Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-07-25
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Farewell Address f0sa. IN. 4. LspA.


Farewell Address sf0ss. Ira A. LspA.
HEApQ n AR,aY OF THE TENNESSEE,
LoClsvrLLE. Kr., July ia ISIS. (
Officers and Soldiers Of tie Army Of IL
7smnsssss The profound grsti6cation I
feel at being authorized to release you from
the onerous obligations of the camp, and
return you laden with laurels to homes
where warm hearts wait to welcome you,
is somewhat embittered by the painful re
fiection that am sundering the ties that
trials have made true, time made tender,
suffering made sacred, peril made proud,
heroism made honorable, and fame made
forever fearless Of the future. 1t is no CON-
mon occasion that demands the disband-
ment Of military organization, before the
resistless power of which mountains brist
ling with bayonets have bowed, cities have
surrendered, and millions Of brave men
conquered. Although have been but
short period your commander, we are not
strangers affections have sprung up be-
tween us during the long years of doubt,
gloom and carnage which we have passed
through together. nurtured by common
perils. sufferings and sacrifices, and rivited
by the memories Of gallant comrades, whose
bones repose beneath the sod Of hundred
battle fields: nor time nor distance will
weaken or efface The many marches you
have made, the dangers you have despised,
the liaughtiness you have humb!ed. the du-
ties you have discharged. the glory you
have gained, the destiny you have discov-
cred for the country in whose cause you
have conqucred--alI recur at tins moment
with the vividncss that marked the scenes
through which we have Just passed From
the pens of the ablest historians ofthc land,
daily are drifting out upon the current of
time, page after page, volume after volume
of your heroic deeds, and, floating down to
future generations. will inspire the student
Of history with admiration. the patriot
American with veneration for his ance stors.
and the lover Of republican liberty. with
gratitude for those who in fresh baptism
Of blood rcconsecrated the powers ard en-
crgies of the Republic to the cause If con
stitutional freedom. Long may il le the
happy fortune Of each and every one Of you
to live in the full fruition OF the boundiess
blessings you have secured to the human
race Only he, whose heart has been thrill
cd with admiration for your impetuous and
unyielding valor in the thickest of the
fight. can appreciate with what pride re-
count the brilliant achievements which i'm
morraize YOU and enrich the pages of our
National history Passing by the earlier,
but not less signal triumphs of the war; in
which most of you participated and inscrib
"a upon your banners such victories as Don
elson and Shiloh, | recur to campaigns,
sieges and victories that challenge the ad
miration of the world. and elicit the un-
willing applause of all Europe Turning
YOUR backs upon the blood batlled heights
Of Nicksburg. YOU launched into region
swarming with enemies, lighting your way
and marching without adequate supplies,
to answer the cry for succor that came TO
you from the noble bnt beieagucred army
at Chattanooga Your steel next flashed
among the mountains ofthc Tennessee and
your weary limbs found rest before the en-
battled nights OF Missionary Ridge, and
| there with dauntlcss courage you breasted
again the enemy's destructive fire, and shar
ed with your comrades of the Army OF the
| Cumberland the glorics of victory, than
which no soldierv can boast a prouder
In that unexampled campaign Of vigilant
and vigorous warfare from Chattanooga t.
| Atlanta. you frcshencd your laurcls at Re
SEGA. graphing with the enemy behind hi.
works. hurting him back dismayed and bro
ken. Pursuing him from thence, marking
your path by the graves Of fallen comrades
YOU again triumphed over superior mum
bcrs at Dallas fighting your way from there
10 Kenesaw Mountain, and under the muir
ierous artillery that frowned from its
=, L.. ,t1
stancy that finds few parallels, you labored
fought and suffered through the broilng
rays Of mid summer sun. until at last you
planted your colors upon its topmost Nights
Again, on the 22d of July, 1864, rendered
memorable through all time for the terri
bile struggle you so heroically maintained
under discouraging disasters, and the sad
dest of all reflections, the loss Of that ex
emplary soldier and popular leader, the
lamented Mcpherson, your matchless cour
age turned defeat into glorious victory
Ezra Chapel and Joneshoro added new lus
ter to radiant record, the latter unbarrini
to you the proud Gate City Of the South
The daring ola desperate fpe In thrustin,
his legions northward, exposed the countr,
in your front, and though rivers, swamp
and enemies opposed, you boldly surmount
cd every obstacle, peat down all opposi
ton. and marched onward to the ses
} Without any act to dim the brightness o
your historic page, the world rang plaudlt
when your labors and struggles culminate
at Savannah, and the old STARRY Banner
waved once more over the walls of one G
our proudest cities on the seaboard. Scare
breathing spell had passed when you
colors faded from the coast and your co
umns plunged into the swamps Of the Cal
olinxs The sufferings you endured, II
labors you performed, and the success 90
achieved in those morasses, deemed impass
ible, form creditablc episode in the his
tory Of the war Pocataligo. Salkahschie
. Edisto. Branchville, Orangeburg, Colum
bia, Bentonville, Charleston and Rsleigf
are names that will ever be suggestive Q
the resistless sweep of your columns throug
= the territory that Graded and nurturec
and from whence was sent forth on its mi!
sion of crime, misery and blood, the dii
+, turbing and designating spirit of seces
sion and rebellion.
The work for which you pledged you
brave hearts and brawny arms to the Coz
:. ernment Of your fathers you have notl
performed. You are seen in the past gail
ering through the gloom that envelope
the land, rallying as the guardians of man
proudest heritage, forgetting the threa
;. unwoven in the loom, quitting the anvil
= and abandoning the workshops to Wind
: cate the supremacy Of the laws and the Al
y thority of the Constitution. Four yea
have you struggled in the bloodiest IN
I. most destructive war that has ever drencI
cd the earth in human gore. Step by ste
you have borne our standard, until to-da
: over every fortress and arsenal that T
bellion has wrcnched from US, and ov
CITY. town and hamlet from the lakes
the gulf and from ocean to ocean. proud
floats the Starry Emblem" Of our Nation
unity and strength.
Your rewards, my comtadss are the y.
comisk plasdite cfs grsteful people, Il