Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-06-09
Correspondence of the Journal.
THE GREAT REVIEW.

WASHINGTON, ID. G., May 81, 1865.
MY DEAR FRIENDs:-The Great Review" is
over, and we feel much relieved and take fresh
courage. On the morning of the 24th inst we
broke camp near Alexandra, and struck out for
the city of Washington with colors flying and
drums beating. We crossed Long Bridge about
ten clock formed in company front at the
foot of Maryland Avenue and proceeded towards
the Capitol to the tune of aAint you glad you
arc ont Of the Wilderness A few days before
the great event we read in the Chronicle how
the brave soldiers, and inferred there from that
the streets would be barricaded with soft bread,
cakes aud pies, and that chance would here
be given to roll sweet norsels under our tongues
Now the long and fatiguing marches had whit
tied off the last ounce of superfiuOus flesh from
our bones, and we were hungry and lantern
jawed, and in view of the suggestion in the
Chronicle of feeding the soldiers in the outside
streets of the city, my chum and had eaten
the last bit of ratOns in our larder for breakfast
| To appear as military as possible, we bad drawn
new clothes, and had drawn number boots.
| Mark how all this eOnspired to render US miser-
able. ''
The column moved down Pennsylvania Ave-
nue.. The streets were lined with gaping thous-
ands Handkerchiefs waved, hands were clap
| ped and-"the goose hung high" The solid
streets soon caused me to grOan iDwardly at the
smallness of my boots, or at the largeuess of my
feet. / became desperate and suggested that
I'd swap all the hand-clapping of Pennsylva-
MIA Avenue for one good, old-fashioned Dutch
apple pie. But the world wagged on, and we
reached the Presidents Mansion where on a
large platform, were congregated the President
| members of the Cabinet and the military celeb
rites. Here, at last, was some return for our
sacrifices, and | enjoyed the scene for about ten
minutes, while our brigade passed. In the
meantime pretending to blow my horn, in a
crowd of Sc "blow- -hards y
| Thence the column "fled right and stacked
arms on Massachusetts Avenue. NoEo for The
feast, / thought. But nary mouthful. Yes, a
Dutch woman opened window and passed out
some bread and butter looked up and ad-
vanced step but concluded that there was
about the same chance of getting piece OF
bread at that great hole as there is for some OF
our Quartermaster and Commissary men TO get
| to the kingdom of Heaven, and retreated to the
shade. l took my measure on the solid pave
ment, in soldier style, and while lying there il
a semi-conscious state, thinking that gratitude
i was not bread and butter, and that L d prefer
the present generation to furnish the bread anc
butter, and posterity TO furnish the gratitude,
number Of city dansels sailed by and one re
marked, Hes drunkP' Here was the unkind
est cut of all, and in the excitement of the mo
ment raised my head and asked, "How do yor
know SO much2
The army kept moving and by dark we wert
in camp some two miles north of the Capitol
This ended one of the most eventful days of my
life, and one that will ever be remembered al
an unfortunate one for me
We drew six days rations yesterday, and des
pite the rain are in good spirits. We are en-.
canned amid the laurel bushes which Just now
being in full bloom make the camp very at.
tractive. It has been raining almost incessant-
! ly for thirty six hours. The boys from Belle
vue are we'll have written the foregoing in
the smoke, but perhaps you can read it.
Yours HENRY HENNEY