Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-08-07
TO the Soldiers Of the Confederate
fu 8


After more than two years Of warfare |
scarcely equalled in the number, magnitude.
and fearful carnage of its battles; warfare
IN which your courage and fortitude have
illustrated your country and attracted not
only gratitude at home, but admiration
abroad; your enemies continue struggle
In which our final triumph must be .inevi-
table. Unduly elated with their recent sue
cesses, thew imagine that temporary rever-
ses can quell your spirit or shake your de-
termination, and they'are now gathering
heavy mas es for general Invasion in the
vain hope that by desperate effort. success
may at length beAreached
You know too we'll, my countrymen what
they mean by success Their rhalignanfrage
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 nsurrecticn and light
the 6res of incendiarism wherever they can
reach your homes, and they debauch the in
ferior race. hitherto docile and contented,
by promising indulgence Of the rilest pas
sions, as the price of treacherv. Conscious
Of their inability to prevail by legitimate
warfare. not daring to make peace lest they
should be hurled from their seats Of power,
1.-The men who now rule 10 Washington refuse
even to confer Oh the subject Of putting an
end to outrages which disgrace our age, or
to listen to a suggestion for conducting the
war according to the usagcs Of civilization
| Fellow citizens, no alternative is left you
but victory. or subjugation. slavery aud the
utter ruin Of yourselves, your families and
your country. The victory is within yonr
| reach You 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 car move the
human heart, should promptly repair 4 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
l.
when with any approach to such equality.
have we failed to be victorious? I 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
/ been 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. have left
their posts from mere restlessness aud de-
sire Of change, each quoting the uphraid
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, gricvous faults,
and place tie cause Of our beloved country,
and Of everything We hold dear, in inlmi-
nent peril. | repeat that the men who now
owe duty to their country, who have been
4 called out and have not yet reported for du.
4 their posts, are sufficient in number to SO.
cure US victory in the struggle now impen.
ding.
/ call on you, then, my countrymeD, te
hasten to your camps, in obedience to the
dictates of honor and Of duty, and summon
Those who have absented themselves with
ont leave, or who have remained absenteo
: beyond the period allowed BY their fur.
lloughs, to repair without delay to their les.
pective commands, and do hereby declare
/ that | grant general pardon and amnesty
to all officers and men within the Confedcr
! acy, now absent without leave, who shall
i 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 proclan,a
S, ton 10 the State IN which the absentee may
be at the date Of the publication. Thi;
amnesty and pardon shall extend to all who
have been accused, or who have been con.
victed and are undergoing sentence for alb.
sepce without leave OF desertion, excepting
only those who have been twice convicted
Of desertion.
Finally, conjure my countrywomen-
+, rs, mothers, sisters and daughters Of
~. .he m %r, racyto use their all powerful
:e - !, Of this call, to add one
1nnus;oe = saar;aoo ! those which their pa
triotism has 50 freely an. constantly onereo
on their countrys altar, ana - . any, uai y
that none who owe service in the ne'u s'ai
be sheltered at home from the disgra = =
having deserted their duty to their families.
to their country, and to their God
Given under my hand. and the
SEAL Seal Of the Confederate States, at
* - Richmond, this l 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. 3-tau20.
EW- 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.
A Fight near Brandy Station.
On Friday last three bl igades Of the enc
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