156A. CONFEDERATE BROADSIDE OFFERS AMNESTY TO DESERTERS Excessively rare printed broadside, 8 3/4" x 10 1/2", "Headquarters, Demopolis [Alabama], April 16, 1864, signed at bottom in type by Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk almost exactly two months before his death in combat at Pine Mountain. This broadside, one of but three such examples we know to exist, is headed: "A PROCLAMATION  TO ALL SOLDIERS IN THIS DEPARTMENT ABSENT FROM THEIR COMMANDS WITHOUT LEAVE". It reads in part: "...a large number of men...in a moment of weakness were induced to abandon their duty and desert their colors, [and] have seen reason bitterly to regret their want of fidelity and are anxious to return....many of these men...never saw the act of pardon offered by his Excellency, the President...they would now gladly return, but for fear of punishment due their offenses...The Lieutenant-General Commanding...offers a pardon to all soldiers of this Department absent from their commands (including exchanged and paroled prisoners), who shall within ten days...report for duty to their respective commands...[up to] the 20th of May next...it shall not extend to any person who may have joined the enemy...[or] any commissioned officer who may have deserted...The Lieutenant-General Commanding desires to add the expression of hope that this last opportunity now presented for wiping out the disgrace which attaches to the characters of these men, and which must follow and brand their posterity after them, will be availed of and by them. And that he will thus be relieved from the painful duty of making examples of those who...have rendered the property and lives of peaceable citizens insecure..." Light toning near bottom of text, else quite clean and bright and overall very good to fine. At this point in the war, many Confederate soldiers were beginning to despair of victory, returning home to care for their families and farms after four years of neglect.   $3,000- 4000