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Show 88 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP • .retire, who$ dissatisfaction proceeds from cause;; tht\t Til. cannot be controlled. This peqnis;;iqn will now qe ~given. Your cquntry will dbpense with yo\lr services, if you have no )onge; a reg¥d for that fatl)e, which you have so npbly earned for yourselves and her. V es, soldiers, you who were once so brave, and to whom .honour was so dear, shall be permitted to return to .yo~r homes, if you still desire it. But in. what il!n· guage, when you arrive, will you address your fami:lies and friends? Will you tell them that you abandO[I· ed your general, and your late associates in arms, within fifty miles of a ~wage en~my; who equally qelights in shedding the blood of the innocent female and her .sleepil)g babe, as that of the warrior contending in battle? Lamentable, disgraceful tale ! If your dispositions are really changed; if you fear an enemy you so _lately conquered ; this day will prove. it. I now put it to yourselves ;--determine upon the part you will act, influenced only by the suggestions of yPUr own hearts, and your own understandings. All who prefer an inglorious retirement, shall be ordered to Nashville, to be discharged, as the president or the governor may direct. Who choose to remain, and unite with their general, in the further prosecution of the campaign, can do so, and will thereby furnish a proof, that they have been greatly traduced; and that although disaffection and cowardice has reached the hearts of some, it has not reached theirs. To such my assurance is given, that former irregularities will not be attributed to them. They shall be immediately organ· ized into a separate corps, under officers of their own choice ; and in a little while, it is confidently believed, LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. an opportunity will be afforded of adding to the laurels CHAP. you have already won." III. This appeal failed of the desired effect. Captain Williamson alone agreed to remain. Finding that their determination to abandon the service could not be changed, and that every principle of patriotism was forgott~, the general communicated his order to general Hall, directing him to march his brigade to Nashville, and await such instructions as he might receive from the president, or the governor of Tennessee. ~ General Cocke had arrived on the 12th, with fifteen hundred men; but it was found from his repmt, that :;~~;jg.f no part of his troops were brought into the field under Cocke. the requisition of the president of the United States; and that the term of .service of a greater part of them would expire in a few days; and of tl1e whole in a few ' weeks. In consequence of this, he was ordered into his district, to comply with that requisition, and to carry with him and discharge near their homes tl1ose of his troops, the period of whose service w~ within a short time of being ended. The reason· of this was explained in an address to the brigade, in which tJ1ey were entreated, when they should have obtained the necessaries which a winter's campaign would require: to return into the field, and aid in completing what had been so s_uccessfu~ly begun. Colonel Lilliard's regiment, wh1ch consisted of about eight hundred and whose term of service would not expire in le~ than four weeks, was retained, to assist in defending the present post, and. in keeping open the communication M |