Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-08-17
To the Soldiers OF the Confederate stas

To the Soldiers OF the Confederate sta o<x
After more than two years of a warfare, scarcrlr
e9aaled IN the number, meagnitude,. and fearful ear
mage OF Its batttles; a warfare in which your cotrreoo 81
and foltitude have illustrated your coa,.try and
tracted not only gratitude At home. but ADMIRATION
abroad your enemies continue a sfrueole in xvficf,
our final triumph must be inevitable. TnduIy elssI
with their recent successes, they imagine that temno.
rary reverses can quell your spirit or shake your do
termination, and they are now gathering hcsvv mas.
ses for a general invasion, in the vain hope that iva
desperate enort, success may at length be reached.
You know TOO we'll, my co~untrymeu. what they
mean by success. Their malignant rage aims It not6-
Ing less IMAM the discrimination or yourselves. your
wives, and children. They seek to destroy Irbat
they cannot plundcr. They propose as the s1niIe ar
victory, that your homes shall be partitioncd an,pner
the Wretches Whose.atrocious erueities have slammed
lnfamy on theS Government. They design to inciter
servile instruction ard light the fires or incor[iar.
ism wherever they can reach your homes. and t9@v
debauch the inferior race, hitherto dociIc and confenf-
ed, by promising indulgence of the viIest T1ss;or -
the price Of %treachcry. Concious of their inability 10
peace lest they should be hurled from tha77r 80 IN NJ
power, the men who now rule IN washington rcfre.
even to confer on the subject Of putting nm end To
outrages watch disgrace our 'ge, or to listen to a sug-
OF civilization.
Fellow.citizens, no alternative is left You but vfcto-
ry or subjugation,s slavery and the utter ruin of your-
selves, your family and your country. The victory j.
within your reach. You need but stretch forth your
hands to grasp it: For this end, all that is necessa-
ry is, that those who are called to the Held by every
mstive that can move the human heart, should nromnt-
ly repair to the post of duty, should stand Ey their
e co fre arm doW ! y Y t bo9t . OF TIC loe, and thus so strength
The men new absent from their pos3woHld- II nTaS.p.
in the field, suffice to create numerical e1naiRItv q
tweenour force and that Of the Invaders and wben
WIN any approach TO such equality, have we failed to
be victorious IbeieYe that but few oftbose hsavt
are actuated by unwillingness to serve theiYcanD1rn
but that 'many have found it difficult to resist the
, temptation of visit to their homes and Inc ioSnJ
ones from whom they have been so lonr ssrrra9cd !.
of "a otn 1-;ti n4 az ielt I9f temporary ttcntion to their
shrunk from the consequences of their violation ~
duty that Others, again, have left their most for NO.
restlessness and desire Of change. each PonS. ~, ,n thc
' upbraidinGs OF his conscience, by persuadjng bi7nsnlr
i mat ms Individual service could have no influence on
! These and other causes althouch far less DISGRACE.
full than the desire 10 avoid danger. or to esc9no7 from
theHacrifces required by p~atriotism)are. neyerthciess
n grieYous faults: and place the cause OF our beloved
countfyi ano OF everything we hold dear, in ilniDent
peru. repeat that the men who now owe dutv to
their country. who have been called ont And hSvsy n ~
yet reported for duty, or who have absentee fbem.
. selves from their post are sufficient in number Ia So
cure US victory in the struggle now impendiaG.
| can on you; then my coutrymcn, to hasten to vour
= camps, IN obedience to the dictates of honor aDd If
II duty, and summon those who have abserral ~ o.
selves without leave, Or who have. remained absant
DeyonQ thc period allowed by their fQrle1gbs 70
repair. without delay TO their Respective Conn.,, W
and do hereby declare that gran. ! cerrrai U.s..
dot and amnesty to all officers and men VIII r.,
Confederacy, now absent without leave vrto ehoI'
l. with the least possible delay, return to their ,r.nn ~,
n post OF duty but no excuse VIII be received rar. IN ~,
delay beyond twenty days after the FIRST nnII3c, 9 ~
ofthIs proclamation in the State in which ia. sfsan
tee may be at the date of the publication ~ sosen-
nesty and pardon shall extend to all who bavo 80
accused, OF WHO have been convicted and aro nnd@r'
as exccFt these whs have been twice conyicted -,
serti0n. ~ue'
Finally, / conjure my countrvwomon The ,-;.o.
Itmothers, sisters and ~daughters of the Coufedorary+
= to use their ~llpoWerin influence in aid Of This c5u
TO acdHne croNnlng sacrifice to those which theil
patriotism has so freely and constantly oTaIed u !,
'E their counfrt's altar, and to take care tha4 rrr-a ! X
or Lowe service IL the field shall be sheltered M Ron,
IRON the disgrace. of hayin- deserted their drtv I,
Q. thelr laIallcs, TO their country, and to their God.
: @ Given under ny hand. and ia. sal n
the Confederate Stqtcs' at iichm on III 81 .
LIST day OF AugnsT I'll the year Of our Iar,,
three. JEFFFPSfN n. Wy
BY the President: J.Ps Br@5.sIT'
n Secretary of state