Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-05-02
General Magruder's Address to his
Soldiers.
Headquarters ARMY or PENINSULA
Nnrktnrrn w n IA a 1890

yorktown, a w RSbti, 1o0zs = \
Tc rho asstg "a ia. Com
rades: The te.ss .dggiec for which
many of you Enlisted is about to expire.
Your country, invaded by an insoent
foe, again demands your help-your
homes are violated-your fresides pol
luted by the presence of mercenary
enemy, or silent in their desolation-
many of your friends in captivity or in
exile--our people slain, and the very
affairs of our religion desecrated and pro-
famed. The ruthless tyrants who have
dared to invade us have vowed our con-
quest or our destruction. 1t is for you
to rise and avenge our slaughtered coun +.
trymen or uobly share their fate. OF
what worth is life without liberty p
peace at the expense of honor - the
world without a home
When our fathers periled life, fortune
and sacred honor in our first war Of in
dependence, was it an empty boast, or
was it the stern resolve of freemen who
knew their rights aud dared to defend
them? The long war of the revolution
eliminated at length in victorious tri-
umph on these plains Of Yorktown. ~
These frowning battlements on the
heights Of York are turned, in this Sc
cond war of liberty, against the enemies
of our country You breathe the air
and tread the soil consecrated by the pre-
sence and the heroism of our patriotic
sires. Shall we, their sons, initiate their
example, or basely bow the neck to the
yoke of the opprcssor l know your
answer You remember your wrongs,
and are resolved to avenge them True
to the instincts Of patriotic devotion, you
will not FIJI a towards grave you will
spring with alacrity to the death grapple
with the foe, nof relinquish the strife till
victory crowns our arms. towards die
a thousand deaths; brave men die but
once, and conquer though they die.
tits therefore without surprise that
your commanding general has learned of
your purpose to re-enlst in this holy
struggle, and that,you bear with cheer
fulness and constancy, worthy Of the
highest admiration, the disappointment
Of Withdrawing from you the furloughs to
visit your homes which the government
promised you, aud which the present
danger of our beloved country alone for
bids it to grant. When the war is ended
in that hour of triumph you will be proud
TO remember that by your sufTerngs and
sacrifices, no less than by your valor, you
conquered.
Soldiersl though reverses and disasters
have recently befallen us, let us remem-
Der that truth is eternal and that God is
Just. His arm is our trust, and the great
Ruler Of nations and Of men will protect
the right and crown with victory the no.
bic and the brave
Let us take courage, then Our enc
my, dead 20 the spirit of liberty, can on
y fight while their Golfers are unexhaust-
ed. Commerce is their king. Their
god is gold. They glory in their shame.
The war which intensifies our devotion
and concentrates our resources scatters
theirs. The day ofretribution will come
The struggle will not be always defen-
siye on our part. We will yet strike
down our ruthless invaders, amid the
smoking ruins Of their cities, and, with
arms in our hands, dictate terms Of peace
on their own soil.
j BANEHEAp MAGRuDER,
Major General Commanding.