Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20
GEN. SHERNIAN's FAREWELL.
The Order He Issued When He Disbanded
His Army.
WASHINGTON. D. O., May so. 1865.


WASHINGTON, D. O., May so, 1861
| Special Field Orders, No. 70.
The general commanding announces to the
armies Of the Tennessee and Georgia that tho
| time has come for US to part; our work Is done
! and our armed enemies no longer defy u.s.
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, 1t be-
comes pleasing duty to recall to mind the sit
nation OF national affairs
When but little more than . year ago We
were gathered about the twining cliffs Of Look.
out mountain, and all the future was wrapped
IN doubt and uncertainty, three armies came
together from distant fields, with separate his
tories, yet bound by one common cause, the
union Of our country and the perpetuation Of
the government Of our inheritance.
There is no need to recall to your memories
Tunnel Hill, with its rocky-face mountain, and
Bazzard 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 Resaca,
then on to the Etowah to Dallas, kenesaw, and
the heats of summer found us on the banks of
the ChattahOoche, far from home and depend
ent on a single road for supplies.
Again we we're not to be held back by any
obstacles. and crossed over and fought four
heavy battles for the possession Of the citadel
Of Atlanta. That was the crisis OF our history
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 our march, which for
peril, labor and results will compare with any
ever made by an organized army. The floods
of Savannah. the swamps Of the Combahee and
Ldisto, the high hills and rocks of the Santee,
the fiat quagmires of the Peedee and. Cape Fear
rivers, were all passed in midwinter, with its
foods and rains, in the face of an accommodating
enemy. and after the battle of Averysborough
and BentOnville we once more came out of the
wilderness to meet our friends at Goldsboro.
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 instead of war; and
offering to submit to the injured laws Of his
and our country. As long as that enemy was
defiant, nor mountains, nor rivers, nor swamps,
nor hunger. nor cold had checked US, but when
he who had fought us hard and persistently
offered submission your general thought It
wrong 70 pursue him farther. and negotiations
followed which resulted, you all know, in his
surrender.
How far the operations Of the army have con-
tributed TO the overthrow Of the confederacy,
to the peace which now dawns on 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 O right to
join in the universal JOY that fills the land be-
cause the war is over and our government
stands yindfcated before the world by the Joint
action Of the volunteer armies Of the United
States.
To such rs remain In the military service
your general would only remind you that sue
cesses IN the past are due to hard work and dis
cipline, and that the same work and discipline
are equally important in the future. To such
as go home l would only say that our favored
country Is so grand, SO extensive, so diversified
in climate, soil and productions that every man
can surely find home and occupation suited
to his tastes, and mono should yield to tho
natural impotence sure to result from our past
life OF excitement and adventure.
You will be invited to seek new adventure
abroad, but do not yield to the temptation, for
1t will lead only to death and disappoint-
ment.
Your general now bids you all farewell, with
the full belief thatas in war you have been good
soldiers, so in peace you will make good citi-
zens, and II unfortunately new war should arise
IN our country Sherman's army will be the first
to buckle on the old armor and como forth to
defend and maintain the government of our In
heritance and choice. By order Of
". T. SHERMAN,
L. NJ DAYTON, Major General
Assistant Adjutant General