Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-08-14
TO the Soldiers Of the Confederate
States.

ouiy idttluue AZ nome, Dul AuIutTdtlOu
abroad; your enemies continue struggle
in which our final triumph must be inevi-
table. Unduly elated with their recent sue
cesses, they imagine that temporary rever-
ses can quell your spirit or shake your de-
termination, and they are now gathering
heavy masses for general invasion in the
vain hope that. by desperate effort, success
maya length be reached.
You know too we'll, my countrymen what
they mean by Success. Their malignant rage
aims at nothing less than the determination
OF yourselves, your wives, and children. -
They seek to destroy what they cannot plum
der. They propose as the spoils of victory,
that your homes shall be partitioned among
the wretches whose atrocious cruelties have
stamped infamy on their Government. They
design to incite servile insurrection and light
the fires of incendiarism wherever they can
reach your homes, and they debauch the in
ferior race. hitherto docile and contented,
by promising indulgence Of the yilest pas
sions, as the price of treachery. Conscious
Of their inability to prevail by legitimate
warfare, not daring to make peace lest they
should be hurled from their seats of power,
the men who now rule in Washington refuse
even to confer on the subject Of putting an
end to outrages which disgrace our age, or
to listen to suggestion for conducting the
war according to the usagcs Of civilization.
Fellow citizens, no alternative is left you
but victory, or subjugation, slavery and the
utter ruin of yourselves, your families and
your country. The victory is within yonr
reach. 3sY on need but stretch forth your
hands to grasp it. For this end, all that
is necessary is, that those who are called to
the field by every motive that can move the
human heart, should promptly repair t. the
post of duty, should stand by their comrades
now in front Of the foe, and thus so strength
en- the armies Of the Confederacy as to en-
sure success The men now absent from
their posts would, if present in the field.
suffice to create numerical equality between
our force AID III - TIA: of the inyadcrs-and
when with any approach to such equality.
have we failed to be victorious2 | believe
that but few of those absent are actuated
| by unwillingness to serve their country ];
but that many have found it difficult to re-
sist the temptation Of visit to their homes
and the loved ones from whom they have
becn SO long separated; that other have left
for temporary attention to their affairs, with
the intention of returning, and then have
shrunk from the consequences Of their vic
lation Of duty; that others, again, haveleft
their posts from mere restlessness and de-
sire Of change, each quoting the upbraid
ings of'his conscience, by persuading him
self that his individual services could have
no influence on the general result
These and other causes (although far less
disgraceful than the desire to avoid danger,
or to escape from the sacrifices required by
patriotism are nevertheless, grievous faults,
and place tie cause Of our beloved country,
and of everything wethod dear, ID immi-
nent peril. ] repeat that the men who now
owe duty to their country, who have been
called out and have not yet reported for du-
ty, or who have absented themselves from
their posts, are sufficient in number to Sc
cure us victory in the struggle now impen.
ding
| call en- you, then, my countrymen, to
hasten to yanr camps, in obedience to the
dictates of honor and of duty, and summon
those who have absented themselves with
out leave, or who have remained absented
beyond the period allowed by their fur
lougLs, to repair without delay to their es-
pective commands, and do hereby declare
that grant general pardon and amnesty
to all officers and men within the Confeder
acy, now absent without leave, who shall
with the least possible delay, return to their
proper posts of duty; but no excuse will be
received for any delay beyond twenty days
after the first publication Of this proclama-
ton in the State in which the absentee, may
be at the date of the publication. This
amnesty and pardon shall extend to all who
have been accused, or who have been con-
victed and are undergoing sentence for alb
sence without leave or desertion, excepting
only those who have been twice convicted
of desertion.
Finally, conjure my contingencies :
the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters OF
the Confederacy- to use their all powerful
influence in aid Of this call, to add one
GROWING sacrifice to those which their pa
triotism has 50 freely and constantly offered
on their countrys al tar, and to take care
that none who owe service in the field shall
be sheltered at home from the disgrace Of
having deserted their duty to their families,
to their country, and to their God
49, Given under my hand. and the
| SEAL Seal of the Confederate States at
$50 Richmond, this t day of August,
in the year Of Our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty three.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
By the President;
| J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of State.
Aug. 7-tau28
EE The papers throughout the Confed-
crate States are requested to copy the above
proclamation, at the earliest moment and
! for twenty days thereafter, and send their
bills to the Private Secretary of the Presi-
dent.
WESLEY AN
FEMALE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE,
STANTON, VA.
.Y,HIS INSTITUTION offers advantages which
of the public generally.
~ Locality easy OF access, safe, healthy, and in
wiling.