Category Archives: Prose

Thanksgiving in the Field – 1863 from “Death Piled Hard”

One of my pre-occupations is the cycle of novels that I wrote concerned with what I think I learned in life.  It is set in the American Civil War and called “Strike the Tent.”  Why?  If I knew why perhaps I could … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Prose, WBS | 2 Comments

More Alan Farrell …

Ladies and Gentlemens: Thanks for having me here to honor those who’ve served. I was a soldier. Then I was a teacher. Now I’m just a… well, a citizen, I guess. A teacher. One day I’m dozing through a meeting of the English … Continue reading

Posted in Farrell, Prose, TTG | 6 Comments

The Solitude of Combat Veterans – Alan Farrell

Ladies and Gentlemens: Kurt Vonnegut — Corporal Vonnegut — famously told an assembly like this one that his wife had begged him to “bring light into their tunnels” that night. “Can’t do that,” said Vonnegut, since, according to him, the … Continue reading

Posted in Farrell, Prose, TTG | 40 Comments

Without Comment….By Walrus.

“And were you pleased?” they asked of Helen in Hell. “Pleased?” answered she, “when all Troy’s towers fell,And dead were Priam’s sons, and lost his throne,And such a war was fought as none had known,And even the gods took part, … Continue reading

Posted in Culture and Society, Prose, Walrus | 23 Comments

The Solitude of Combat Veterans – Alan Farrell

Note: I thought I’d reshare these words by Alan Farrell. He gave this address to a group of vets one Veterans Day at the Harvard Business School. Granted the address is more appropriate for a Veteran’s Day than a Memorial … Continue reading

Posted in Farrell, Prose | 7 Comments

Idle Hour

By W. Patrick Lang Comment: I thought of this story yesterday while I was waiting for my lobster role order. Whenever the Cousins Maine Lobster food truck comes to our area I pick up a couple for SWMBO and myself. … Continue reading

Posted in Messing about in boats, Prose | 28 Comments

The Great Charge – 3 July 1863 (from “The Butcher’s Cleaver”)

“… A mile away, across the grassy valley from the cemetery ridge, Pickett’s Division lay waiting in the woods.  They had come up to this position in the early morning hours.  The officers occupied themselves with the usual business of … Continue reading

Posted in Prose, Ukraine Crisis, WBS | 13 Comments

The Solitude of Combat Veterans – Alan Farrell

Ladies and Gentlemens: Kurt Vonnegut — Corporal Vonnegut — famously told an assembly like this one that his wife had begged him to “bring light into their tunnels” that night. “Can’t do that,” said Vonnegut, since, according to him, the … Continue reading

Posted in Farrell, Prose | 7 Comments

A short biography of Saint Pierre Favre S.J.

This was written by one of our fellow correspondents from France going by the  pen name of D74. His intent was to gift this to Colonel Lang. He finished the piece with difficulty after learning of the Colonel’s passing. Rest … Continue reading

Posted in France, Prose, Religion | 10 Comments

“Winter Quarters” 1863-1864 Pat Lang (from Death Piled Hard) reposted 2022

       Winter Quarters (Orange, Virginia)   “The seemingly endless time of cold darkness crept past in a succession of grey days and long nights. In its camps, the Army of Northern Virginia once again experienced the religious fervor that came … Continue reading

Posted in Christmas, Prose | 18 Comments