Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-02-25

I am told there are men in our midst whom
the late disasters have disheartened aud dis
couraoed. If there be any such, send theH~to
us the women of Memphis. We will point them
to the dark DAYS Of the trst revolution 70 the
days Of Valley Forge, when our band oil paln9ls
were lamished, and frozen, and SICK YET Hos as
heane led-.O he days when every seaport ci'J
as iu the hands Of the enemy anu u1lga- oH
defeat had fallen on Us, but not overwhelming uS.
Inst one hundred and five years ago one OF
the smallest kingdoms Of Europe oH-hd7u an
the great powers of the continent Ausa.s'
Sweden. + auce, Russia, the Germanlc BODY 4
and SaxOny. were all ieagued against the httlr
kingdom of Prussia They swOre to dlsmemoei
it. TO divide the spOils among themselves. fTu5
sia had not FIVE millions of people; the allied
enemies had one bundled millions. Faint hearts
w-uld have yielded without a battle, the o0ds
were so unheard of, so fearful 1t IS said every
soldier and politician of Europe believed the
conflict would end in a few days, IN the utter
prostration of the kingdom OF Prussia. But
Frederic, the unconquerable, took the held
against bis powerful fUes and maintained It for
seven terrible years. During some Of those years
his campaigns were made splendid by glorious
victories During others, the darkest disasters
seemed to sink him into iTetTievable ruin. he
continually carried poison about his person.
determined not to OutlIve his kingdom Ills
capital was twice taken and plundered by the
enemy. On one occasion he had an army OF
fifty thousand men. By one battle, in enc day,
he lost all save three thousand. He saw no
resource left. The country was desOated and
exhausted the coin debased, but still there were
men and beasts, armies and food. and still
Frederic fought on"
This man was triumphant; he saved his king
dou-not an acre was wTested from his grasp.
After seven years of the most terrible warfare the
civilized world has ever seen, an honorable peace
was concluded Aud must sOutherneTs talk of
submission bee use defeats have come on Us
Our defeats are our glory. They are of no kin
to the Bull Run defeat enacted by our enemy.
OUR men fell with their feet TO the foe. The day
shall come when Tennessee will erect monuments
to her sons who SO brayely fell at Fort Henry
and Fort Donelson They are not unwept, those
noble men. Every wOman's eye nils with tears
as she listens to the tale Of the brave fight they
made for three days, without food, without rest,
up.to their knees in mud and snow Their mem
ory is immortal. Our children viii honor and
revere them as martyrsto the cause of freedom,
People of Memphis is Columbus to talll
! Are the brave men there TO fight against fearful
odds as az Fort Henry and Fort DOnelsOn Are
the women and children of Memphis to be run
from their homes, as at Nashville and Clarks-
villel Is the insolent foe to faunt his flag from
our towers and steeples
The women Of Memphis can scarcely walk the
streets for the men that throng them. Why do
they not rush to Columbus and ill the ranks
there thinned by sickness Are they irittlRg to
| be conquered
! There is a cry among the poor that the rich
hold back for the poor TO fight their battles, and
/ married men wait for the unmarried. The time
| for such distinctions is past All must fight or
( all must be ruined. The poor must fight, for if
we are conquered their poverty viii be ten fold
more grinding The rich must fight, for if we
are conquered they are rich no longer. The sin
/ ole man must fight, for if we are conquered, he
/ loses liberty aud honor, booBs a hundred, nay a
/ thousand fold of more worth than life itself
/ The married man must fight He fights for the
home of bis wife; if he is q father, he fights for
the birthrght of his children, for their godlike
/ inheritance Of freedom he fights that they may
/ have peace in the time to come. II be falls
| in this sacred cause, his memory is immortal,
| his children grow up to honor and revere his
/ name
| Mr.. Editor if I write strongly for a woman,
/ let it be remembered my husband Is at Colum-
| bus, and Columbus MAY fall, as our other forts
/ fell, for want OF men. Memphis is@ull of men,
! let them 60 Ny husband at Columbus, my
| house full of refugees from the towns taken by
/ the army, can you wonder if I speak earnestly
/ What woman does not dread the future when
men throng the streets instead of rushing to arms
The WIFE or A SOLDIER.
Sunday February p, 1862