Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-06-09
WAsHINaroN. May 81. 1865.
Gen. sherman's Farewell Order

Gen4 Sherman raTeWeu OTueT
To the Armies of Georgia and Tennessee is
to-day promulgated The following is a
copy of the order -
HEAD-oUARTER MILITARY DIVISION OF
THE MIssIssIppI. IN THE FIELD, WASHING
TON, ID. c., MAY so, 1865. Special field or
ders, No. 76.-1he General Commanding
announces to the Armies Of the Tennessee
and Georgia that the time has come for us to
part. Our work is done, and armed enc
mics no longer defy Us Some Of you will
be retained In service until further orders,
and now that we are about to separate to
mingle with the civil world, it becomes a
pleasing duty to recall to mind the situation
Of national affairs. when but little more
than a year ago we were gathered about the
twining cliffs of Lookout Mountain, and all
the future was wrapped In doubt.
Three armies had come together from dis
tant fields with separate histories, yet bound
by one common cause.-The union Of our
country and the perpetuation of the Govern
ment of our inheritance. There IS no need
to recall to your memories Tunnell Hill, with
its rocky face mountain, and Buzzard 5
Roost Gap, with the ugly forts of Dalton
behind We were in earnest and paused
not for danger and difficulty, but dashed
through Snake Creek Gap and fell on Res
aea
Then on to the Etowah to Dallas, Kene
saw and the heats Of summer found us on the
banks of the Chattahoochee, far from home
and dependent ona single road for supplies
Again we were not to be held back by any
obstacle, and crossed over and fought four
heavy battles for the possession of the cita-
del Of Atlanta. That was the crisis Of our
history. A doubt still clouded our future,
but we solved the problem and destroyed
Atlanta, struck boldly across the State of
Georgia, secured all the main arteries of
life to our enemy, and Christmas found us at
Savannah
Waiting there only long enough to fill our
wagons we again began march, which, for
peril, labor and results, viii compare with
any ever made by an organized army. The
foods Of the Savannah, the swamps OF the
Combahee and Edisto, the high hills and
rocks Of the Santee, the fiat quagmires OF
the Pedee and Cape Fear Rivers were all
passed in midWiRter, with its floods and
rains, in the face ct an accumulating enemy
and after the battles of Aversboro and
Bentonville, we once more came out OF
the wilderness to meet our friends at Colds
boro'
Even then we paused only long enough to
get new clothing, to reload our wagons, and
again pushed on to Raleigh and beyond
until we met our enemy suing for peace IN
stead Of war, and Offering to submit to the
injured laws Of his and our country. As
long as that enemy was defiant, neither
mountains nor rivers, nor swamps, nor hun
ger. nor cold had checked US; but when he who
had fought us hard and persistentiy offered
submission your General thought it wrong
to pursue him further, and negotiations fol
lowed, which resulted as you all know, in
his surrender
How far the operations of the army have
contributed to the overthrow Of the Confed-
eracy and the peace which now dawns upon
us, must be Judged by others, not by us
But that you have done all that men could
do, has been admitted by those in authority,
and we have a right to JOIN in the universal
Joy that fills our land because the war is over,
and cur Government stands vindicated be-
fore the wolld by the Joint action Of the vol
unteer armiss Of the United States. To
such as remiin in the military service, your
General need only reminds you that success
in the past aye due to hard work and disci-
pine, and tlIlt the same work aud discipline,
are equally important n the future
To such as go home he will only say that
our favored country Is so grand. so extensive,
so diversifedin climate, soil and produc-
tions that every man can surely find home
and occupation suited to his tastes, and
none should yield to the natural impotence
sure to result from our past life of excite
ment and adventure You viii be invited
to seek new adventures abroad, but do not
yield to the temptation, for it viii lead only
to death and disappointments.
Your Geleral now bids you all farewell,
with the full belief that, as in war you have
been good 3ldiers, 50 in peace sou viii make
good citizers; and if, unfortunately new
war should arise IN our country, Sherman 5
arm" viii Be the first to buckle on the old
armor and ome forth to defend and main
tain the Goernment Of our inheritance and
choice
By order # Major General w. T. Sher-
man.
tSignedl L. NJ DAYTON,
A 4 4 4f--,.