Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-09-06
wAsHINGToN's FAREwELLToH HIS
ARMY.

Can tyrants but by tyranis conquered be,
And freedom no champion and ho child
Such as Columbia saw arise, when she
/, Sprang forth a Pallas, armed and undefledi
Or must such mihds be nourished in the wind,
Deep in the uDpruned forests, midst the roar
Of cataracts, where nursing nature smiled
Oninfant Washington Has earth no more
Such seed within her breast, or Europe no such
shore1
The Revolution was over. Eight
years conflict had ceased, and the war
riors were now to separate forever, turn
ing their weapons into ploughshares,
and their camps into workshops The
spectacle, though sublime and glorious
one, was yet attended with sorrowful
feelings; for alasl in the remains of that
gallant army of patriotic soldiers, now
about tobe disbanded without pay, with
out support, stalked poverty and disease.
The country had not the means to be
grateful.
The details of the condition of many
of the officers and soldiers at that pc
riod, according to history and oral ira
dition, were emelancholy in the extreme.
Possessing no means of patrimonial in
heritance to fall back upon, thrown out
of even the perilous support of the SOL
der, at the commencement of winter,
and hardly fit for any other duty than
that of the camp-their situation can
better be imagined than described.
A single instance as sample of the
situations of many of the officers, as
related of the conduct of the Baron
Steuben, may not be amiss. When the
main body of the army was disbanded
at Newburgh, and the veteran soldiers
were bidding parting farewell to each
other, Lieut. Col. Cochrane, an aged sol
dier of the New Hampshire line, re-
marked, with tears in his eyes as 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 1 have not
the means of removing Them"
"Come, come, said the Baron, "don't
give way thus. Twill pay my respects
to Mrs. Cochrane and her daughters"
When the good old soldier left them,
their countenances were warm with graf
itude-for he left there all he had.
In one of the Rhode Island regiments
were several companies of black troops,
who had served through the whole war,
and their bravery and discipline were
unsurpassed. The Baron observed one
of these poor negroes on the wharf, at
Newburgb, apparently in great distress.
"What is the matter, brother soldier?"
"Why, master Baron, l want dollar
to get home with, now the Congress has
no further use for me- -
The Baron was absent for few mo-
ments, and then returned with a silver
dollar which he had borrowed.
'sThere, it's all could get. Take
it"
The negro received it with Joy, hall
ed a sloop which was passing down the
river to New York. and as he reached
the dock, took off his hat and said
"God bless you, master BaronP'
These are only single Illustrations of
the condition of the army at the close
of the war. Indeed Washington had
this view at the close of his farewell adj
dress to the army at Rock Hill, in No
yember, 1898.
stsAnd being now about to conclude
these, his last public orders, to take his
ultimate leave in short time of the
military character, and to bid final