A Civil War Poem from the 1800s

I was intrigued by a newspaper clipping found within a family bible.  The top of the news clipping indicated "Founded in 1836" so my assumption would be the newspaper was founded in 1836.   I don't know when the actual article was written or the date of the publication but given the dates of the additional documents we discovered it's from the 1800s.

At a quick glance it's an article someone clipped from the local newspaper.  To me, it was much more.  I was intrigued that someone in my family, perhaps  Great, Great, Great Grandma herself was moved by the words so much she decided to take the time and cut this particular piece for safe keeping and preserved it by placing it in her bible. Maybe someone close was lost in the war.   I'll never know the true story but what ever it was, that clipping was  preserved.  The bible was preserved and was passed down from one generation to the next. My younger sister Michelle and I found the bible and Michelle found the incredible documents. Their descendants found what they preserved so many years ago.  It's one thing to read about history but it's an entirely different experience to connect with ancestors, even if only through a news clipping, who lived it.  For such a small document to lay silent for so many years I had to transcribe it and give it life again.

Plant the Starry Flag Above Them

Bring the roses fondly cherished,

And the lilies pure and white,

On the Graves of heroes fallen

Lay the garlands sweet and bright;

Tell again the thrilling story,

Now in conflict fierce and gory

They defended dear "Old Glory,"

Never failing - ever true.

Praise the men so lowly lying,

Who were not afraid of dying,

Just to keep the old flag flying - 

Ah, those gallant boys in blue!

Let the garlands be of roses

From the North and south as well,

that their fragrant intertwining

May a peaceful story tell.

Plant the starry flag above them,

Let its folds in beauty wave;

Drop a tear because we love them,

For they died our homes to save

Sing, ye men, in exultation,

Tell in eloquent oration

How they saved our glorious nation

From dishonor and disgrace;

True to freedoms noble calling.

Braving dangers, dread, appalling,

Cheering, fighting, fainting, failing

Every soldier in his place,

Giving life for God and country,

Leaving all they loved the best;

Peaceful be their honored slumber!

Dreamless be the warrior's rest!

As we strew the fragrant flowers

On the mounds we love to-day.

From our hearts we waft a message

To the Southland far away,

where in graves unknown are sleeping

Precious boys for whom we're weeping,

Noble men whose names we're keeping

On the list of those who fell;

And as we their praise are singing.

And our thoughts are southward winging,

From their hallowed dust is springing

That sweet flower -the immortelle.

While the morning sky above them

Shines in white and crimson bars,

And the evening smiles upon them

With a thousand golden stars!

Soldiers though your forms are lying

Hidden from our loving eyes.

Well we know that you are tenting

On the plains of Paradise;

And, perchance, while we are singing,

And our songs are upward winging,

We may hear the breezes bringing

Mystic echos from above -

Echoes from the Land of Glory,

Where no more with faces gory,

Proudly listen to our story

Those dear warriors that we love;

And from the fragrant fields of Elysian

Songs of holy triumph rise,

From the glorious grand division

Of the Army of the Skies!

 - Lida Keck