Year: 1863




SOLDIERS: A grateful country has recognized
your arduous service, and rejoiced over your glo
rious victory on the field of Chickamauga When
your countrymen shall more fully learn the ad
verse circumstances under which you attacked the
enemy, though they cannot be more thankful, they
may admire more the gallantry and patriotic de-
votion which secured your success. Represents
tives of every State in the Confederacy your steps
have been followed with afectionafe soleitude by
friends in every part of the Confederacy Defen-
ders of the heart of our territory your movements
have been the object of intensest anxiety, The
hopes of our-cause greatly depend upon you, and
happy it is that all securely rely upon your
achieving whatever, under the blessing Of Proyi-
dence, human power can effect Though you have
done much, very much yet remains to be DONE
Behind you is people providing for your support
and depending upon you for protection. Before
you is country devastated by your ruthless inva-
der, where gentle woman, feeble age and helpless
infancy have been subjected to outrages without
parallel in the warfare of civilized nations.


With eager eyes they watch for your coming to
THEN deliyerance, and the homeless refugee pines
for the hour when your victorious shall restore
his family to the shelter from which they have
been driven. Forced to take up arms to vindicate
the political rights, tire freedom, equality and State
sovereignty, which were the heritage purchased
by the blood of your revolutionary sres, you have
but the alternative of slavsh submission TO despot-
ic usurpation, or the independence which yigor-
Gus, united, persistent effort will secure. All
which fires the manly breast nerves the patriot
and exalts the hero, is present to stimulate and
sustain you. Nobly have you redeemed the
pledges e wen in the name of freedom, to the
memory of your ancestors, and the rights of your
posterity.


That you may complete the mission to which
you devoted, will require Of you such exertion
in the future you have made in the past /; con-
tinnance in the patient endurance Of toll and dan
ger, and that selfdenial which rejects every con-
sideration variance with the public service, as
unworthy of the holy cause in which you are en-.
gagged.


When the war shall have ended, the highest
need of praise will be DUE and probably given, to
him who has claimed least for himself in proper
ton to the service he has rendered. and the bitter
est selfreproach which may hereafter haunt the
Of any one, will be to him who has allowed
selfish aspiration to prevail over desire for the
public good.


United as you are in common destiny obedi-
ence and cordial cooperation are essentially neces-
sary, and there is no higher duty than that which
requires each to render to all what is due to their
station. He who sows the seeds of discomfort and
distrus prepares for the harvest of slaughter and
defeat. To zeal you have added gallantry, to gal
lantry energy, to energy forsitude Crown these
with harmony, due subordination, and cheerful
support of lawful authority, that the measure of
your duty may be full I tervently hope that the
ferocious war SO unjusty waged against our coun-
try may soon be ended; that with the blessing of
peace you may be restored to your homes and the
useful pursuits, and pray that our Hevenly Fa-
ther may coter you with the shield of His protec-
tion in the hours of battle, and endow you with
the virtues which will close your trials in victory
complete.


(Signed) JEFFERSON DAVIS.