Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-13
Sherman's Farewell.
Special Field Orders. No. 40
llDQ RS MILITARY DIVISION oP Tux
MISSISSIPPI, IN TIE TfELD,


MISSISSIPPI, IN TIE TiELD,
WASHINGTON ID. G., May 30.
The General Commanding announces to the
armies vi the tennessee and Georgia that the
time has come Tor US to part. Our work Is
lone, and armed enemies no longer DEFY US.
Some O you Will be retained ln service until
further ord rs Now hat we are about 10 sep
arate aud mi ngle with the civil world, It be-
comes a pl, aslng duty to recall TO mind the sit
uatIUu OF national ati4iIs. When but little more
than year ago We were gathered about the
tWlnlng ciihs VI Lookout Mountain, and all the
ia ,uro was wrapped IN doubt and uncertainty,
TIRES armies had come together from distant
fields, with separate histories, yet bound by one
common cause.-the 1iOn OF our country and
the perte.uatl0n OF the Government oi our ln-
heTtauce. There IL no need to recall to your
memories runnell Hill, with Rocky Face Noun
tam anu Blzzard kJost Gap, with the ugly lOrts
Of Dalton behind. We were IN earnesf and
paused not Tor danger ana difficulty but dashed
through snake Greek Gap and lell On Rssaca
aud the LeAts OF Summer found US on the banks
ui the Chatt4hoochee, Tar irom home, and dt-
pendent on u single road for supplies Again,
W. were not to be held back by any obstacles
We crossed the river and fought four be iyy bat
ties for the possession vi the citadel VI Atlanta.
That was the crisis of our history. A doubt
still clouded our future, but we solved the prob
lem Destroying Atlanta, We struck boldly
across the state OF Georgia, secured all the
main arteries Of life used by our enemy, aud
Chilstmas found us at Savannah. altng
there only long enough 10 i'll our wagons, W
began another march, which Tor peril labor and
results WI compare vii any ever made 10y an
organized arlny The Il iOds Of the Savannah,
the swamps OF the Contahee and the Z Eilsto.
The high hills and rocks OF the SlnEe, the Hat
qdagmlres OF the Peedee and Cape Fear Rivers,
ere all passed IN mldwIntr, with its floods
and rain, 10 the face OF an accumulatiDg enemy,
and alter the battles OF Averysboro aud Ben
tUnsyllle, We once more came out OF the wilder
ness to meet our friends at GJldsbOro. Even
then we paused only long enough to get new
clothing and To reload our wagons, and again
pushed on to Raleigh and beyond until We met
our enemy sue,ug Tor peace instead OF war, and
oisrng TO suomlt tothe injured laws oil his and
our country. As long US that enemy was deh-
ant, nor mountains, nor rivers, nor swamps, nor
huuger, nor cold had checked us but when he
who had fought US bard and persstently, OF
tered SUBMISSION your General thought it
wrong to pursue him furthsr, and negotiations
followed, which resulted, as you all know, IN
his surrender. How lar the operations OF the
army have contributed to the overthrow of the
COnlederacy, aud to the peace which now dawns
on u.s. must be judged by Others, not by us;
bat that you have done all that men could do
has been admitted by those in authority, and we
have righh to JOIN 10 the universal JOY that ILLS
our land because the war is over, aud our Gov
ernment stands vindcated before the world b,
the pint action of the volunteer armies Of the
United States To such as remain in the mill
lary service, your General need only remind you
that successes 10 the past are due 10 hard work
and discipline, aud that the same work and dis
c pline are equalls important IN the future. To
such as e hOmo hs would only say that our
favored country Is so grand, 80 extensive, so di-
yerslfad IN climate. soil and productions, that
every man can surely find a hcme and occupa-
ton suited to hls tastes, and none should yield
10 the natural impol ence sure to result from uur
past life OF excitement and adventure, You
will be invited 10 seek new adventure abroad /,
but do not yield to The temptation, Tor it will
lead only to death and Disappointment. Your
General now bids you all farewell, with the full
belief that as in war you have been good sol
d,ers 50 in peace YOU will make good citizens /;
aud IT, unfortunately, new war should arise in
our country, Sherman's army will be the first
tn buckle on the old amor, and come forth to
maintain the Government Of oar inheritance
and our choice. By order of
tSgned) Maj Gen, W. T. SHERMAN.
l.. NJ DAYTON, Asst Adlt Gen.