Year: 1862




We have been called to bear reverse and a
disaster. Fort Henry and Roanoke Island have
fallen before tbe gunboats Of the enemy We
have sustained heavy loss in munitions Of war,
our country has been deprived Of the services OF
several thousand Of her best disciplined and
bTavest soldiers, and parents and wives weep in
the bitterness Of griet over those who will never
l'sgain bless them with their smiles The enemy
pushes on, flushed with victory, to win more tri-
umphs, aud cause other hearts to bleed


We fsel these Teverses. We acknowledge them
openly. We would rather overTate than under
rate their Importance aud magnitude Truth
demands that We chronicle the battles and their
results, Withholding nothing, cOncealDg nothing
The narratives Of those unequal contests should
BE- as full, IS minute and particular as we would
ike TO Rave them bad they ended 10 the dis.
grace and discontinue Of our enemies, and IN
increasing the glory that covers our arms Far
be It from Us to initiate the cOWardice and mean
ness of our foes by claiming victory when we
know we have sustained defeat by inYenting
falsehoodS, under the fear that an honest and
correct account viii have harmful effect upon
the minds Of our people This would be sin
against God, and an insult to the men and
omen Of these Confederate States.


A resolve as firm as that which sustains and
sctuates our hearts, is not to be shaken by a



those we are called upon to bear Our faith in
the final and complete success Of the cause, rests
upon the CONSCIOUSNESS of superiority to our foes
in al the attributes and qualities Of the soldier,
IN the nature Of the great work we are doing, in
the signal tokens Of favor and approval, which
hesven has deigned 70 vouehsafe We are per
suaded that our people viii display the right
spirit under these discomftures, that they will
look these disasters in the face with clear IN
daunted gaze and contemplating them with all
their probable Consequences. grow the stronger
the more determined, the brsver for the defeats
and the menscing dangers


Thank God these calamities are not stained
with dish0nOr. They come upon Us without
the added weight OF eOwardics and treachery
Those who come after US will not blush when
they read of them in his cry The noble men
who fell have gone down to honored graves, and
their rames have become heritage of glory,
and those who survive are cheered BY the '4well
done Of their country.


These reverses serve to show Us the necessity
of greater watehfulness and increased zeal
They appeal with trumpettOnes to every free
man in these regenesate and disenthralled States,
caling upon every one TO come up to the support
Of the glorious cause Our foes aim at our sub
jugatiOn, and if they cannot conQuer as they
wiz pnt forth all their skin and power 70 ruin AM
destroy US. In sndeGvoring to accomplish our
subjugstion they have inflicted on themselves
terrible evils Bankruptcy threatens their gov
ernment, their merchant princes are reduced 70
want, cloud rests upon their glory, the sceptIe
has fallen nom their grasp They lay the bis me
of the evils they are suffering under Of the -
gradstion they have been forced to submit 10,
upon us, and all these things have intensified
their bitter hatred and made them the more
determined TO accomplish their base and wicked
purpose.


Their overweening vanity IS unspeakablY De
lighted at the successes won by their gonboats
audswolien with arrogance aud mad with wrath,
they viii now put forth all their strength. They
already rejoice in the anticipation of success
They shake one anOtheI's hands on the street and
exchange congratulations on the speedy Testo-
ration Of the Union. In their Judgment the
struggle is almost over, and the future viii pre-
sent a series of victories for their arms. We
must meet our foes, resolved to conquer or die
We sre brothers. and wiping out all State hines
we must realize shat we are one. We are men
aced by q common danger we share disgrace
and glory. he who refuses 20 fight is a coward.
he who s0ws discOrd is an enemy. Let Us re-
frain from fault finding and accusations Let
US learn the lessons our reveTses teach US, maxi
a wise use Of past erTors and shortcomings, and
not waste time AID embitter feelings BY harsh
charges and unayailing eensures.


Il were idse 20 expect to gain every battle
We should be prepared for TeyeTses. II is NOT
victories that deveOpe the character and power
of people the noblest quslities Of manhood
are called into exercise by disaster and suffer.
ing. II we we're cast down BY these calsnities,
we would show ourselves unworthy of the cause
IN which we are engaged, and unequal 70 It's ac-
complishnent With hope unclouded, with
couHdence unshaksn, with courage strong,
annointed afTesh for the great work heaven has
commissioned US to perform, let US grid up the
loins OF our minds and strike with fercer
strength, and suffer with higher heroisn}.