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Baron Steuben Lodge #264 

The Fraternal Tie

Tired with the long day's marching,

A Union soldier stood

By the banks of a rushing river,

In a dim old Kansas wood.

 

The gnarled roots of the oak trees

Grew snaky along the ground;

The vines with their purple burden

In the giants' arms were wound.

 

The songs of the birds in the coverts

Came sweet to the soldier's ear;

The medley of songs in the woodland

Gushed forth without not of fear.

 

The sunbeams stole through the branches

Over the turbulent stream,

And gilded the snowy wave tops

That fleeted away like a dream.

 

But scarce had these joys impressed him,

When loud through the forest broke

The taunts and the bitter curses

That Quantrell's guerrillas spoke.

 

He turned; and his deadly rifle

Was poised in his supple hands;

"Ha, ha! We have trapped a Blue Back;

Empty his brains where he stands."

 

Sharp was the click of their pistols;

Certain the aim that they took.

Vain to contend with the ruffians;

Fierce was the hate in their look.

 

He glanced at the eager bloodhounds;

One hope illumined despair;

He tried them' a rebel sprang forward:

" A brother! Harm him who dare.

 

Pistols were dropped in an instant;

Unharmed, in the dim old wood,

By the banks of the rushing river,

The Union soldier stood.

 

~Author Unknown~

 

 

 

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