The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-10-11
From the SD Illinois.
Colonel Cushman's Farewell Address.

Colonel Cushman's Farewell Address.
A friend in the sd ILL., Regiment, now
encamped near Bolivar, Tenn, forwards
- us the following farewell address OF
C,l Cushman, which wa. read to the
Regiment on the 23d ult by Surgeon J. ..
Harris
JACKSON, Tenn, Sept. 20, 1862.
.'onicers and men Of the Fifty Third Illinois:
"FELLow- SOLDIERS. COMRADES IN ARMS
Physically disabled, / am debarred from
bidding you farewell in person, and al.
though l deputed our late worthy and
excellent Adjutant Hardin to bid you
farewell in my name, cannot refrain
from sending you III my own words my
most heartfelt thanks for the kind, court
eous, and soloier-like manner with which
l have ever been received by you. Fully
appreciating this marked respect, ] have
eudeavored 10 return the favor, and have
instituted the proper military discipline
by appealing TO your own sense OF proprie.
ty telligeDce, rather than by harsh Or
ders, coarse, Invectiye arrests, or degrading
punlshments have been well rewarded,
for ! am proud to say you are superior to
many and inferior to none | may and
doubtless have been unjust TO some, and
committed some faults, for which, had it
been in my power, would have made the
an,ende honosabI> but ] trust you will be-
lieve me when | say they were faults OF
the head and not of the heart. have
ever held your welfare, your success, your
comfort, at all times my first object Ny
exertions and energies have been expend
ed for our mutual benefit.
Our organization was a peculiar one, a
corps darm>e rather than a regiment; in
fantry, artillery, and cavalry combined, an
organization which 1 deemed appropriate
for defence or attack, and which, you will
add your testimony 10 mine, would have
been most efficient, and many times dur
ing our service could have been used most
beneficially; but time-honored usage. fears
of complication, opposition of cavalry and
artillery officers, induced separation OF
the command. In suC h times it does not
become US to complain, and therefore we
vii! only regret that our organization was
permitted 10 exist only in name. 1t can
not (permit me to intrude my opinion) be
long before cavalry and artillery regi-
rnents will cease to exist as such, the ser
vice seldom requiring them to be'massed.
manders of batteries and of sauadrons.
Generals of divisions and brgades and
Colonels of regiments should be versed in
tactics of arms, and be able to direct and
command when these two arms are massed
for service.
may be excused for remarking upon
the course puasued with our, as we thought,
almost perfect orgaRizaton,-our little
army, as it seemed TO US, in which we felt
SO much pride and believed invincible
against four times our number OF infantry,
when l say that it was my pet project,
and proposed to the government at an
early day of the rebellion, though not
accepted till August, 1861, from which
time till the I'd OF this month, September,
1862, have been untiring In my eXer-
tions in the duties of the service, each
day giving my whole time until it was
apparent TO me- and / beaeve to all, in
June last that my limited physical powers
would not longer stand stand the fatigue
and exposure atten liant upon the duties
of my position, the absence and sickness
OF both the other field officers rendering
my duties more than usually arduous. By
the advice of our most excellent Surgeons
(of whom my safely say, without fear of
contradiction, there are none superior in
the army, | was induced to ask for leave
of absence, which, was promptly and
decidedly assured, could not be granted
| was therefore compelled to tender my
resignation on the 23d of July last, which
was accepted on the Sd of the present
month. l renamed with you until the
9TH inst, giving, as far as possible, my
attention to the duties of your command
ing officer. When you were ordered from
Memphis was unable to 60 with you, but
was obliged to come thus near by steam
boat and rail. On reaching here was de
layed by sickness few days, when, on
the 18th, yesterday, ] received notice OF
the acceptance of my resignation. Strongly
impelled to go 10 your camp, am warned
to reserve all my strength to reach my
home. and must torege the pleasure.
At the time l rendered my resisnation,
you will remember, in justice to me and
the reputation OF your recommending officer,
it was thought the Army of the Potomac
would enter Richmond, and it was well
known to us all that the rebel army was
here at the West hopefully dispersed
Now how changed the scene Envy, dis
cord. strife for precedence among our Gen
erals and partisans, have again placed us
at the mercy OF those who seek to destroy
the DceC government Oi the WOTIu Wi
President has wisely called for 600 more
men to repair the disaster and crush this
causeless rebellion, and has been promptly
responded to by the patriotic hearts at
| home.
! Even in my present state oi health
| under such circumstances as now exist, /,
! should have hesitated, and possibly should
not have resigned, but 1t Is now too late
To recall my action, and l am separated
from YOU at my own request Still, am
v;tb vou in heart and soul. ! shall watch
vou- course with deep interest You,
success will cause my heart to swell with
low and pride; your defeat-which God
forbid-will be the saddest hour Of my
life
Men of the Fifty-third, although thrice
decimated by disease, exposure. and acci
dent, l feel sure you will not waver in the
hour of strife Your colors. in good hands
will be borne aloft, unstained by the hanG
of traitors, false to their plighted faith
recreants who, like the serpent, seek t.
sting the hand that wafmed them intt
existence.
| Your Lieutenant Colonel being absent
sick, l leave you under charge of a NOS
! excellent and tried young officer, Captain
j.. w. McClanahap, for whom reques.
your ocedience, courtesy and respect.
have every confidence in this officer, and
believe he will treat yeu a. men should