The Dying Words Of Stonewall Jackson
Order A. P. Hill to prepare for battle."
"Tell Major Hawks to advance the Commissary train."
"Let us cross the river and rest in the shade."
The stars of Night contain the glittering Day
And rain his glory down with sweeter grace
Upon the dark World's grand, enchanted face --
All loth to turn away.
And so the Day, about to yield his breath,
Utters the stars unto the listening Night,
To stand for burning fare-thee-wells of light
Said on the verge of death.
O hero-life that lit us like the sun!
O hero-words that glittered like the stars
And stood and shone above the gloomy wars
When the hero-life was done!
The phantoms of a battle came to dwell
I' the fitful vision of his dying eyes --
Yet even in battle-dreams, he sends supplies
To those he loved so well.
His army stands in battle-line arrayed:
His couriers fly: all's done: now God decide!
-- And not till then saw he the Other Side
Or would accept the shade.
Thou Land whose sun is gone, thy stars remain!
Still shine the words that miniature his deeds.
O thrice-beloved, where'er thy great heart bleeds,
Solace hast thou for pain!
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BECAUSE I believe that Sidney Lanier was much more than a clever
artisan in rhyme and metre; because he will, I think, take his final
rank with the first princes of American song, I am glad to provide this
slight memorial. There is sufficient material in his letters for an
extremely interesting biography, which could be properly prepared only
by his wife. These pages can give but a sketch of his life and work.
Sidney Lanier was born at Macon, Ga., on the third of February, 1842.
His earliest known ancestor of the name was Jerome Lanier, a Huguenot
refugee, who was attached to the court of Queen Elizabeth, very likely
as a musical composer; and whose son, Nicholas, was in high favor with
James I. and Charles I., as director of music, painter, and political
envoy; and whose grandson, Nicholas, held a similar position in the
court of Charles II. A portrait of the elder Nicholas Lanier, by his
friend Van Dyck, was sold, with other pictures belonging to Charles I.,
after his execution. The younger Nicholas was the first Marshal, or
presiding officer, of the Society of Musicians, incorporated at the
Restoration, “for the improvement of the science and the interest of its
professors;” and it is remarkable that four others of the name of
Lanier were among the few incorporators, one of them, John Lanier, very
likely father of the Sir John Lanier who fought as Major-General at the
Battle of the Boyne, and fell gloriously at Steinkirk along with the
brave Douglas.
