The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-10-11


view witnessed the banner presentation, heard
the loud huzzas to defend it till death, listen
ed to the soul-thrilling music of the band
watched the long and winding train till it
vanished in the distant. and returned to their
homes, to think of those that have gone
and mediate upon the events of the day.
They have had one little glance of the ma
chinery of war-as traveller riding past a
mandatory sees single pulley or spindle
through an open window-not the ten thous,
and wheels, belts, rachets, spindles, shafts,
drums. fingers of steel and nerves of brass
and iron, and the mighty wheel which gives
motion to all-so they have not the great
complicated, far-reaching, all-powertul ma.
chinery of war.
Having been on famillar terms with The
Journal readers for several months, and hay.
ing, through the courtesy Of Gen Mcclellan,
privileges for seeing all that there is to be
seen in the organization of the immense ar
my now upon the Potomac, let me, at the
risk of being tedious, give sort of Stereo-
scopic view of this great power, brought into
existence to perpetuate Republican institu-
tons. AS admiring visitors 60 down into
the basement of The Jounai building to see
the wonderful mechanism throwing off its
twenty thousand sheets an hour, as they see
only wheels within wheels, springs, cams and
flies Of the clanking press, so can only take
them rapidly through portion of the great
tented forest and fields, and give them little
glimpses, which put all together, may aid
them in their conceptions.
If we all could make a balloon excursion
with Mr. Lowe, We should see all around the
city, along the Potomac on both sides, from
Alexandria to Chain Bridge, the white tents
OF the regiments in open plain, some
halt hid by the forest trees, and some We
should not see, covered as they are by thick
woods-which would appear like little subur
ban villages and houses from our aerial posi-
ton. Looking away to the north west
through the clear September air, with pow
erful lass. We might catch a glimpse of tn,
white specs do,ting the blue hills toward
llarper's Ferry, the right wing of the army
of the Potomac, under General Banks. Twill
not venture a guess. neither statement. as
to the military population of this great can
vas city, for General Beauregard might de-
rive some benefit from the information. The
regiment o. a thousand men which vour read
ers saw the other da. departing for the war,
as it moved by companies in review, march
ing SO steadily with even ranks, seemed Il
great body of men, but what if they should
multiply the number by one hundred. or one
hundred and fifty, or even by two hundred
then they would not make the picture com
plete, for there is artillery and cavalry. and
the countless wagons.
knowing pretty nearly how many men
there are here, also the number of batteries
and squadrons of cavalry. and the number O!
wagons needed to transport the camp equi-
page and supplies, have calculated the dis
tance which would be occupied by this army
on line of march Ihave noticed how much
space is taken up by troops. by wagons. by
cavalry and artillery that Tie JommM read
ers might obtain a comparative estimate
Men marching in files are usually a lttl.
more than three feet apart horses whether
cavalry or artillery, need twelve feet way
or in a train with four horses occupies fifty
feet. Now if the army of the Potomac was
in line, moving on a narrow road, with cav
airy four abreast and men in files of four
accompanied by all the wagons and ambu
lances and ammunition trains, It would reach
/ from Hosto" to Hnttord-not far from one
hunlred mI.fdy mites!