The Civil War Poetry of Alfred B. Street

Albany poet Alfred Billings Street was, in his day, best known for his sentimental nature poems and his published accounts of excursions into the Adirondack wilderness.  He also delivered verses for many civic occasions (such as the consecration of the Albany Rural Cemetery)

During the Civil War, however, the focus of poems turned to patriotic Union themes.  He would publish nineteen such works beginning with "Smite!" (reprinted below) at the beginning of the war and ending with "Abraham Lincoln Dead." 

Several of these poems would celebrate local heroes, including Colonel Lewis Benedict.  Another was read for the opening of the Army Relief Bazaar.  These poems, mostly printed in local newspapers, were later included in a two-volume collection of his poems published in 1866.

                 Smite!

Foes on our banner are bashing;

   Freedom that banner upholds,

Calling her sons to her aid,

City and mountain and glade!

   Rally then under its folds!

   Stars, ye bear hope in your light!

  Pearl, thou art emblem of right!

Wrath in the crimson is flashing:

                 Smite!

                Smite!

See!  the dim forms of our fathers,

   Frowning, bend low to our sight;

Voices are heard on the gale:

"Sons, if ye cowardly fail,

   Hide in the caverns of night!

   No!  ye will on in your might!

As the storm over us gathers,

               Smite!"

               Smite!

Here hang the hopes of the nation!

   Choice have we only to fight!

Sorrows shall nerve us anew!

Know but in battle's red dew

    Peace spreads her blossom of white;

   Smite then for our freedom and right! --

Smite! 't'is our only salvation!

             SMITE!

   

(Detail of Albany's Soldiers & Sailors Monument)

Albany Rural Cemetery & The Civil War

I've spent quite a bit of time in the Albany Rural Cemetery in recent months. Partly to do research for a book about this wonderful Cemetery, partly for my companion blog about it, and partly because it's just a beautiful place that I love to explore.

There are hundreds of Civil War burials at the Rural Cemetery. At almost every turn, one can find a monument embellished with swords, carved flags, caps, and other such soldierly emblems.

Video editing is not my favorite task, but I wanted to share the photos I've taken so far of these monuments, including the Soldiers Lot. So I've put together a simple video of Civil War monuments.



Many of these monuments have stories to be shared in future blog posts, but for now, they are gathered together in this slideshow.

Special Abraham Lincoln Exhibit

This coming Sunday, September 19, visitors to the New York State Museum will have a special opportunity to view a handwritten draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. The document will be on display in the Museum's Huxley Theater from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.. There is no charge for admission, though donations to the Museum are always welcome.

The display is a part of a ongoing program at the State Library, Forever Free, which focuses on Lincoln, the Civil War, and the Emancipation Proclamation.

For details and a complete listing of Forever Free events, see the New York State Library's site:

Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation

Flags In Peril

When I was very young, I used to enjoy taking the free tours of the New York State Capitol. One of the most memorable features was the room filled with case after enormous case of historic battle flags. Now, these flags are in desperate need of preservation and restoration. CBS6 has a news feature on the condition of the flags.

New York's Civil War flags at risk