Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, POETIC HISTORY OF THE 7TH IOWA REGIMENT: BATTLE OF SHILOH, by GEORGE S. RUTHERFORD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

POETIC HISTORY OF THE 7TH IOWA REGIMENT: BATTLE OF SHILOH, by                    
First Line: Soon war-clouds o'ershadowed this place of delight
Last Line: And the rattle of hailstones completed the blast.
Subject(s): American Civil War; Shiloh, Battle Of (1862); U.s. - History


Soon war-clouds o'ershadowed this place of delight,
Whose horrors will sicken our once peaceful sight
From this battle now pending, long talked of before,
Will display all its fury on this peaceful shore.

The 6th, like a maiden all blooming and bright,
Dawned on us in splendor and gladdened our sight;
While drawn up in order and dressed in deep blue
According to custom for Sunday's review.

Our quick ears were greeted with war's sullen roar,
With its fatal delusions and streams of red gore --
Then our Colonels got orders and we must away,
To stand by our brothers in this bloody fray.

We advanced through the forest to give them our aid,
And soon found our brethren in battle arrayed.
Assuming the place by Generals assigned
Our presence was needed to fill up the line.

It was here our poor patience was severely tried,
For many long hours by war's bitter tide
With its many lead balls and canister shot
Killed and crippled our comrades on that very spot.

The tide of this battle first vered to the right;
And long rolling volleys in this quarter did light.
Sending death and destruction wherever it came.
Destroying on both sides by its withering flame.

Our men could not stand such a fire, you know,
But fell from the range of this terrible blow;
Swinging round from the front to establish new lines,
Made the rebels flank movement a success at the time.

Elated at this they bore down on our left,
And here as at first they met with success;
For our army fell back as a matter of course,
As the rebels press on them with superior force.

No other alternative for us could avail,
Than to break from the center and quickly turn tail
To avoid being taken we must break to the rear
And rally again on some other point near.

A few gallant soldiers were ready at hand
When our Colonel gave orders to make a new stand;
For a hundred brave hearts were not scattered by flight,
But stood by our banners that dark Sunday night.

The lurid light flashed as their batteries play,
And the missiles tore through our encampment to-day
Till our gunboats and seige guns, with terrible roar,
Made these haughty rebels retire from this shore.

Then as evening gave way to the shadows of night
The darkness was broken by streaks of red light
From bomb shells describing their course through the air,
Making sleep for the rebels a shabby affair.

Thus "night was made hideous" to friend and to foe
By half hour discharges from the gunboats below,
Together with thunder and rain pouring fast,
And the rattle of hailstones completed the blast.





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