Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-12-10

l We are naturally uDgrslefnl creature
and particularly so vheh We are und,
the Christening hand e our Heayenl
Father; but as we look back upon Il
wonderful things which 9sd has dor
for US since. our last anpaal thank
| giving day, it does see9--as the Pres
dent expresses it-that they are .t
such an extraordinary, Hature that the
cannot fail to. penetrate and soften eve
the heart which is habiHslly ,insensibl
to the ever watchful providence Of Al
mighty God" And new let US brief
reespitnlste some of these wonderfu
things which God has tons for us. &
Upon ihe s,h'of la Ncysmber, III
army Of The Potomac which had bee
SO repeatedly bafHed BY their opponents
was transferable the charge Of Msjo
Gen. Burnside Gen. Mcclellan hat
so frequently been unsuccessful tha
with a change of commanders w
looked and hoped Tor a ch,nge in th,
results OF operations in that Depart
ment upon which so much seemed tc
depend. But the year begin in dark.
ness and deep despondency: Our ar.
mics seemed unable to accomplish any.
thing; and SO The long long month
passed until the 18th Of December,
when Gen. Burnside crossed The Kappa.
hammock and engaged the enemy, and
when he recrossed on the 18th, with
the remains OF bis defeated army, we
all remember what were our days OF
darkness and our nights Of gloom. l
need not tell you how the year 1869
closed upon our saddened stricken
hearts. '''.' '
The bloody repulse ofour army under
Gen. Sherman, on the 29th Of Decem-
ber, as he attacked Vicksburg. added
another heavy burden to our sorrow,
and when on the last day Of the year
The noble little "Monitor" went down
in the storm off Cape Hateras, it seemed
Is il it were symbol Of our ship of
state sinking beneath The waves amid
he storm Of treason. The new year
iawned, and the 1st Of January was
made memorable by the reeapture OF
galveston BY the rebels, but more
honorable by the Emancipation Pro-.
lamation OF the Commseder-iu.cniefI
: the Army and Navy Of the United
tates, as the alternative Of continued
sbellion. -. |
On the 4th Of January, the great
attic Of Murfreesboro was fought, and
ie result-the glorious success Of our
rmy in Tennessee, you we'll remember.
Tpon the gath Of January, Gen. Burn
de was superseded by Gen. Hooker,
nd again we had a long period Of
n8ious preparation on the Potomac
nd again on the 3rd OF May, the
-my crossed the Rappahannock
6ght the battle Of Chancel-
rsville, again to return disappointed,
although the result Of the battle was
robably fully as disastrous to the
'bels as ourselves.) But in the West,
Ie army under Gen. Grant was NOV
g. and the battles Of the 18th to goth
May, at Bakers Creek, Jackson,
ID Black River, revived our hopes in
at quarter; and Vick,burg was close
invested. Another period of COM
lrstive quiet followed these events.
1T it was the quiet which preceded
e fearful storm. And from the first c
pulse Of our army At Vicksburg, un-
sr Gen. Grant, until the 1st OF July,
as the darkest period of our history.
On the 9Th Of June the Confederate
my under Gen. Lee, began TO move :
'rthward, and on tie 18th, the d. :
sion Of Gen. Milroy, at Winchester. Il
rs surrounded. and the city captured. .
nd as the rebels continued their 0
arch, the Preside,t issued on the :
jth bis call for 100000 additional {
en- while the rebels .ecdpied Frederick d
ty, 'chambersburg. York. Gettys. P
lrg. Carlisle. and approached Harris = =
Irg. While this occurred in the !,
ast, affairs in the West seemed poised :
a. scale which 4 days march might il
IN for or against US. The people Of ID
e country trembed and doubted p
r foreign relations seemed sadly com. d
Gated. and we looked into the MORN eil
papers with feaiful anxiety as we g
t that the news sf foreign interven- I I
N might first meet the eye. And y :,
lid all these tro,hles q fearful mur.
lriDg was heard. it grew louder and Ii
lder until upon our astonished ears P
} cry burst as many Of our own fel. y
' citizens demanded the surrender Of y y
for which we are contendipp. They r