The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-05-30
JOE WHEELER TO HIS
SOLDIERS SIX MONTHS
BEFORE WAR CLOSED
BURNING WORDS OF THE lNTRE-
PlD COMMANDER IN DEC
EMBER 1864.
COMMENTATOR AND PRAISE
Uraes Then Or to More Victories
and Expresses His Confidence IN
Their Loyalty, Patriotism ana
Love Of the South.


his possession copy OF speca Oh
this ola commander made to his sol
diers on December 81, 1864, in which
he commences lis soldiers in burning
language, and refers to the Marcn
of Sherman through Georgia, the
distances ira, eled under the most
trying difficulties and the victories
they had won.
The speech, full of tenderness and
love for hts soldiers, patriotism Tor
tbe cause for which they were all
consecrated ard the fire and deter
mination OF a true soldier, is as fol
lows:
Headquarters, Cavalry Corps,
December 31st, 1864
NY brave Soldiers:--
The close of the year terminates
a campaign CT eight months, during
which you have engaged in continu-
GUS and successful fighting.
From Dalton to Atlanta you held
the right of our army. Opposed. al
most continually. by an infantry ten
times your number, you repulsed ev-
ery assault. inficting upon the
enemy loss in killed and wounded
numerically greater than your en-
tire strength. Every attempt on the
part of the enemy to turn or strike
our right flank was met and repnlsed
by your valor and determined cour-
age. 1t should be proud reflection
to YOU all, that during the entire
campaign, the Army of Tennessee
never lost a position by having the
fiaunk turned which it was your
duty to protect.
During ever, movement OF our
lines you have been between our IN
fantry and the enemy, hurting back
his exulting advance and ho!dlng
his entire army at bay until our
troops had quietly prepared to re-
ceive and repulse his gigantic as
saults Having failed by other means
to drive our army from the position
in front of Atlanta, he now sends
three heavy columns OF cavalry tc
destroy our communications, to 70
lease prisoners of war, and marcl
in triumph with them through oul
country. You promptly strike one
column and drive it back discomfort
ed. then quickly assaulting the tw'
others, you defeat them and complete
their destruction and this you &C
complished when he had more thai
ave thousand men, horses, arms ant
equipments, besides material, color
and cannon. This was due to you
yalor, and is without parallel in tn
history Of this war.
Having been detached and sen
to the rear oil the enemy you captul
ed his garrisons, destroyed his store
and broke his communications NOR
effectually, ani for a longer perio
than any other cavalry force, hov
ever large, has done
During Sherman's march throug
Georgia You retarded his advanc
and defeated his cavalry daily, pr
venting his spreading over and d
vastating the country.
During the last five months ye
have Travelled nearly three htousar
miles, fighting nearly every day, al
always with success. You have bee
victorious IN more than fifty pitch'
battles. and 4 hundred minor
fairs, placing a number OF the enen
hors du combat fully four times Il
greatest nuraber you ever carried
to action.
desire, my brave soldiers.
thank you for your gallantry, de'
ton and good conduct. Every char
l have asked you to make, has he
brilliantly executed. Every poeitl
I have asked you to hold, has be
held until absolutely untenal
Your devotion to your country n
my heart with gratitude, you ha
done your full duty to your count
and to me ard have tried to do
full duty to you. Circumstant
have forced upon you many and sr'
deprivations. You have been depr
ed of the issues of clothing and ma
of the comforts and convenient
which other troops have enjoy
and have borne all without IN
muir.
Soldiers Of Kentucky, Tenness
Texas and Arkansas! you desei
special commendation for your sal
fees and fortitude. Separated II
your homes and families, you hf
nobly done al that gallant deyo'
men could do. Soldiers from
bama and Georgia! your homes +;
been nearly all overrun and destr