The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1863-08-12
Address Of the President to the SOL
diers Of tho Confederate States.


After more than two years of warfare
scarcely equalled in the number, magnitude,
and fearful carnage OF its battles u warfare in
which your courage and fortituds have illustra-
ted your country and attracted not only graft
tude at home but admiration abroad, your
enemies continue . struggle in which our final
triumph must be inevitable. Unduly elated
with their recent successes, they imagine that
temporary Tsversss can quell your spirit or
shake your determination, and they are now
gathering heavy masses for general invasion
in the vain hope that by desperate effor, sue
cess may at length be reached.
You know too well, my countrymcn, what
they mean by ssccess. Their malignant rage
aims at nothing Iess than the determination Of
yourselves, your wives aud children. They
seek TO destroy what they cannot plunder.-
They propose as the spoils oS victory that your
homes shall be partitioned among the wretches
whose atrocous crueltiss have stamped infamy
on their Government. They design to incite
servile insurrection and light the fires Of iu.
cendiarism whenever they can reach yeur
homes, and they debauch tho interior race,
hitherto docile aud contented, by promising
indulgence of the vilest passions as tho 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 subj
ject Of putting an end TO outrages which dis
grace our age, or TO listen to q suggestion for
condut ting the war according TO the usages Of
civilization.
Fellow citizens, no alternative Is left you but
victory, or subjugation, slavery and the utter
ruin OF yourselves, your families aud your
country. The victory is within your REACH
You need but stretch forth your hands to
grasp it. For this aud 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 to the post OF duty, should
stand by their comrades now in front Of the
foe, and thus so strengthen the armies OF the
Confedcracy as to ensure success Tie men
now absent from their posts would il present
in the field, suffice to create numerical equality
between our force and that Of the invaders
and when, with any approach TO such equality,
have we failed to be victorious? | believe
that but few OF those absent are actuated by
unwillingness to serve their country but that
many have found it difficult to resist the temp.
tation of visit to their homes and the loved
ones from whom they have been so loug sepa-
rated that others have left for temporary at,
tentiOr TO their affairs with the intention Of rel
turning Npd then have shrunk from the con.
sequences Of their violation OF duty that othis
ers again have left their posts from mere restI
lessness aud desire Of change, each quielng
the uporaidngs Of his conscience, by persus.
ding himself that his individual services could,
have no influence OH the general result.
These aud other causes (aithuugh far less disu
graceful than the desire to avoid danger, or TO
escape from the sacrifices required by patriot
ism,) are, nevertheless, grievous faults, and
place the cause Of our beloved country, and OF
every thing We hold dear, IN imminent peril. |
repeat that the men who now owe duty to their
country, who have been called out and have
not yet reported Cor duty, or who have sbseu.
ted themselves from their posts, ars sufficient
in number to secure VI victory in the struggle
new impending.
call on you then, my countrymen, To- hast
ten to your camps, in obedience TO the dictates
of honor and OF duty, and summon those who
have absented themselves without leave, or
who have remained absent beyond the period
allowed by their furloughs, to repair without
delay TO their respective commands, and do
hereby declare that grant general pardon
aud amnesty TO all officers and men within the
Confederacy, 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 proclamation
in the State in which the absentee may be at
the date Of the publication. This amnesty and
paruOn SNAIL cxtenu 10 All VINO nave Deen &C.
cused, Or who have been convicted and are un-
dergoing sentence for absence without leave,
or desertion, excepting only those who have
been twice convicted for desertion.
Finally, | conjure my cOuntrywomen-ths
wives, mothers, sisters and daughters Of the
Confederacy-;o use their ali.powerful inau'
encs in aid Of this call, to add one crownng
sacrifice TO those which their patriotism has 60
freely and constantly offered on their countrys
altar, and to take care that none Who owe ser.
vice In the 6eld shall be sheltered a. home
from the disgrace Of having deserted their
duty TO their families, to their country and to
their God.
Given under my hand and the seal Of the Con.
federate States, at Richmond, this lst
(SsALl day Of August, in the year Of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred
and sixty.three.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.