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passing, nothing but batteries – (it seemed as if all the cannon in the world were here) – then great battalions of blacks, with axes & shovels & pick axes, (real southern darkies, black as tar) – then again hour after hour the old infantry regiments, the men all sunburnt – nearly every one with some old tatter all in shreds, (that had been a costly & beautiful flag) – the great drum corps of sixty or eighty drummers massed at the heads of the brigades, playing away – now and then a fine brass band – but oftener nothing but the drums & whistling fifes – but they sounded very lively – (perhaps a band of sixty drums & fifteen or twenty fifes playing “Lannigan’s ball”) – the different corps banners, the generals with their staffs &c – the Western Army, led by Gen. Sherman, (old Bill, the soldiers all call him) – well, dear mother, that is a brief sketch, give you some idea of the great panorama of the Armies that have been passing through here the last two days. I saw the president several times, stood close by him, & took a good look at him – & like his expression much – he is very plain and substantial – it seemed wonderful that just that plain middling-sized ordinary man, dressed in black, without the least badge or ornament, should be the master of all these myriads of soldiers, the best that ever trod the earth, with forty or fifty Major-Generals, around him or riding by, with their broad yellow-satin belts around their waists – and of all the artillery & cavalry – to say nothing of all the Forts & Ships, &c, &c. |
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