higher Cause,
We keep our fealty to the laws
Through patient pain.

The leveled gun, the battle brand
We may not take;

But, calmly loyal, we can stand
And suffer with our suffering land
For conscience sake.

JOHN G. WHITTIER.

YE SONS AND SIRES OF LIBERTY.

PASSAGE OF THE NATIONAL MILITIA BILL,

FEBRUARY 25тн, '63.

YE sons and sires of Liberty,

To war's fierce cry awake!

Give up your joys, give up your lives,
For dear-bought Freedom's sake!
Raise ye the Stars and Stripes on high,
And 'neath its shadows swear,-
While life shall last, to keep its folds
In triumph waving there!

Give up your homes, your joys, and all,
For Freedom live for Freedom fall!
Ye sons of Liberty.

Ye sons and sires of Liberty,

In marshalled hosts arrayed,
Together called, but to preserve

Dear Freedom's course-betrayed!
Bare ye the steel in this great fight,
Defend your native sod;

Ye war for Freedom and for Right,
For Justice and for God!

Give up your homes, your joys, and all,
For Freedom live !-for Freedom fall!
Ye sons of Liberty.

J. HENRY HAYWARD.

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