Many years ago I ordered a sampler of “Civil War” videos. One of the clips on that VHS featured a big burly reenactor reciting a very moving poem with tears streaming down his cheeks. I had no idea who that gentleman was.
I could not find a copy of that poem anywhere, so I transcribed the lyrics and I have recited them at our Confederate Memorial Day Observances ever since.
Some years later I encountered a gentleman selling his little book of poetry at the Olustee Reenactment and realized that he was the man I had seen on the video. I am thankful that I was able to meet him and shake his hand. Of course, I purchased a copy of his book and secured an inscription.
Unfortunately (for us who remain anyway) Sgt. Benjamin R. Gormley passed in March of 2005 at the young age of 59.
His booklet of poems is entitled “Haunted Fields” and is out of print, but may occasionally be found for sale on the internet.
The poem that so moved me was entitled “Atlanta’s Son.”
Below are the lyrics, as I transcribed them from the video, somewhat abridged from the version found in the little booklet.
Atlanta's Son
Above the banks of Peachtree Creek,
The Georgia sky, looks down and weeps—
On soldiers’ blood in trenches spilled,
‘Midst dreams of a Nation unfulfilled.
As part of freedom’s price to pay—
Atlanta’s son came home today.
Atlanta’s son came home today;
His friends marched with him all the way.
In his tattered coat faded gray,
They lowered down into Oakland’s clay—
His grave unmarked until the day
When the wounded lion turned at bay,
Still clutching our flag in his gory paws,
He roared defiance at Yankee laws—
Then bowed his head and in slumber lay
To guard the earth that enshrouds the gray.
Atlanta’s son came home today—
And this time he’s come home to stay.
You will note that the poem makes reference to Oakland Cemetery and the magnificent “Lion of Atlanta” which until recently overlooked some 3,000 unknown Confederates buried there: “Still clutching our flag in his gory paws, . . .He roared defiance at Yankee laws— . . . Then bowed his head and in slumber lay . . . To guard the earth that enshrouds the gray.”
The monument was carved from Georgia marble by T. M. Brady and was dedicated on Confederate Memorial Day in 1894. It depicts a wounded lion, with a spear broken off in his back. The lion slumbers upon a Confederate flag.
My wife and I were fortunate to be able to visit the lion almost 20 years ago. At that time the lion had been unmolested and the gate to his enclosure was unlocked.
The author of this blog with the lion in July of 2002.
Of more recent years the lion, who resides in very secluded spot within the cemetery, has been vandalized on several occasions.
During one of the most recent criminal assaults someone actually attempted to destroy his beautiful muzzle.
To add insult to injury the elected officials (criminals) in Atlanta have recently removed the lion from where it had reposed for some 127 years.
Next I suppose they will seek to dig up and destroy the remains of all the Confederate soldiers in the cemetery -- and eventually in all the cemeteries.
And then they shall come for us, their living descendants and advocates.
All that remains in Oakland Cemetery is an ugly scar.
Deuteronomy 27:17
Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Rest assured, there will be an accounting . . . a reckoning.
Romans 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
The old Baptist preacher R. G. Lee (1886-1978) was well-known for his sermon: “Pay Day, Some Day.” Pay day is certainly coming.
I accept that vengeance belongs to the Lord. But should He decide to sub-contract out that work, as He sometimes has in the past, I’ll be applying for the job.
And that’s all I have to say about that!
Free Florida First advocates for a Free, Independent, Godly, Prosperous, and Traditionally Southern Florida.
Deo Vindice!
TRUST GOD!
STAY IN THE FIGHT!
NEVER GIVE UP!
NEVER QUIT!
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This is probably the subject I feel most strongly about. If the worthless government personnel in Atlanta refused to protect this beautiful monument, then maybe the monument should have been removed, but ONLY until it could be restored and the city officials compelled to protect it in the same manner and with the same zeal they would use to protect a monument to one of their liberal, socialist heroes. Because the Good Lord knows they will pursue to the ends of the Earth anyone they find out made a rude gesture toward, or even gave a dirty look toward one of THEIR monuments, much less actually DAMAGING it! After it's restoration and protection was secured, the Lion should have been returned to its ORIGINAL site!
ReplyDeleteIt appears I now have another city to boycott, Atlanta, which joins almost all other large cities in the South, unfortunately. I will not travel to, vacation in, or indeed spend a red cent in ANY of the cities that have taken down Confederate monuments! That's probably a good idea anyway, as most of these cities have been turned into crime-filled hellholes by their elected officials and the majority of their residents! I encourage you and anyone who reads this to do the same. BOYCOTT NEW ORLEANS, ST. LOUIS, DALLAS, LOUISVILLE, BALTIMORE, ORLANDO, MEMPHIS, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. RICHMOND, VA., HECK PROBABLY THE ENTIRE STATE OF VIRGINIA AT THIS POINT, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL., SHREVEPORT, LA., THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ATLANTA, AND ANY OTHER CITY, COUNTY, OR STATE WHOSE OFFICIALS ARE OR HAVE REMOVED CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS, until those monuments have been restored and returned to their ORIGINAL locations!!!!!
Do I think this will happen anytime soon? Sadly, no, I cannot see these monuments being restored to their rightful place until those who clamored for their removal, who are also the ones who, at regular intervals these days it seems, engage in rioting and looting anytime one of their criminals is shot by the police, overplay their hand and attempt to take their criminal riots and looting away from commercial areas and into residential ones instead. Only when they come to our homes and we have to defend our lives and property will we see a backlash against them. The politicians that control them, I believe, have secretly told them that the day they will be unleashed against
our homes is coming. They just want them to have patience and wait until they, the politicians, have taken away our means to defend ourselves, our firearms! The problem for them with that, however, is that every time an incident makes them overreact so violently, they come closer to doing what the politicians who are their handlers fear most; attacking law-abiding citizens in their homes while we are still armed and can defend ourselves! At that point, the game will be afoot, and we must not stop until the reckoning is done and we have won the day! Then in the aftermath of that reckoning, it is incumbent on all of us who hold this matter dearly to DEMAND that ALL of these monuments be restored to their RIGHTFUL and ORIGINAL locations! Thank you for indulging my expressing my strong feelings on this matter Pastor Wilson.
on the way that Payday, no doubt in my military mind!
ReplyDelete