(1860.) When ocean-clouds over inland hills Sweep storming in late autumn brown, And horror the sodden valley fills, And the spire falls crashing in the town, I muse upon my country’s ills– The tempest bursting from the waste of Time On the world’s fairest hope linked with man’s foulest crime. Nature’s dark side is heeded […]

(August, 1861.) Some hearts there are of deeper sort, Prophetic, sad, Which yet for cause are trebly clad; Known death they fly on: This wizard-heart and heart-of-oak had Lyon. “They are more than twenty thousand strong, We less than five, Too few with such a host to strive” “Such counsel, fie on! ‘Tis battle, or […]

(1860-1.) O the clammy cold November, And the winter white and dead, And the terror dumb with stupor, And the sky a sheet of lead; And events that came resounding With the cry that All was lost, Like the thunder-cracks of massy ice In intensity of frost– Bursting one upon another Through the horror of […]

(1860-1.) On starry heights A bugle wails the long recall; Derision stirs the deep abyss, Heaven’s ominous silence over all. Return, return, O eager Hope, And face man’s latter fall. Events, they make the dreamers quail; Satan’s old age is strong and hale, A disciplined captain, gray in skill, And Raphael a white enthusiast still; […]

(February, 1862.) The bitter cup Of that hard countermand Which gave the Envoys up, Still was wormwood in the mouth, And clouds involved the land, When, pelted by sleet in the icy street, About the bulletin-board a band Of eager, anxious people met, And every wakeful heart was set On latest news from West or […]

(November, 1861.) In time and measure perfect moves All Art whose aim is sure; Evolving ryhme and stars divine Have rules, and they endure. Nor less the Fleet that warred for Right, And, warring so, prevailed, In geometric beauty curved, And in an orbit sailed. The rebel at Port Royal felt The Unity overawe, And […]

(April, 1862.) Skimming lightly, wheeling still, The swallows fly low Over the field in clouded days, The forest-field of Shiloh– Over the field where April rain Solaced the parched ones stretched in pain Through the pause of night That followed the Sunday fight Around the church of Shiloh– The church so lone, the log-built one, […]

(March, 1862.) Your honest heart of duty, Worden, So helped you that in fame you dwell; You bore the first iron battle’s burden Sealed as in a diving-bell. Alcides, groping into haunted hell To bring forth King Admetus’ bride, Braved naught more vaguely direful and untried. What poet shall uplift his charm, Bold Sailor, to […]

(March, 1862.) Some names there are of telling sound, Whose voweled syllables free Are pledge that they shall ever live renowned; Such seem to be A Frigate’s name (by present glory spanned)– The Cumberland. Sounding name as ere was sung, Flowing, rolling on the tongue– Cumberland! Cumberland! She warred and sunk. There’s no denying That […]

(April, 1862.) When Israel camped by Migdol hoar, Down at her feet her shawm she threw, But Moses sung and timbrels rung For Pharaoh’s standed crew. So God appears in apt events– The Lord is a man of war! So the strong wind to the muse is given In victory’s roar. Deep be the ode […]

(1862.) When tempest winnowed grain from bran; And men were looking for a man, Authority called you to the van, McClellan: Along the line the plaudit ran, As later when Antietam’s cheers began. Through storm-cloud and eclipse must move Each Cause and Man, dear to the stars and Jove; Nor always can the wisest tell […]

One man we claim of wrought renown Which not the North shall care to slur; A Modern lived who sleeps in death, Calm as the marble Ancients are: ‘Tis he whose life, though a vapor’s wreath, Was charged with the lightning’s burning breath– Stonewall, stormer of the war. But who shall hymn the roman heart? […]

(April, 1863.) A moonless night–a friendly one; A haze dimmed the shadowy shore As the first lampless boat slid silent on; Hist! and we spake no more; We but pointed, and stilly, to what we saw. We felt the dew, and seemed to feel The secret like a burden laid. The first boat melts; and […]

A View from Oxford Cloisters. (January, 1863.) With Tewksbury and Barnet heath In days to come the field shall blend, The story dim and date obscure; In legend all shall end. Even now, involved in forest shade A Druid-dream the strife appears, The fray of yesterday assumes The haziness of years. In North and South […]

(November, 1863.) Who inhabiteth the Mountain That it shines in lurid light, And is rolled about with thunders, And terrors, and a blight, Like Kaf the peak of Eblis– Kaf, the evil height? Who has gone up with a shouting And a trumpet in the night? There is battle in the Mountain– Might assaulteth Might; […]

(July, 1863.) O pride of the days in prime of the months Now trebled in great renown, When before the ark of our holy cause Fell Dagon down– Dagon foredoomed, who, armed and targed, Never his impious heart enlarged Beyond that hour; god walled his power, And there the last invader charged. He charged, and […]

Aloft he guards the starry folds Who is the brother of the star; The bird whose joy is in the wind Exultleth in the war. No painted plume–a sober hue, His beauty is his power; That eager calm of gaze intent Foresees the Sibyl’s hour. Austere, he crowns the swaying perch, Flapped by the angry […]

(August, 1864.) O mystery of noble hearts, To whom mysterious seas have been In midnight watches, lonely calm and storm, A stern, sad disciple, And rooted out the false and vain, And chastened them to aptness for Devotion and the deeds of war, And death which smiles and cheers in spite of pain. Beyond the […]

(1683-64.) I Like snows the camps on southern hills Lay all the winter long, Our levies there in patience stood– They stood in patience strong. On fronting slopes gleamed other camps Where faith as firmly clung: Ah, froward king! so brave miss– The zealots of the Wrong. In this strife of brothers (God, hear their […]

(July, 1864.) Arms reversed and banners craped– Muffled drums; Snowy horses sable-draped– McPherson comes. But, tell us, shall we know him more, Lost-Mountain and lone Kenesaw? Brave the sword upon the pall– A gleam in gloom; So a bright name lighteth all McPherson’s doom. Bear him through the chapel-door– Let priest in stole Pace before […]