New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-10
JET ThOmpsOn's Farewell Speech to His
Soldiers.

JoAuAGEHe
tmay not be uninteresting TO our read
ers TO again peruse the famous farewell ad
dress of General M. JEFF Thompson to his
army on surrendering them to the federal
authorities at Jacksonport, Arkansas, in the
spring of 1865. General ThOmpsOn's speech
differs very materially in style from that OF
General Washington on disbanding his
army after the revolutionary war, but still
it is characteristics of General Thompson,
and it would be good thing to cut out and
paste in a scrap book as a historical doou
ment:
"Many of the 5000 men now see around
me, very many Of you, have been skulking
for the last three years in the swRmps With
in few miles Of our own homes on skulk-
ing duty-and during that time have not
seen your own children. l see many faces
about me that have not been seen by mortal
man for the last three years; and what
have you been doing all that timef Why,
you have been lying in the Bwamps until
the moss has grown six inches long on your
backs; and such men call themselves
'chiyalrOus sOldiers.i A few weeks ago
General Reynolds sent flag OF truce TO my
HEADQUARTERS, and i sent out 10 gather u
respectable force TO meet those officers, and
not one of you responded few days
later, when Colonel Davis and Captain Ben.
nett, of General DOdge's staff, bore dis
patches to me from that General. again
attempted to call about me enough OF you
to make respectable show, and how many
of these brave 5000 men reported at the
ealf One sore-eyed man with green cog
giles. But you rally like brave and gallant
men around Uncle Sans eommissary stores,
and now come 70 surrender you, and hope
you will make better citizens than yen have
soldiers.
"Those of you who had arms, with q very
few exceptions, have left them &c home,
and those who had government horses have
failed 10 report them here. Now, let me
say to You one and ALL those of you who
have retained your arms, as soon a. you
get home take them TO the nearest military
post, or burn them, or get rid OF them in
some manner, for as cure as there is q God
in heaven if they are found in your houses,
inst so sure will your houses be burned 10
the ground; and hope a. God every one OF
You who keep good arms or property Of
any kiUd in your houses viii be hanged,
and yOu will, too.
''NoW want you to 60 home and work
hard and take care of your families; work
early and late, and get mp at night and zee
| If your crops are growing. Above al
things avoid political discussions. If any
man says Niger TO you, swear that you
| never knew nor saw one In your llte. We
have talked about the Biggers for forty
years, and have been Outtalked; we havG
fought four ears for the niggers and have
been Did badly whipped; and now 1t is MOI
'yOlFT cut? the Yankees have won tbs
! nigger, ANA will do what they please will
him, and you have no say in the matter;
IL they want him they will hav,
himi If you must keep him yoI
have TO do IL and no mistake.
tell you that you have no ssy in the mat
ter, and you Oughtn't 70 have any. o.
but to mill, don't 60 10 church tor the min
listers will put knots and mischief in you
heads aad get you into trouble. Be ROOt
| citizens, and then those Of yen who hav,
been good, honest, and brave soldiers hay,
nothing to fear; but warn those Of yol
who have been nothing but sneaking COW
ardlr jayhawkers eut-throats and thieve
that q lust retribufiOn awaits you, and
hope to God that the federal auihOrifie.
viii hang you wherever aud Whenever thel
lind you, and they VIII do It sure.
do yen mot e0mplain If You are NOT pea
mitted - have voice in cleo ions and civi
/ stfaira. You have forfeited ali such rights
l and il now becomes y0u to submit 10 SUE
laws and regulations - the federal euthoi
I ifies deem proper 70 enact. ] believe, am
know that they viii DO the beet they Oh
for y0u, especially II you show heneetori
/ shai y0u SOW desire 20 merit their e0nhdene
by q strict obcdience 10 the laws Where ya
gated; We beye 30 Eiahts, but must aecrp
ment may re proper % beet0w-R