Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1863-08-11

in anticipation of visit from the Yam |
KEGS in considerable force from the
West Preparations are being made 70
meet them.
sTRAGGLERs AND DEsERTERs,
We would invite the attention of the
public generally, and of stragglers and
deserters from the army particularly, to
the appeal of President Davis to all who
are absent from their posts of duty, to.
return Immediately land avail themselves
of the pardon granted to all who will re-
turn to their commands by the Goth of
this month. All who return by that
time will be pardoned, and those who
refuse to do so will be punished as de-
serters. All who are in confinement
will be released and returned to their
respective commands. Those who were
confined in Castle Thunder in Rich
mond. 1850 in number, have been re-
leased, and sent rejoicing to join their
commands In the. field. To stragglers
and deserters, the time between this and
the Goth instant, is a period OF jubilee,
in which their bonds are broken and the
stigma of disgrace erased from their
characters, if they return promptly, as
they should, to their commands. To
those who fail to avail themselves of the
privilege thus granted, but little, if any,
mercy will be shown. If there be any
stragglers or deserters in this section OF
the State, We would appeal to them, as
they value their characters, love their
country, and dread ignominious pun
ishment, to return at once to their posts
of duty. There are soldiers improperly
absent from their commands, perhaps
quite number, who do not see or read
the newspapers at their homes, and i
left to that source of information alone.
will not be informed of the Presidents
address or, if they are, will hear of il
too late to respond fully to the appeal
by returning to their respective com
mands in time to avail themselves OF the
pardon which it profers.
We would, therefore, in the language
Of correspondent of the Sentinel,
suggest ssthat the old and influential cit
liens of the country, who take the news
papers, or who become otherwise in
formed as to the character and terms Q
this address, proceed without delay t
makeit known in their respective neigh
borhoods throughout the Confederacy
Let them, as a sacred duty, give the in
formation to every soldier and office
improperly absent from the army whom
they may see !; and, if necessary, max
it their special business to seek sue
soldiers at their homes, to read to ther
the address, urge on them its lmpol
lance, and to furnish those who ma
need it (f any with the means Of trans
portation to rejoin their commands.
this be done at once, in every neigh
borhood, not only will these soldiers &c
this information with certainty and i
proper time, but the influence an
weight of character of the old men G
the whole community, will be brougi
to bear practically in aid of the Pres
dents address
Stragglers and deserters take advan
tage of the universal sympathy of on
people for the soldiers, and impose upos
them. An Aid of one of our distir
guished Generals, in writing to the ed
itor of the Enquirer" upon the subject
says: "Let the people be warned that i
feeding apaystraggling soldier, they ma.
be aiding desertion, certainly encourag
ing vice nearly as bad practically
that of struggling. Let them be in
formed that no matter how plausible tn
tale of the straggler, it is a1aoays false
and designed to deceive the unwary.--
No good soldier is ever separated from
his command, unless from sickness, o
on furlough, or under orders. Whel
from the first cause, provision is mad
Tor the transportation of such as are un
able to walk; and if any are found a
way from the army, and not in charg
OF the persons designated to take car
of the sick, be assured that such absen
tees are stragglers. In the second case
no man ever struggles when going hom
on Through and, besides, no man get
furlough now ; SO that any soldier VIII
pretends to have a Through unless
sick flrlough) is probably a desertel
certainly a sraggler. In the third case
absence under orders) the orders wi
show why the soldier is absent; an
when thus absent he is nearly Away
accompanied by commissioned or nor
commissioned officer"
FROM THE VALLEY.
The enemy have left the lower por
ton of the Valley. They have gone
it is supposed, to re inforce Meade
Gen. lmboden's command is stationed
II i