Smyrna times., 1865-07-05
The Historic Army of the Potomac
Its Endurance-Its Sufferings and
Its GLORY.

ACS GnuuL onCe-4IS cuH6TlngS anu
It's Glory.
Henceforth, when we speak of the Army of !
he P0tOmac, it will be as of thing of the |
past. Its immediate commander, Gen. Meade, |
mas issued a farewell order in which he an
lOunces that, by command Of the President, |
that army has ceased to crtSt Its work is |
done, its record is closed and now only its ira
ditiOns and its history remain.
Its history is precisely cOntemporancous
with the war, and covers its entire period.
The Army of the Potomac fought the first bat
tie of the war, fought ccaseessly during Its
continuance, and fought its last battle Its ca
reer was opened with defeat, prosecuted for
years amid misfortune and disaster and closed
with triumph as complete ard illustriOus as
any i'll the annals Of war
The work of this army was definite and sim
pie from the beginning to the end. 1t was to
capture the capital of the rebellOus COnfeder-
acy. Its objective point was always Richmond
1t tried to reach it by Manassas by the Pen
insula, by Mine Run, by Frederick sburgh, by
ChancellorSvllle, y the Wilderness and Spott-
Sylvanla, and finally succeeded in reaching it
by the south bank Of the James 1t fought a
great battle for the same objecv in PennSyIva-
another in Maryland. and a dozen in the Sbcm-
andOah Valley. Nearly all It's great actions
were fought under different commanders-Jhat
vi Manassas under Mcdowell, the Peninsula
and Antletam under Mcclellan, the Second
Bull Kun under ope, Frederick Sburgh under
burnside, Chance lorSvillc under Hooker. Get
tySburgh under Meade, while the last trun-
phant campaign was under the command Of
iheut. -Gcn. Grant. 1t fought against three
rebel commanders. Bcaurcgard at the opening,
who was tollowedSen the Peninsula by Joseph
Johnston, WHO i'll turn was succeeded by Lee
Va olv
Its ann always Richmond, the enemy frenuent-
ly succeeded III throwing it on the defensive,
and making Its immediate object the salvation
Of Washington
The Army of the Potomac, unlike most of
our other armies, was unitary in its character.
as we'll as i'll its work, from its organization un-
til It's dissolution. The old army of RoSccranS
Tor example, was composed Of two armies which
had been brought together from different To-
calltles, after different histories The late ar
my NJ Sherman was composed of four distinct
armies, each of which had had its own career,
and all OF which were only combined when
Gen. tIrant was elevated to supreme power in
the West, after the battle of Chickamauga
But the Army OF the Potomac has been essen
TALLY one from the beginning though at times
large bodies Of it hayc been detached from the
main force and sent to different parts of. Nirgi-
! MA on cooperative service
|
has exhibited, throughout is varying career.
has been worthy of the American character.
l. has been truly and grandly iadomit,,bh
There has been tactiouSness in the country. but
none III the army. 1t has seemed sometimes
as though the people would fall into despair.
but no such feeling has ever had sway in the
army. Portions OF the people have made fierce
outcrleS about the removal or appointment of
certain Generals to command, but we have had
no outcry about these matters from the army
We have seen this army waiting during the
long months of inactivity but it waited in pa
tence We have seen it suffering beyond
measure III the deadly swampS Of the Chicka-
hOmlny, and thousands of brave men living
down there to die Of disease; but it bore it all
with proud, manly resignation, for the SAX,
OF the country. We have seen it led by in
competence to the most terrible and heart
rendng defeats but it never lost heart or hope
We have seen 1t try the issue twenty time.
with the enemy, but it was always ready to try
it agSin. We hive seen it encanped all Win.
ter behind the d, fences Of Petersburgh, exhib
itng all the time the mOsr dauntess fortitude
/ We have Aeou - a:I"IS "iICI nLiorOt se..~, ~l.4
aItJi victory, heroic always.
Now that the rebellion is forever crushnd
and the rebeiliouS spirit entirely eXtingniShed
We can afford to render tribute of admiration
also 10 the opposing army that fought undel
Lee FOR an accursed cause, they struggled
vallantly. They commanded the respect Of
those Tho fought against them in the field
and who acknowledge them to be worthy OF
their steel. Tleir defeat does not involve Der,
Sonal disgrace and the way in which they have
borne 1t does them honor
The Army Of the Potomac has ALWAYS had
the special attention and affection of the nation
as II always had the chief work of the nation 5
defence. Now that it has passed into history
with Its work cousummated, the whole country
Will JOIN with It's late commander in bidding i
an aitectlonate Iarewell--N T. Times.