Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-02-25
JEFF. Davis to the Rebel Soldiers.
The following is JEFFERSON DAVIS addres
to the rebel army:


to the rebel army:
".So2dierS Of tie army Of the Confederate
States In the long and bloody war in which
your country is engaged you have achieved
many noble triumphs; you have won glori-
Gus victories over vastly superior numbers :;
you have cheerfully borne privatons and toll
to which you were unused; you have readily
submitted to restraints upon your individual
will, that the citizen might better perform
his duty to the State as soldier.
"To all these you have lately added another
triumph, the noblest OF human conquests-
a victory over yourselves. AS the time drew
near when you who first entered the service
might we'll have been expected to claim re-
lief from your arduous labors, and restoration
to the endearments of home, you have needed
only the call of your suffering country
Again you come to tender your services for
the public defense, a free offering which only
such patriotism as yours could make-a tri-
umph worthy of the cause to which you are
devoted.
C would in vain attempt to express the
emotion with which received the testimoni-
ais Of confidence and regard which you have
recently addressed to me. To some of those
first received, separate acknowledgements
are returned, but it is now apparent that a
like generous enthusiasm pervades the whole
army, and that the only exception to such
tender will be of those who having originally
enlisted for the war cannot display anew their
zeal in the public service. 1t is therefore
deemed appropriate, and, it is hoped, will be
equally acceptable, to make a general &C
acknowledgements instead of successive special
responses Would that it were possible to
render my thanks in person and in the name
of our common country as well as in my own,
and while pressing the hand of each war
worn veteran, to recognize his title to our
love, gratitude and admiration.
"Soldiers! by your will, for you and the
people are but one, | have been placed in
position which debars me from sharing your
dangers, your sufferings and your privations
in the field. With pride and affection my
heart has accompanied you in every march ;
with solicitude it has sought to minister to
your every want; with exutation it has
marked your every heroic achievement; yet
never in the toilsome march, nor in the
weary watch, nor in the desperate assault
have you rendered service so decisive in
results as in the last display of the highest
quality of devotion and self-sacrifce which
can adorn the character of the warrior and
patriot. Already the pulse of the whole peo-
pie beats in unison with yours; already they
compare your spontaneous and unanimous Of
fer of your lives for the defense of your coun.
try with the hating and reluctant service of
the mercenaries who are purchased by the
enemy at the price of higher bounties than
have hitherto been known in war.
Animated by this contrast they exhibit
cheerful confidence and more resolute bear
ing Even the murmurs of the weak and
timid, who would shrink from the trials which
make stronger and frmer your noble natures,
are shamed into silence by the spectacle which
they present. Your battle cry will ring loud
and clear through the land of the enemy as
well as our own; will silence the vain boast
ings Of their corrupt partizans and their pen
stoned press, nd will do justice to the calum-
ny by which they seek to persuade deluded
people that you are ready to purchase dishon-
orable safety by degrading submission"
The victories of Shiloh, Perrysville, Muir
freesboro, Chickahominy, Manassas, Freder-
icksburg and Charlottesville are referred to-,
and the down fall of the Union armies is con-
fdently predicted