The heart speaks out in times like these. – The rude hand of war hath severed the nearest and dearest ties of life. Let us pray to the Almighty God that this separation be but a temporary one. Let us pray to Him who ruleth all things well, and boldeth our lives in the hollow of His hand, that those one hundred and two brave men who left our town on last Saturday evening to fight, if need be, in their country’s cause, may return again to us, with life, with health, with honor.
It was a sad and thrilling scene that parting. For a week the excitement of volunteering and drilling had drowned in a great measure the sense of the stern reality. But when the hour of separation came – when the mother found that she could not stay her darling boy – when the wife was compelled to wring herself away from the bosom of a fond husband – when the sister’s earnest heart ran over with agony as she was fearful of the last glance of a brother and when the maiden received the last silent token of affection from her lover — then the heart swelled almost to bursting, and the welling eyes shed such tears as they had never shed before. Then the true hearts of husband, wife mother, son, sister, brother and friend joined each other in holy prayer to God for the safety of the departed and the welfare of the dear ones left behind.
Never was there such a solemn and impressive scene witnessed in our town, as that occasioned by the departure of the Cadiz Guards, under command of Cpt. Castell. It seemed as though the whole population of the town and country were present, and earnest, silent sadness, spread itself over the entire multitude. Pale cheeks and tearful eyes were not confined to woman; old men and young men wept silently. There was no boisterous demonstrations; all was calm and quiet as the soldiers passed into the cars. The hallowed, secret partings were already over. But the last word — the last look — language fails us to describe the emotions of that scene.
But there was courage and pride, as well as tears, in every eye. Not one brave man’s heart faltered nor woman’s neither in that trying hour. The most intense patriotism was manifest. All who went and all who stayed seemed to place their trust in GOD for the future.
The Cadiz Guards are among the best young men of our county. They are not adventurers. Most of them have left lucrative positions and employments to devote themselves to their country’s cause. Many of them have left behind them wives and families as well as business. With stern manhood they have turned away from endearing social ties, the comforts of life, and gone to defend that government which has heretofore protected those ties and under whose institutions those comforts have been so readily obtained as the fruits of skill and industry, They have bold hearts, for they go to defend –
Their altars and their fires,
God and their native land
They will light like freemen
long and well.
And in your perils, dear friends, let not your hearts be troubled. Be it our duty, who remain behind, to guard your homes and firesides and the loved ones you have left behind as securely as we do our own, and our daily prayer to the God of Battles shall be that he will ever hold over you the mighty shield of HIS protection.
The Cadiz Democratic Sentinel, Cadiz, OH
The Cadiz Guards
The Cadiz Guards were part of the 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, enlisted for three months as called for by Lincoln’s proclamation. At the end of that period, some reenlisted for three year service in the 13th Ohio Infantry Regiment. The 13th Ohio served in the western theater, fighting throughout the campaign (including at Shiloh, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga), in the Atlanta campaign, and across the southeast.