Dead, dead! The spirit now has fled.
Cold on its bier the pulseless
clay
Unconscious lies in dreamless rest,
To wake no more till that great
day,
When God shall bid all sleepers rise,
To stand before His mighty throne,
There face to face in judgment seat,
To know their God as they are
known.
Till then, kind husband, rest in sleep,
From thy fair brow death’s chilling
dew
Is warmed away by farewell kiss
Of constant wife so loving true.
Closed be those eyes, forever closed,
Who’s [sic] light was wont
but to portray
The genial heart and friendly soul
Of him who sleeps, alas, for aye.
But whilst untimely thou must sleep,
Cast down by vile assassin’s hand,
Thy name around the world shall sweep—
Thy praise be sung in every land,
Thy glorious deeds examples be,
For all who yet on earth may dwell,
Thy brilliant fame still brighter grow,
Till time with earth shall bid
farewell. [76][77]
Yes, sleep on, veteran, take thy rest;
No war alarms thy sleep shall
break,
Thy faithful sword in honors decked,
Thy glory and thy fame bespeak,
No spoils of war nor trophies rich
From conquered foe was ever wrung,
More grand than that, which thou hast gained—
Just praise from every Southern
tongue.
Sleep, glorious ruler, gently sleep,
Thy last great pageant ends in
gloom,
Half-masted droops a million flags,
Whilst thou art borne to waiting
tomb;
Throughout the world all nations mourn
And yield their plenteous tears
in vain,
In grief sincere, well may they weep,
They ne’er will see thy like again.
’Till Judgment Day, great spirit sleep
In death’s profound, unbroken
rest,
Thy native earth thy dust shall keep,
Thy name survive, by country blest,
Whilst onward rolling years go by
Thy lustrous fame with time increase,
The grandeur of thy work remain,
Till time on earth itself shall
cease. [77][78]
Then mighty soul from grave arise,
Come forth unawed to meet thy
God,
Thy duty done, thy people’s prayers
Shall pave the way for thy reward—
A place on high with ceaseless joys,
Eternal with unchanging love—
With all that’s pure and best of earth
Be thine a home with God above.
