The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Jas. W. Ellis, Co. E., 4th Ark

Did he Private Ellis survive?

Below is a song written by Jas. W. Ellis, a private of Company E., 4th Arkansas Regiment
page 70 Gammage. W.P. The Camp, the Bivouac, and the BATTLEFIELD

Gammage wrote page 7: "what pen yet has told of the sufferings and toils and privations, the patriotism and heroism and deathless courage, the daring and gallant conduct and the chivalry of the humble musketeer, who, with scant rations and scantier pay has toiled and marched and suffered and bled in his country's cause, much of the time with clothes so tattered and torn that the bleak winds of winter whistled through the rents of immunity, and the hard and stony earth, on more than one weary march, bore bloody evidence of their blistered and naked feet. - Alas, how many of these gallant dead have gone from the ranks of their company, unknown to the world, pierced by the enemy's rifle.

MURFREESBORO'S DEAD

As "Sixty-Two" lay down to die,
He'd scarcely reached his tomb
When "Sixty-Three" was ushered in
'Mid cannon's awful boom:
Whilst on the East the New Year blushed
Ere Phobus rose in view:
Full many a Patriot breathed his last,
And went with "Sixty-Two."

Their names are dropt at roll-call now.
Nor will they answer more:
Yet will their deeds of valor live,
Remembered as before.
The fatal ball their bosoms pierced.
And shed their warm life-blood
On Southern soil - for "Southern rights"
To water Freedom's sod!

Ho! living men behold their deeds.
And see their nameless graves;
Come forth, avenge their death on fields
Where died these Southern braves;
Their names a Nation now reveres,
For nobly did they fall
Defending right - religion's cause -
At Freedom's sacred call!

They rushed to arms and joined the ranks
In which they fought and bled.
Come, emulate the example set
By Murfreesboro's dead;
The mercenary hordes;
Strike, strike! remembering all the while
"The battle is the Lord's"

Should the invader dare advance
And desecrate their graves.
Then charge and shout "we'd rather die
Than live and be his slaves."
Their children in our sunny land
When Peace is smiles shall shed
Can proudly say, our fathers sleep
With Murfreesboro's Dead."

Shelbyville, Tenn., Feb. 15th 1863.

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