Year: 1863




into the sea from various ports. And so con-
hoence IN lhe power of man alone was reStor
ed Evil minded. self seeking party loving men
appeared determined to thwart the design of
emancipation. Said cne of these leaders,
tell the President that aoithout are haze change
Of measures, so help me GOd me aoiN haze q
change OF men Without be responds to the
voice which has been sent from Ohio and
Pennsylvania and Indiana, and from glorious
New York without he hears and heeds, and
acts upon the potential voice of the people
thus expressed in thunder tones. that as Wash,
angton acas lite first President, abraham Lin,
calm as The last" This was responded to by
millions, for the state mentioned had wheeled
into the line OF opposition to the policy of
emancipation. Thus they signi6ed their re
turn to the road to ruin, and the promised pol,
icy seemed ready for utter defeat. So dan
gerous is it to put off doing right.


In this spirit, and with their fancied strength,
uniformly victorious leader led our forces
against the foe at Fredericksburg The fear
tuI result, SO keeuly felt by the nation, so bit
terly in the families of fifteen thousand men,
was hint of what would inevitably follow
movements founded on the policy which was
being dictated to the President


Still the people were not ready for final
commttal to the policy of justice and right
They determined to snatch victory at llst
moment, and so justify the non-issuing of the
proclamation of freedom on the ground that
there was no military necessity.


Sunday morning before the old year closed
the assault on Eickshnrg began, enough of it.
self to insure defeat. Monday the battle rag.
ed extremely sore Disastrous repulse follow
ed. Fags of truce were Gxco upon till the
enemy had time to strip the wounded and dead.
Tuesday it was fully seen that the cherished
object OF the West could not be achieved, and
thousands had been thrown away. Wednesday
opened with the defeat of Murfreesboro. The
right wing was utterly broken. Ammunition
trains and rations for the soldiers, defense and
strength, vas swept away from their very
rear, aud the road to Kentucky and Ohio was
well nigh opened. Night comes. storm is
on the water The pride of the nation astrug
giles with the waves. The most glorious ship
in history, and one of the chief supports of
our pride, strikes flag to Him who holds the
wnds in his fist. The last hour of the Old
year sees rebel steamers creeping down upon
our ships a Galveston and before the proc
lamaii0n was announced the whole force OF
men, ships, and armament is slaughtered. cap
tured blown up or scattered.


Was not the nation made ready to accept
G OBS plan Did the men pledge to anarchy
bv fearful imprecationS keep their VOWS p
Was not their wrath restrained


Finally the deed was done, Cons plan
adopted. The skies SO long utterly black over
the slave broke into light. and the playing
flames wrote freedom iii the sight Of all
PRAYER for success flooded upto heaven from
North and South. That very day, by the in
$piration of God and under the protection OF
his bnckier, RosencranS snatched victory from
defeat that very day the onset of rebels
across the Blackwater was repClSed that
very day Col Sullivan destroyed the command
OF the long sought Col. Forrest that very
day Col. Haskns defeated the ubiquitous
Morgan that very day Col. Phillips drove
the rebel Indians across the Arkansas and de-
stroytd Fort Smith that very day Hindman s
army in Arkansas was utterly dispersed.
Shall we learn aught? Shall we take Cons
path Of glory, or ours Of shame again 1t
will not be claimed that taking his path shall
save in every instance from defeat that all
possible iucapacity and designed treachery
SHALL be over ruled for our success. We eau
not claim that the motive Of this last step is
entirely acceptable, nor the limitations of the
plan according to his will but from bright
omens OF success we believe his grace will be
vouchsafed to help US, aud his wisdom to guide
TO a perfect result.