Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-01-06
Cen. BntIer's Farewell Order.

The fermalities eli reception over, Ten
aral Banks, with the members o. Dis stan,
withdrew, when General Butler, alter some
few remarks to bis officers, expressed tse
hope. that each member present would 90
all in his power to aid and assist those who
had SO recently arrived, bestowing encomi-
unis upon their individual merits. Hepass-
ed high eulogium upon General Banks.
representing that be was an honor to the
country, ana i Chief If which the natiot'.
might well he proud. The General then,
with considerable emotion il his manner,
took up a fnA ofananuscript from The table,
and said lie had one more official act To-
perform, and that was to read a parting
address to the officers and troops that so
recently formed his military department.
He then, with clear voice, proceeded as
follows: n
HEADouARTERs DEPARTMENT TIE GcLF,
New Orleans, Dec. 49, 1862.
GENERAL ORDERS No. los. -SoLDIERs
OF TIE ARMY OF THE GULF: Relieved from
further duties in this department by direc-
ton of the President, under date of Nov.
8, 1862, l take leave of You by this final
order, it being impossible to visit your scat
tered outposts, covering hundreds Of miles
Of the frontier of larger territory than
some of the kingdoms of Europe,
greet you, my brave comrades, and
say farewell
This word-endeared as you are by a
community Of privations, hardshps, dan
gers. ctories, successes, military and civil
lis the only sorrowful thought | have.
You have deserved well Of your country.
Without muimur you sustained an en-
campment on a sandbar so desolate that
Punishment to it with every care and com
fort possible has been the most dreaded
punishment inflicted upon your bitterest
and most insulting enemies.
You had so little transportation that but
handful could advance to compel submis-
sion by the Queen City of the rebellion,
whilst others waded breast-deep in the
marshes which surround st. Philips, and
forced the surrender of fort deemed i'm
pregnable to land attack by the most skill
full engineers Of your country and hei enc
my.
AT your occupation, order, law, quiet
and peace, sprang to this city, filled with
the braves of all nations, where for score
of years, during the profoundest peace, hui
man life was scarcely safe at monday.
By your discipline you illustrated the
best traits of the American soldier, and en-
chained the admiration Of those who came
to scott
Landing with q military chest containing
but seventy five dollars, from the boards of
a rebel government you have given 10 your
country's treasury nearly a half million of
dollars. and so supplied yourselves with the
needs Of your service that your expedition
has cost your government less by four
tJthS thqn any other.
You have fed the starving poor. the
wives and children of your enemies, so con-
yerting enemies into friends that they have
sent their representatives to your Congress
by vote greater than your entire numbers
from districts in which, when you entered.
you were tauntingly told that there was
''HO uic W lSliSc your iid1.
By your practical philanthropy you have
won theAconfidence of the Oppressed race"
and the slave. llailing you as deliverers,
they aresready to aid you as willing sery-
ants, faithful laborers, or using the tactics
tatlsht ihem By your enemies, to fight with
you IN the field.
Bysteady attention TO The laws of health
you have STAYED the pestilence, and, hum
bic instruments in the hand of God, you
have demonstrated the necessity that His
creatures should obey His laws, and reap
ing His blessing in this most unhealthy eli
mate, you have preserved your ranks fuller
than those Of any other battalions of the
same length Of service.
You have met double numbers Of the
enemy and defeated him in The open field,
but | need not further enlarge upon this
topic. You were sent here to do that,
| commend you to- your commander
You are worthy of bis iove.
Farewell my comerads again farewell.
BENJAMIN Il. BUTLER,
Mo;op E,naral C,s,,,,or1i,,ce