H®AD QUARTERS, 2A. CORPS.
ARMY "T>F THE MISSISSIPPI,
Cotfpff), 9YTi33-y J865>.
Soldiers :
You are again about to encounter the mereeaary invader who
pollutes the sacred soil of our beloied country. Severely punished by
you, and driven from his chosen positions, with a loss of his artillery
and his honor at Shiloh, when double your numbers, he now ap¬
proaches cautiously and timidly—Unwilling to advance, unahje to re¬
treat. Could his rank and hie enjoy a freeman's right, not
one would remain within our limits; but they are goaded on under a
tyrants lash by desperate leaders, whose only safety lies in success.
Such a foe'ought never to qonquer freemen, battling upon their
Own soil.
You will encounter him in your chosen position, strong by nature
and improved by art,'—awav from his main support and reliance—
gun-boats and heavy batteries, and, for the first time in this war, with
nearly equal numbers. The slight reverses we have met on the sea¬
board, have worked us good a§ well as evil;— the brave troops, so
long retained there, have hastened to swell your uumbers, whilst the
gallant YanDorn and invincible Price, with the ever successful " army
of the West," are4 now in your midst with numbers almost equalling
the " army of Shiloh." We have then but to strike and destroy, and
as. the enemy's whole resources are concentrated here, we shall not
only redeem Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri at one blow, but open
the portals of the whole North West.
BRAXTON BR AGO,
— OFFICIAL— GEN'L. COMD'G. 2D. Corps.
.*
Afy't. General,
\