Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-04-01
Gen. sigeps Address to his Soldiers


Carr PEA RiDaR, March Is, 1867.
To the qests and Soldiers Of the First and Second
Divisiohst
Aiter so many hardships and sufferings
OF this war in the West, u great and deci-
siye victory has, for the first time, been
attained, and the army Of the enemy over
whelmed and perfectly routed. The re-
bellious flag of the Confederate States lies
IN the dust, and the same men who had Or
ganized armed rebellion az Camp Jackson.
Msysville and Fayetteville, who haYe
fought against us Boonviile, Carthage, and
Wilson's Greet. at Lexington and Milford
have paid the penalty of their seditious
work with their lives, or are seeking ref
uge behind the Boston Mountains and the
ehore of the Arkansas river.
The last days were hard. but triumph>
ant. Surrounded and pressed upon all
sides by an enterprising desperate, and
greedy enemv-by the Missouri and Ar
kansas Mountaineers, the Texas Rangers.
the finest regiment of Louisiana troops.
and even the savage lndians-almost with
out food, sleep, or camp fires, you remains
ed firm and unabashed, awaiting the mo.
ment when you could drive back your as
sailants or break through the iron circle
~ which the enemy thought to crush or
capture us all, and plant their rebellious
flag on the rocky summit of Pea Ridge.
You have defeated all their schemes
When at McKissick's farm west of Benz
tonville, you extricated yourselves from
their grasp by night march, and secured
a train of two hundred wagons before the
enemy became aware Of the direction you
had taken; instead of being cut of, weak
ened, and driven to the necessity of giving
battle under the most unfavorable circum-
stances, you joined your friends and COM
rades at Sugar Creek. and thereby saved
yourselves and the whole army from being
separated and beaten in detail.
On the retreat from BeutonyiIle to Sugar
Creek--a distance Of ten miies--you cut
your way through on enemy at lenst five
times as strong as yourselves. The aetiv.
ity, self,possession and courage of the lit
tie band of six hundred will ever be mems
oratle in the history of this war
When. on the next day, the great battle
began, under the command of Gen. Asboth,
you assisted the fourth division with all
the sheerfulness and alacrity of good and
faithful soldiers-that division on that dav
holding the most important position
whilst Col. Osterhaus. cooperating with
the third division, battered down the hosts
of McCulloch on our left, and Maj. Paten
guarded our rear.
On the 9Th, you came at the right time
10 the right place. 1t was the first oppor.
tunity you had of showing your full
strength and power. In less than three
hours you formed in line of battle, ad
vaBeed and cooperated with our friends on
the right, and routed-the enemy so COM
pletely that he fed like dust before the
hurricane. And 50 it will always be when
traitors. seduced by selfish leaders and per-
secuted by the pangs of an evil conscience
are fighting against soldiers who defend q
good cause, are we'll drilled and disciplined
obey promptly the orders of their officers
and do not shrink from dangerous assault
when, at the proper and decisive moment
il is necessary.
You may look with pride on the few day:
just passed, during which you have sc
gloriouslY defended the flag of the Union
From two O'Clock on the morning of the
9th, when you left McKissick's farm, un-
til four O'Clock on the eventful afternoon
of the 9th, when YOU arrived from Keets.
vile in the common emcampment, YOU
marched fifty miles, fought three battles,
took not only flag and battery from the
enemy, but more than hundred and fly
prisoners-among them acting Brigadiei
General Herbert, the commander of the
Louisiana forces and his major, Colone
Stone, Adjutant General of Prices forces
and Lieut.. Col. John Ii. Price, whose life
was twice spared. and who has now fol
the second time violated his parole, and
was arrested with arms in his hands.
You have done your duty, and you car
justly claim your share in the common
glory of this victory. But let US not b.
partial, unjust or naughty. Let us no
forget that alone we were too weak to per
form the great work before us. Let u,
acknowledge the great services done bv al
the brave soldiers of the 81 and 4th divis-
ions, and always keep in MUD tha, 'unitct
we stand, divided we fall Let as hold GU
and push the work tbr1ugh-uat ty mere
words and great clamor, bat hy good
marches, by hardships and fatigue. bI
strict discipline and effective battles.
Columbus has fallen Memphis will fol-
low, and if you do in future as you have
Ia these past days Of trial. the time viii,
soon come when you will pitch your tent:
on the beautiful shores of the Arkansa.
river, and there meet our iron-clad pro-
pellers at Little Rock and Fort Smith
Therefore, keep alert my friends, a1d lool
forward with confidence.
F. SIGEL.
Brig. Gen. Commandg LIST and III Divisions.