Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-01
Touching Reminisccnce cf General
WASHINGTON,

! TIE revolution was over. Eight years
contic; had ceased, and the warriors were
now:io separate forever, turning their. .ueap.
ons into plouyhsharcs, aud their camps into
workshops. :.
The spectacle, though sublime and glo-
rious one, was yet attended with sorrowful
feelings; for. alas in the remains of that
gallant army Of patriotic soldiers, iiow about
to disband without pay, without support,
stalkcd poverty and disease. The country
had not The means to be grateful.
The details Of the condition Of many OF
The officers and soldiers Of that period, ac-
cordidg TO History and oral tradition, were
melancholy in the extreme. Possessing no
means of pmtrimonial inheritanceto to fall back
upon-thrown out Of cven the peri!ous sup
port of tie soldier at the connlencemcnt Of
wiuter, aud hardly fit for amy other duty
than that Of the camp-lh their situation can
better be imagined than described.
\ single Instance, as SAM le Of the stu.
alton of maaY of the officers, as related Of
the conductof Baron Steuben, may not be
amiss. When the main body Of: the. army
was tisbandcd ut Ncwburg, and the veteran
soldier were bidding Il parting lar.well to
10 each other, Lieut.. Col. Cocran, an aged
soldiers Of the New Hampshire line, remark
ed. with tears in his eyes, rs he shook hands
with the Baron:
!" For myself could stand it; but my
wife and daughters are in the garret of that
wretched tavern, and have no means of
removing them"
Come, couc," said the Baron, don't
give way thus. | vii! pay my respects to
Mrs Cocran and her daughters"
When the good old soldier lefl them, their
countcnances were warm with gratitude
for he left there all he had
In one of the Rhode Island regiments
were several companes of black troops, who
had served through the whole war, aud their
bravery and discipline were unsurpassed.
The Baron observed one of these poor ne.
grocs on the wharf at Newburg, apparently
in great distress.
What is the matter, brother solder?"
"Why, master Baron, | want dollar to
get home with, now the Congress has no
further use for me-
The Baron was absent for few moments,
and then returned with silver dollar, which
he had borrowed.
"There, it's all could get. Take it,"
The negro received it with Joy, hailed a
eloop which was passing down the river to
New York, and as he reached the deck, took
off his hat ard said.
Good bless you, Master BaronI
These are only single illustrations of the
army at the close of the war. Indeed,
Washington had this view at the close of lis
farewell address to the army at Rocky Hill,
in November, 1893.
And being now about 10 conclude these
his last pablc orders, to take his ultimate
leave in short time of the military charac-
ter, and 70 bid final adeu to the armies he
has so long had the honor to command, he
can ouly again offer in their behalf, his re-
concentrations to their country, and his
prayer to the God of armies.
May ample justice be done them here,
and may the choicest Of the Heavens iavors,
both here and hereafter. attend those who,
under divine auspices, have secured nnumer-
able blessings for others.
"With these wishes and this bencdction,
the Communicating Chief is about to retire
from service The curtain OF separation will
soon be, drawn, and the military scenes to
him will be closed forever.
The closing of the "military scenes" l
am about to relate.
New York, had been occupied by Wash
ingtou on the 25th OF November. A few
days afterwards he notified the President of
Congress, which body was then in session
at Annapolis, in Maryland-that rs the war
was now closed, he should consider it his
dnty To proceed lherce aud surrender 10