Page:War and its Heroes.djvu/63

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THE WAT? AND : 05 the retreating foe, who no longer r< ; lied No tins ir came back from those batteries he had fought with 1p> Napol g — he had triumphed* That triumph was complete an 1 placed forevei uj a record, when the commander-in-chief, whom he loved and admired i him the name, in his report, of the "gallant Pelham." Supreme tribute to his courage — immortalizing him in history ! To he the none mentioned in all that host of heroes, and mentioned as the "gallant Pelham !" Thenceforward there was little f<>r him to desire. He had never cared fur rank, only ]<.> ; anil now his nam,' was deathless. It i« true that he had sometimes said, with modest and noble pride, that lie thought it some- what hard to be considered I 2 for promotion, when they gave him great commands — as at Sha lied on him when the hardest work w 1 in< . But he never d sired a mere title he had not won, and did hi* soldier's duty thoroughly, trusting to time. So noble and important, however, had been his recent services that promotion was a n of course. The President had appointed him a Lieutenant-Colonel, and it only awaited the formal confirmation of the Senate when he fell on tl 'ian- n"<-k. Ui- f.ill was a | unity to the nation, but none to him. It wa3 tit that such a spirit should lay down his irreat work the hard life of the world had dimmed the polish of the good kni| lie wai no promoti in at the 1 men. He had won, if not worn boo inished his ta^k, the ■ world. I adid, how rich in ' the an? ; n a ■■ with the leader tn combats, and fought hi of his h I ■ II — intuit - ; and th

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