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I. NATIONALTHE OLD MAJOR EXPLAINS(RE-UNION, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, 12TH MAY, 1871)
Well, you see, the fact is, Colonel, I don`t know as I can come:
For the farm is not half planted, and there`s work to do at home;
And my leg is getting troublesome,--it laid me up last fall,--
And the doctors, they have cut and hacked, and never found the ball. And then, for an old man like me, it`s not exactly right,
This kind o` playing soldier with no enemy in sight.
"The Union,"--that was well enough way up to `66;
But this "Re-Union," maybe now it`s mixed with politics? No? Well, you understand it best; but then, you see, my lad,
I`m deacon now, and some might think that the example`s bad.
And week from next is Conference. . . . You said the twelfth of May?
Why, that`s the day we broke their line at Spottsylvan-i-a! Hot work; eh, Colonel, wasn`t it? Ye mind that narrow front:
They called it the "Death-Angle"! Well, well, my lad, we won`t
Fight that old battle over now: I only meant to say
I really can`t engage to come upon the twelfth of May. How`s Thompson? What! will he be there? Well, now I want to know!
The first man in the rebel works! they called him "Swearing Joe."
A wild young fellow, sir, I fear the rascal was; but then--
Well, short of heaven, there wa`n`t a place he dursn`t lead his men. And Dick, you say, is coming too. And Billy? ah! it`s true
We buried him at Gettysburg: I mind the spot; do you?
A little field below the hill,--it must be green this May;
Perhaps that`s why the fields about bring him to me to-day. Well, well, excuse me, Colonel! but there are some things that drop
The tail-board out one`s feelings; and the only way`s to stop.
So they want to see the old man; ah, the rascals! do they, eh?
Well, I`ve business down in Boston about the twelfth of May.
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