Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-11-04
sERENADE TO GEN. sTEADMAN,

9ay last, on visit to his wife and son, who
haze been spending the summer in our town.
The General looks we'll, Notwithstanding the
havdships through which he has so recently
passed. AS all our readers know, he has be-
hased with distinguished galantry from the
commencement of the present war, and es-
pecially in the late battle of Chickamauga,
and has won Tor himselfa proud name in the
galaxy of our country's heroes.
On Thursday evening, number of our
most respectable citizens, having improvised
band for the occasion, proceeded to serenade
the General. Alter the band had played
several tunes, in response to repeated calls
General Steadmen made his appearance, aud
was received with three hearty cheers. He
spoke, substantially, as follows =
FELLOW CITIZENS 81 thank you for this
compliment. To receive such a compliment
from any portion OF the citizens OF my coun-
try lis gratifyipg,-but it is especially so,com-
ing from citizens of Pennsy lvania,-the State
in which ! was born, and OF which | have so
Just reasen to feel proud. For, in the great
contest in which we are engaged, the keystone
State has not disgraced herself. She has borne
a noble, legal front, and her sons have shed
lustre upon the National arms on every bat tie
field.
l cannot be expected to make you a speech.
am but an humble soldier, whose highest
aspiration is to discharge the duty deyolving
upon him from his conIeXion With the army
OF the Country. | am absent from that army
but for brief season-(my iurlough being
only for twenty days)-to seek repose with
my family and friends. l shall soon return to
the tented field-whitheI duty calls me, and
it is, therefore, not my province 10 discuss
any OF the political questions that divide the
cummunity at home. We, in the army, do
not discuss those questions. We hear of your
divisions, which we deprecate and deeply
| gret. We are anxious that this war should be
brought to speedy and successful termina-
| tion, and hence we desire the people to be
| united and harmonious in assisting US TO ac-
| compish this great object. We know that
! our friends at home, who are watching, with
anxiety and SOicitude our fate, belong TO
| different parties and diviSions,-bet We would
| have them, like us in the army, though made
up OF representatives, from every political
party, united in the one great work of crush
| ing out the rebellion.
think we in the army, have more conf
| dence in the accomplishment of this great OBJ
| ject, than. you have at home. We believe our
selves competent to perform the task We have
| undertaken, and have no doubts whatever, as
| to the ultimate result. Ii the people at home,
| were equally united and confident, that result
would not be TAR distant.
l think | see now above the horizon a little
| cloud ,-5net black enc, but white cloud9-
that will do more to purify our atmosphere,
| and produce such healthy condition OF
things will bring internal strife 10
| speedy termination, than any other circum
stance that has occurred during the history OF
! our struggle, | think l see Louis Napoleon
| preparing TO stick his long nose into our at
| fairs, and if he does so, lie will most assuredly
get it broken. From this cloud of threatened
| foreign intervention, l anticipate the happjest
results. You know VIXEN IL family gets to
Quarrel Hing, and the neighbors begia to inter-
| iere the fam lily universally drops its own quar-
| Iel to punish the Reighbors. Just so,~e have
reason to believe, it will be with Foreign In
| tervention. The dissensons aud divisions
among will speedily end. Party will be for
| gotten in common effort against the common
enemy. With our country on a war footing un-
paralelled in the history of the workable to
| whiten every with our extensive navies
and send thousands of prvateers to prey upon
| their commerce-Nforeign Intervention and
domestic war will be of but short duration.
Our country will eoale cut of the contest tri-
umphant. The mighty eak over which the
| storm has past, may be stripped OF its leaves and
| branches, but the trunk is still alive, and very
soon its growth, freshness, and beauty viii be
| more luyurent than ever. And thus though
| this storm which is now passing over our land,
| will leave its scars and traces-though many
of the naton's gallant heroes will have fallen,
| but short time will eiapse, until stronger,
mightier, grgGGer than ever, she will leap for
ward in the career of glory and prosperity
that lies before her, until her fiag shall float
| in triumph over an almost bound less continent.
Coming so recently from the field of Chick
| amauga, you will doubtless expect to hear
from me some account of the battle, and of
the scenes through which / passed. But the
details have already been published in the
press of the country. Much has been pub
lished, it is true, that will never pass into his
tory, but the leading features of the contest,
and OF the achievements of the army CT the
Cumberland, have been given, and you can
read the account tor yourselves. There is one
misapprehension existing in the public mind
| however, which viii take this opportunity to
correct. 1t is supposed by many persons that
Gen. RosecranS occupied Chattanooga,-ad-
vanced from there TO Chickamauga, was de-
feated, and forced to fall back to Chattanooga.
This is not the case. The army of General
| Rosecrans never occupied Chattanooga at al,
until after the battle of ChiekaaaHga. The
army of the Cumberland advanced with its
| left wing touching Chattanooga, its centre
crossing Lookout Mountain, through Frick IS
Gap until it rested at Chickamauga Hills.
Bragg finding that he would be surrounded,
abandoned Chattanooga, and retreated to the
East Chickamauga, where he was reinforc-
ed by Longstreet's corps, from the army
of the Potomac 20, 0,000,-by Buckner, from
East Tennessee, ,000,-Breckinridg and
Hindmau from 10. j ohnston's army l2,000,-
two Brigades from Charleston, and Is 900
Georgia State Militia. With his combined
forces he delivered battle at Chickamauga.
There is no Disgusting the fact, that our right
and left wings We're successively broken, and
compelled to retreat, but the centre main
tained its ground.-withstood the attack OF
the entire Rebel host, and saved the Federal
army IRON disaster and defeat. Fer a. least
n lstlH botf faffa fh. Ho.t