"To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late;
And how can man die better than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods
- Thomas Macaulay
Colonel Daniel McCook Jr. loudly recited this poem to his Union troops before leading them into battle at Cheatham Hill, near Kennesaw Mountain. He was mortally wounded in the attack.
I've been to the Illinois Monument many times before, but I do not remember reading about this part of the story. It reminds me of a Jack London short story, The God Of His Fathers. If you have some spare time, I really encourage you to read it.
As I reflected on McCook's final encouragement to his soldiers, a stunning golden sun set over Cheatham Hill, staining the vivid blue sky with reds, yellows, and oranges. I thought about the men who died here. Hundreds of men died right where I was sitting. Many were far from home.
It's hard to imagine a time in recent history when our country was actually two separate nations.
Gave me goose bumps as I read this. Well written, Micah! Many years ago your dad and I visited the Illinois Monument with all four of your grandparents...It was probably in June of 1981...six years before your birth. I would love to go there again some time soon...Perhaps we can make it an outing together and I can tell you some stories about your grandparents.
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