And at Pillow!  God have mercy
    On the deeds committed there,
  And the souls of those poor victims
    Sent to Thee without a prayer. 
  Let the fulness of Thy pity
    O’er the hot wrought spirits sway
  Of the gallant colored soldiers
    Who fell fighting on that day!

  Yes, the Blacks enjoy their freedom,
    And they won it dearly, too;
  For the life blood of their thousands
    Did the southern fields bedew. 
  In the darkness of their bondage,
    In the depths of slavery’s night,
  Their muskets flashed the dawning,
    And they fought their way to light.

  They were comrades then and brothers,
    Are they more or less to-day? 
  They were good to stop a bullet
    And to front the fearful fray. 
  They were citizens and soldiers,
    When rebellion raised its head;
  And the traits that made them worthy,—­
    Ah! those virtues are not dead.

  They have shared your nightly vigils,
    They have shared your daily toil;
  And their blood with yours commingling
    Has enriched the Southern soil.

  They have slept and marched and suffered
    ’Neath the same dark skies as you,
  They have met as fierce a foeman,
    And have been as brave and true.

  And their deeds shall find a record
    In the registry of Fame;
  For their blood has cleansed completely
    Every blot of Slavery’s shame. 
  So all honor and all glory
    To those noble sons of Ham—­
  The gallant colored soldiers
    Who fought for Uncle Sam!

NATURE AND ART

TO MY FRIEND CHARLES BOOTH NETTLETON

I

  The young queen Nature, ever sweet and fair,
    Once on a time fell upon evil days. 
    From hearing oft herself discussed with praise,
  There grew within her heart the longing rare
  To see herself; and every passing air
    The warm desire fanned into lusty blaze. 
    Full oft she sought this end by devious ways,
  But sought in vain, so fell she in despair. 
  For none within her train nor by her side
    Could solve the task or give the envied boon. 
    So day and night, beneath the sun and moon,
  She wandered to and fro unsatisfied,
    Till Art came by, a blithe inventive elf,
    And made a glass wherein she saw herself.

II

  Enrapt, the queen gazed on her glorious self,
    Then trembling with the thrill of sudden thought,
    Commanded that the skilful wight be brought
  That she might dower him with lands and pelf. 
  Then out upon the silent sea-lapt shelf
    And up the hills and on the downs they sought
    Him who so well and wondrously had wrought;
  And with much search found and brought