ARMY OF OCCUPATION,
WESTERN VIRGINIA,
Beverly, Va., July 16,
1861.
Soldiers of the Army
of the West!
I am more than satisfied with you.
You have annihilated two armies, commanded by educated and
experienced soldiers, intrenched in mountain fastnesses fortified at their
leisure. You have taken five guns, twelve colors, fifteen hundred stand of
arms, one thousand prisoners, including more than forty officers– one of the
two commanders of the rebels is a prisoner, the other lost his life on the
field of battle. You have killed more than two hundred and fifty of the enemy,
who has lost all his baggage and camp equipage. All this has been accomplished
with the loss of twenty brave men killed and sixty wounded on your part.
You have proved that Union men, fighting for the
preservation of our Government, are more than a match for our misguided and
erring brethren; more than this, you have shown mercy to the vanquished. You
have made long and arduous marches, often with insufficient food, frequently
exposed to the inclemency of the weather. I have not hesitated to demand this
of you, feeling that I could rely on your endurance, patriotism, and courage.
In the future I may have still greater demands to make upon
you, still greater sacrifices for you to offer. It shall be my care to provide
for you to the extent of my ability; but I know now that by your valor and
endurance you will accomplish all that is asked.
Soldiers! I have confidence in you, and I trust you have
learned to confide in me. Remember that discipline and subordination are qualities
of equal value with courage.
I am proud to say that you have gained the highest reward that
American troops can receive – the thanks of Congress and the applause of your
fellow-citizens.
GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, U. S.
Army, Commanding.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
2 (Serial No. 2), p. 236
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