Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-09-27
GEs, SnEaaAN's OoNoRAruLAToRY ORDrR To


MS SOLDIERS. The following is Gen. 5 erman's
coogratuatorJ order to his troops
llEADQ'Rs MILITARY DIVISION oT THE Miss, !
In THE FIELD, ATLANTA, Ga, SEPT. g. {
Special FieM Orders, No. 6S
The officers and soldiers of the armies Of the
Cumberland, Ohio, and Tennessee have already
received the thanks Of the nation through its
President and Commander-in-Chiel; and il now
remains only for bin who has leen with YOU
from the beginning, and who intends to stay all
the time, 10 thank the officers and men for their
intelligence fidelity and courage displayed in
tho campaign Of Atlanta
On the first Of May our armies were lying IN
garrison, seemingly quiet from Knoxville TO
Huntsville, and our enemy lay behind his rocky
faced barrier at Dalton, proud defiant and ex.
uting lie had had time sinco Christmas to
recover from his discontinue on the Mission
Ridge, with his ranks filed and new com
mander.in-chIef second to none OF the Conied-
oracy IN reputation for skill, sagaclty and ex.
Ieme popularity.
All az once our armies assumed lite and &C.
ton, and appelrd before Dalton threatening
Rocky Face we threw ourselves upon Resaca,
and the rebel army only escaped by the rapldlty
OF It's retreat, aided by the numerous roads with
which he was familiar, and which were strange
% us
Again he took post az AilatOOna, but we K We
him 10 rest and by circuit toward Dallas and
subsequent movement to Ackworth, we gained
the Allatoona pass. Then followed the event
lul battles about Kenesbaw, and the escape Of
the enemy across Uhattahoocbe river
The crossing Of the Chattlhoochie and break
ing OF the Augusta road was most hansomely
executed By US, and will be studied as an exam
le in the art Of war. AT this stage OF our
game our enemies became dissatisfied with their
old and sklliul commander, and selected one
more bold a. rash. New tactics were adopted.
Hood first boldly and rapidly, on the Goth Of
July, fell On our right at Peach Tree Greek
ana lost. Again on the 22d, lie struck our ex
trone left, and Sas severely puhished and fl
nally again, on the 18th, ne repeated the at
tempt on our right, and th4t time must have
been satisfied lor since that date lie has remained
on the defensive. We Slowly and gradually
drew our lines about Atlanta, feeling for the
railroads which supplied the rebel army and
made A uanta place Of Importance
We must concede to our enemy that he met
these efforts patiently and skIliuily but at last
he made The mistake we had waited for 50 long,
aud sent hls cavalry 10 our rear, far beyond the
reach Of recall. Instantly our cavalry was on
his only remaining road and We followed quick
ly with our principal army and Atlanta fell iuto
our possession as the fruit OF well concerted
measures, backed by brave and confident army.
This completed the grand task which had been
assigned US by our government, and your Cen
eral again repeats his personal and official thanks
to all the officers and men composing this army,
for the indomitable courage and perseverance,
which alone could give success
We have beaten our enemy on every grOu nd
be has chosen, and have wrested from his own
Gate City, where were located his foundries,
ar-enal5 and workshops, deemed secure on ac-
count Of their distance from our base, and the
seeming impregnable obstacles intervening
Nothing Is impossible to an army like this, de
termined TO viudicate Government which has
rights wherever our flag has once dOated, and il
resolved to maintain them al any and all costs.
In our campaign many, yea very many Of
our noble and gallant comrades have preceded
us u our common destination, the grave but
they have left the memory Of deeds on which
nation can build proud history. Mcpherson,
llarker, McCook, and Others dear to US all, are
now the binding links in our minds that should
attach more closely together the hving who have
to complete the task which s1ill lays before US
10 the dim future.
ask all to continue as they have 50 well be-
gun the cultivation OF sodlorly virtues that have
ennobed our own and other countries Courage
patience, obedience to tue laws and constituted
authorities OF our Government fidelity to our
trusts, and good feeling among each other; each
trying TO excel the other in the practice OF those
high qualities, and it will then require no proph-
OF to ioretell that our country will 10 time
emerge from this war, purified by the fires of
war, and worthy it's great founder, Washington,