Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-11-28


GEN. sIiERMAN,s ADDRESS.
At the Recent Reunioe OF the society Of
tho Army Of the Tennessee, at 81. Louis.
The Army OF tho Tennessee--sunerings
Claims, and Prospects OF the South.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, COMRADES AID
FRIENDs-Five days ago l was far away,
near the base of the Rocky Mountains,
when brief dispatch from Gen. Caven-
der told me that you expected me here
on this occasion, to deliver the formal
annual address. Though the task Is one
that l would have avoided, and is such
as never attempted in my life, yet 1
feel under so many obligations to you
that / must venture, even Mt the risk of
being misunderstood by the outside
world. Many and many time have you
responded to my call under far less pleas
ing circumstances, and it is but just and
fair that should now reciprocate, trust
ing to your charitable consideration. 1
should, even now, be at Fort Laramie,
at an Indian council, but am indebted to
the courtesy of my colleagues of the
Peace Commission, and more especially
to the personal kindness of Gen. Augur,
who represents me there, for the oppor-
tunity of being here this night. 1t is q
high privilege for me thus to meet my
old comrades once more in health and
comfort here at my own home in st.
Louis, i'm the midst of peace, plenty, and
all the luxuries of civilization, instead of
far away in the distant camps of the
South, surrounded by all the pomp and
circumstance of glorious war; and 1t is
right we should thus meet again to keep
alive the memories of those days and of
those events which are not only woven
into our very natures, but into the histo-
ry of our country itself.
1t was not my good fortune to be pres
ent at your meeting last year in Cincin-
natl, but / have read in print the address
of our President, Gen. Rawlins, which
so clearly and fully described the history
of the society and of the Army of the
Tennessee, that further attempt on my
part would be superfluous; and if now
touch on some of the leading points, it
will be simply to fill gap ofto illustrate
the subject of my discourse.
But little over six years ago, in the
memorable year 1861, we were all startled
by the gathering clouds that portended
civil war; but so accustomed had our
people become (at the North especially
to the warlike language of the press, that
few realized the danger. Our people
could not believe that any part of them
had cause to rebel against Government
so mild and paternal in its nature but
all at once the storm-c cloud burst over Fort
Sumter, in Charleston Harbor, and then
ourNorthern masses rose in majestic earn
estness, determined to rescue the country
from the threatened danger, cost what il
might. Regiment after regiment came
pouring into existence, strong in muscle,
determined in purpose, but ignorant as
children ofthe stern requirementsof of war
Casting our eyes to the South, we beheld
about one-third of our people, occupy
ing nearly one-half of our territory, ar.
rayed in open, defiant rebellion to the
national authority, and who had, aftel
long-seeming preparation, seized upon
the national mints, custom-ho houses, navy
yards, arsenals, and forts had deliber'
ately organized separate Government
and set UP claim to be recognized as an
Independent Power among the nations
of the earth. Before their purpose had
been OWNED, or could be prevented, they
had organized their people into a strong
military order, and had built a continu
Gus line of forts and camps from the Po
tomac to the plains of the West, barring
our passage down the Mississippi and t.
the South. Then in defiance they boldly
challenged our advance.
While our parlor knights-bold in
words but not in deeds-were crying
| oh W i1iSan oih>
backbone of the RebelliOn;" "Crush the
monster in the bud," and other harmless
general expressions, of more sound than
fury, quietly, without noise or confusion
without boasting or bluster, without the
sound of the trumpet or of the press, an
army, mostly of Western men, had as
sembled at Cairo and Paducah under the
leadership of him whom We still delight
to call our chief, embarked upon theii
frail steamboats,, and, conveyed by the
gallant navy under Commodore Foote
turned their course up the Tennessee
River, and assumed the proud title of the
"Army of the Tennessee" Hardly was
the fact known before the whole country
was electrified by the glad tidings thai
Henry and Donelson had fallen, that the
boasted Rebel line was broken in twain
and that its ends and fragments had beer
loosened and were falling back in confu
sion to a safe place. Then on to Shiloh
where we fought the Rebels one of those
hard and bloody battles worthy to be
called an epoch in the war itself; ano
with the aid of our comrade Army of tho
Cumberland, we drove them back, and
and beyond their second chosen lines al
Corinth. Here these two armies, ,destin
ed to play so important a part in the
future war, parted for time-the one
eastward and the other westward-l0ok
ing to that majestic artery of our coun
try, the Mississippi River. The Navy
ever bold and gallant, aiding us on land
and following up quickly all successes
had pushed down the Mississippi, and
like the swoop of an eagle had pounced
upon and crushed at single blow the
Rebel fleet at Memphis. Then on tc
Vicksburg; but her Gibraltar-like walls
crowned by battery on battery, barred
their passage and defied assault. Agair
the Army of the Tennessee was put in
motion, and after a whole year of toll
and battle, varied in adventure that
would fill volume, that renowned for
tress succumbed at last to the army and
navy, led by two heroes that have no SUI
perior in any country, and both ofaphom
still live to reap the rewards of their la
bors-Grant and Porter. The Fourth o
July, 1868, thus became doubly glorious
in our country's calendar. 1t was not
for all of us to celebrate that day in wine
and rejoicing, for some of us had to con
tent ourselves with water taken from
those dirty ponds about Jackson, poison
ed by the dead carcasses of fleeing ar,
my; but others of you did behold oui
flag arise on that white Court-H House in
Vicksburg, which had so long been the
target of our artillery; and that other
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