The Virginia Gazette

Sacred to the memory of major JOHN FLEMING, who fell at the battle of Princeton.

Who dies for freedom
Has liv'd his term of nature and of glory;
And who survives it, but a single hour:
Has liv'd that hour too long.

MIDST the horrid din of cruel war,
The trumpets sound, the cannons thundering roar,
On Nassau's plains, the muses oft retreat,
The school of freedom, learning's awful seat,
Where WITHERSPOON, with every virtue fraught,
The generous youth his sacred precepts taught,
The sage's wisdom, and the patriot's fire,
A noble love of liberty inspire.

Here early try'd, and acting but too well,
The brave, lamented, much-lov'd FLEMING fell.
With gayest hopes of happiness possess'd,
With every smile of flattering fortune blest.
Just as the spring of life began to bloom,
And manly virtues sadder makes the tomb,
In all that health, and energy of youth,
Which promis'd honours of maturer growth,
When his full heart expanded to the goal,
And promis'd victory had flush'd his soul,
He fell, --his country lost her earliest boast,
His lovely sisters a fond brother lost.

O! ever honour'd, ever happy shade,
How well hast thou thy debt to virtue paid!
Go, happy ghost, to where the good and bless'd
Enjoy eternal scenes of bliss and rest;
While we below thy sudden farewell mourn,
Collect thy virtues weeping o'er thy urn,
Recall their scatter'd lustre as they past,
And see them all united in the last.