The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1863-08-26
Address of the President to the Sol.
diers of the Confederate States .

A'tcr more thhn Two ycais OF warfare
, scarcely cqusllcd in the number magnitude.
aIih fearful carnage OF its battles n warfar. i'm
| which your courage aud lortitude have illustra
tea your country and attracted not only graft.
tude at home, hut admiration abroad. your
enemies continu" struggle III which our final
triumph must be inevitable. Unduly el,ted
with their recent successes, they lima ginc that
temporary ieverscs can quelI Your spirit or
shake your determination, and they are now
gathering heavy masses for general Invasion
in the vain hope that by q desperate effort sue
cess may at length be reached.
You know too well my countrrmen, what
they mean by success Their malignant rnp.
aims at nothing le.s than the determination of
yourselves, your wives and children They
seek to destroy what they cannot plumber
They propose n the spois Of victory that your
homes shall he partitioncd among the ~rctch.,
whose atrocious crueties have stamped infauy
on their Government They design to incit.
servi'e insurrection and light the fires of in.
cendiarism whenever they can reach your
homes, aud they debauch tho interior rnc.
hitherto dociie and contcnted, by proini.iuo
indulgence OF the viIest Passions as ii. price
oi treachery. Conscious Of their inability TO
prevail by legitimate warfare, not daring ,o
make peace lest they should be hurled from
their seats OF power, the men who now rulc in
Ash,igton refuse even to confer on the sub,
Ject OF putting an end to outrages which dis.
grace our age, or TO listen to a suggestion for
condu'tin the war according to the usa:es Of
civilization.
Fellow citizens, no alternative IS left you but
victory, or subugation. slavery aud the utter
rum of yourselves, your families aud YOUR
country. The victory is within your reach
You need but stretch forth your hand, to
grasp il. For this and all that Is necessary il
that those who are called to the field by cvery
motive that can move the human heart, should
promptly repair 10 the post OF duty, should
stand by their comrades now in front of the
loe, and thus 50 strengthen the armies OF the
Coniederacy A. to ensure success The men
now absent from their posts would, IL present
III the held, sufhce TO create numerical equality
between our force aud that OF the invaders
and when, with any approach TO such equality,
have We failed ~ be victorious, | believe
that but fsw Of those absent are actuated by
nnwillingness to serve their country but that
many have found il difficult TO resist the temp
tntion Of a visit to their homes and the loved
ones from whom they have been So lomg sepa.
rated; that Others have lett for temporary at.
tention To thor Affairs with the intention Of re,
turning, and then have shruuk from the con.
oi their violation OF duty that 9TH
ers again have left their post, FROM mere restI
Iessness and desire OF change, each auieting
The npbradings oi his conscience, by p.rsua.
ding himself that his individual services could
have no influence on the general result.
These aud other causes (aithougl, lar less die,
graceful than the desire 10 avoid danger, or 70
escape from the sacrifices required by patriot
lsin,) are, nevertheless, grieyous faults. and
place the cause Of our beloved country, and OF
every thing we hold dear, IN imminent peril.
repeat that the men who now owe duty to their
country, who have been called out and have
not yet reported :or duty, or who have sbseu.
ted themselves from their posts, are sufficient
In number TO secure US victory in. the struggle
now impending.
call on you then, my countrymen, TO has,
ten 10 your camps, in obedience " the dictates
Of honor aud OF duty, and summon those who
have absented themselves. without leave, or
Who have remained absent beyond the period
allowed by their furloughs to repair without
delay TO their respective commands, and do
hereby declare that | grant a general pardon
and amnesty 10 all officers and men within the |
Coniedeiscy, now absent without leave, who
shall, with the least possible delay return 10
thsir proper posts Of duty. but no excuse will
oereceived Tor any delay beyond twenty days
alter the hist publication OF thls proclamation
in the State In yhicb the absontee may be a,