June 18.—General Polk was killed on the 14th instant by a cannon-ball, while reconnoitering. Another of our brightest and best has left us; a star has gone from earth to shine in the "bright galaxy round God’s throne." When we see such taken from our midst, at a time when we have so much need of them, we think "how unsearchable are the ways of tho Lord!" But, as Dr. Quintard sets forth in a sermon preached on the subject, these things are sent to remind us that we are not of this world, and that God makes it one of weariness; so we may lift our thoughts aloft and think of what is holy.
At the commencement of the war, when the northern people heaped insult after insult upon us, without any provocation, I felt it was the duty of all to fight till the last in defense of our rights. When General Polk laid aside his pastoral staff to take in its stead the sword of justice, I was proud of our having such a champion, and felt more confidence in the justice of our cause than ever. Since then I have seen that now, more than ever, we have need of our ablest and best to lead our armies against sin, the world, and the devil. And I have thought, with regret, of General P. having taken the step which he did; but he did not cast aside his priestly robe without deliberating on it prayerfully; and, in the language of Dr. Quintard, "patriotism, inherited rights, a just cause, present good, the claims of posterity, all beckoned him on, and he clutched the sword of public justice and fought bravely for home, truth, and God." He never forgot, while fighting against his earthly foe, to set an example to all around him, that a man can be a soldier of his country and at the same time a soldier of the cross. I have ever heard his name coupled with every thing that is brave and noble. He won by his gentle and manly bearing the hearts of both officers and men, and as long as the life-blood streams through their veins he will never be forgotten.
"Though thou art fallen while we are free,
Thou shalt not taste of death;
The generous blood that flowed from thee
Disdained to sink beneath;
Within its veins our currents be,
Thy spirit on our breath.
"Thy name, our charging hosts along,
Shall be the battle word;
The fall, the theme of choral song,
From virgin voices poured;
To weep would do thy glory wrong,
Thou shalt not be deplored."
The enemy say our army is a rabble. Has the world ever seen such a rabble? I think not! General P. is one of many such as we have in our rabble.
