Southern Eloquence

On the north side of the Harrison, Arkansas town square is this monument to you young men from Boone County who fought and died, defending their homeland from northern aggressors during the War Between the States.

The inscription on the monument speaks not only for the fallen heroes of the Lost Cause, but also of a lost noble mindset and eloquence which is seldom seen or heard in today's world:

THIS MONUMENT PERPETUATES THE MEMORY

OF THOSE TRUE TO THE INSTINCTS OF THEIR BIRTH

FAITHFUL TO THE TEACHINGS OF THEIR FATHERS

CONSTANT IN THEIR LOVE FOR THE STATE

DIED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTY

WHO HAVE GLORIFIED A FALLEN CAUSE

BY THE SIMPLE MANHOOD OF THEIR LIVES

THE PATIENT ENDURANCE OF SUFFERING

AND THE HEROISM OF DEATH

AND WHO IN THE DARK HOURS OF IMPRISONMENT

IN THE HOPELESSNESS OF THE HOSPITAL

IN THE SHORT SHARP AGONY OF THE FIELD

FOUND SUPPORT AND CONSOLATION IN THE BELIEF

THAT AT HOME THEY WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN

LET THE STANGER WHO MAY IN FUTURE TIMES

READ THIS INSCRIPTION

RECOGNIZE THAT THESE WERE MEN

WHOM POWER COULD NOT CORRUPT

WHOM DEATH COULD NOT TERRIFY

WHOM DEFEAT COULD NOT DISHONOR

AND LET THEIR VIRTUES PLEAD FOR JUST JUDGMENT

OF THE CASE IN WHICH THEY PERISHED

LET THE ARKANSAWYER OF ANOTHER GENERATION

REMEMBER THAT THE STATE TAUGHT THEM

HOW TO LIVE AND HOW TO DIE

AND THAT FROM THEIR BROKEN FORTUNES

SHE HAS PRESENTED FOR THEIR CHILDREN

THE PRICELESS TREASURE OF THEIR MEMORIES

TEACHING ALL WHO MAY CLAIM THE SAME BIRTHRIGHT

THAT TRUTH, COURAGE AND PATRIOTISM ENDURE FOREVER