Litchfield enquirer., 1864-09-22

FROM GEN. SHERMAN's sARMY-CoNaRAruLA- TORY ORDER TO Hts SOLDIERS The following is General Sherman's congrat. ulatory order to his troops:
 HEADo'Rs MILITARY DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
 Tn the Field, Atlanta Ga Sept. 8th. SPECIAL FIELD ORDERS, No. 68-The off cers and soldiers of the Armies of the Cumber land, Ohio and Tennessee, have already recei- we'd the thanks of the nation through it's Pres ideat and ommander-in-Chief and 1t now remains only for him who has been with you rom the beginning, and who intends to stay all the time, to thank the officers aud men for t1e.r intelligence, fidelity and courage display ed m the campaign of Atlanta. .
 On the hrst day of May our armies were ly- vile to Huntsville, and our enemy lav behind his rocky faced barrier at Dalton, proud. def- ant and exulting. He had had tir.e since Christmas to recove from his defeat on the Mission Ridge, with his ranks filled, and a new commander-ia. chief second to none of the Confederacy in reputation for six Il, sagacity and extreme popularity.
 All at once our armies assumed life and ac. tion and appeared before Dalton; threatening Rocky Face we threw ourselves upon Resaca, and the rebel army only escaped by the rapidi- ty of it's retreat, aided by the numerous roads with which he was familiar, and which were strange to us.
 Again he took post at Altoona, but we gave him no rest. and by a circuit toward Dallas and subsequent movement to Ackworth, we gained the Altoona Pass. Then followed the eventful battles about Kenesaw, and the escape of the enemy across the Chattahoochee River | The crossing of the Chattahoocha. and break ing of the Augusta road, was most handsomely executed by us, and will be studied as an ex- ample in the art of war. At this stage of our game, our enemies became dissatisfied with their old and skillrul commander, and selected one more bold and rash. New tactics were adosted. Hood first boldly and rapidly on the 20th of July fell on our right at Peach Tree Creek, and lost.
 Again, on the 22d. he struck our extreme left and was severely punished; and finally again, on the 2oth, he repeated the attempt or our right, and that time must have been satis fled, for since that date he has remained on tn, defepsive. We slowly and gradually drew ou lines about Atlanta, feeling for the railroad which supplied the rebel army and made At lanta place of importance.
 We must coucede to our enemy that he me these efforts patiently and skillfully, but a last be made the mistake we had waied for s' long and sent his cavalry to our rear far be- yond the reach of recall Instantly our caval ry whs on his only remaining road, and VI folio wed quickly with our principal army. ano Atlahta fell into our possession as the fruit 0 we'll concerted measures, backed by bray and confident army.
 This completed the grand task which hat beeu assigned us by our Government, and you General again repeats his personal and oficla thanks to all the officers and men composin, this army. for the indomitable, courage an' perseverance, which alone could give success We have beaten our enemy on every eroun' he has chosnn. and have wrested from him hi own Gate City, where were located bis f"und- ries. arsenals and work shops. deemed secure on account of thntr distance from our base and the seeming rnpregnable obstacles inter venng. Nothing is impossible to an army like this, determined to vindicate Q Govern ment which has rights wherever our flag has once foated and is resolved to maintain then at any and all cost.
 In our campaign many, yea, very many o our noble and gallant comrades have preceded us 10 our common destination, the grave bu they have left the memory. of deeds. on whicf nation can build p;oud history. McPher- son, Harker, McCook. and others. dear to Il all, are now the binding in our minds tha should attach more closely together the living who have to complete the task which still lays before us in the dim future.
 ask all to continue as they have s, well begun, the cultivation of the soldierly vF'"e' that have rnnoblcd our own and other conn tries Courage. patience, obedience to tho laws and constituted authorities of our govern nent fidelity to our trusts, and good feeling among each other: each trying to excel the other iii the practice of those high qualities and it will then require no prophet to forete that our country will in time emerge from th war, purified by the fres-of war. and worthy it great founder, Wa. a.shingtoh. w. Y. SHERMAN l. Major General Commanding