Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-08
FROM WASHING TON.
WASHINGTON, June 2, 1865.

No one man could have seen all there was to be
seen at the great review at Washington, on the 23d
and oath ult No one man could have noticed all
that he did with sufficient particularly to give
an intelligent description of what he saw. No two
men standing together, and seeing the same thing,
or things, would look at them alike or describe
them in the same way.
Hence, Mr. Editor, intend to state to your
readers some of the things that l saw and heard,
trusting that shall not trench upon your prerog
ative as the editor, who was on the ground and
prepared to give a far more graphic description
than | can. / will omit all personal matters and
references and not trouble the readers with telling
them how | could not find place ON the floors of
the hotels to sleep, nor how paid three dollars
night for bed hard floor, nor how it took me
three hours to get my breakfast all these details
will be of no interest to them.
The first thing that attracted my attention after
the several officers had taken their places on the
stand to review the troops they passed
horse and his rider dashing with fearful velocity
up the avenue, the horse was powerful animal
and was evidently badly frightened he was foam
ing and plunging and jumping as though deterlnin-
ed to unhorse his rider, who swordless and
hatless with one foot out of the stirrup and doing
his utmost to sustain his position upon the saddle
and check the speed of his charger, he a small
man. with light yellow hair that hung in long curls
upon his shoulders, i'll ordinary times, but now it
was streaming i'll the wind. All were excited and
few knew who it L expected every second to
see him and his horse dashed to pieces. Soon how
ever three cheers rent the air for General CUSTER,
the celebrated cavalry officer whose le9ions had
sent trembling among the rebels many times
Soon he succeeded in stopping his horse he rode
back, got his hat and sword, and placed himself at
the head of his column where he received with
loud cheers by his brave rough riders and rode
proudly up to, and past the stand upon which were
seated Generals GRANT, SHERMAN, MEADE, LOGAN,
and several other high military dignitaries, the
President and his Cabinet. except Secretary SEW
ARD the foreign ministers, and several private cit
liens of note.
After CUSTER and his staff, came the cavalry of
the Army of the Potomac riding twelve abreast
with each division and brigade and regiment head
ed by its respective commanders. After the cav
airy came the artillery laundering along with their
big guns and FIVE wheeled cassions. The indentl-
cal guns that sent death i'll to the ranks of j. DAVIS
l. Co.. and by their forcible knock-down argu-
ments brought about peace much quicker than
would the trainers of the Chicago Platform. Fre-
quent shouts and hurrahs would be started away
back i'll the immense thronS and appear to run
along the avenue until ten thousand voices were
cheering the noble, brave men, and the constant
waving of handIerchiefs and hats kept the horses
of tie officers on the nettle, not unfrequenty max
ing them unmanageable.
As the rumbling of the heavy artillery died away,
the commander of the infantry brought up the leg
ions belonging to that of our forces, and for
three long hours did those sturdy sun-embrowned
warriors march proudly past the stand where sat
their beloved leader to watch their every step, each
field officer saluted those seated upon the stand
and was saluted i'll return.
At about three p. m the last company had been
reviewed and the officers left the stand. As Gen
eral GRANT came down to take his carriage, the
soldiers standing along the walks together with
the citizens made rush toward him with deter
mnaton to get hold of his hand at least, and If
possible to bear him off upon their shoulders 1t
was feared at time that he would be crushed
to death by the crowd but by dint OF ofperseverance
on the part of the guard and the determination of
the general he succeeded III reaching the carriage
and was rapidly driven from the ground
On Wednesday. the 24th, took my stand on the
curb stone the Capitol intending, if possible,
to see all of SHERNrAN's army as it passed. had
seen the officers the day previous, now desired to
see the soldiers and converse with them if an OPP
portunity should occur, so with good field glass
[ planted myself by tree where could stand up
ON the stones and see the whole line from the Cap
io to the Treasury building the distance of about
a mile. At precisely nine IL. m the signal gun was
fired and before the sound reached the crowd by
the stands i'll front of the white house, Generals
SHERMAN and HOWARD each accompanied by his
staff wheeled into Pennsylvania Avenue and rode
slowly along past the crowds upon each side, while
the hurrahs literally rent the air. All were mount
ed upon the same horses that had borne them
faithfully from Atlanta to Goldsboro. These
steeds seemed to enjoy the scene and the crcum-
stances, they pranced as proudly as though they
knew that they We're kings, and yet gently
though they were aware that they were bearing up
on their backs the idols of a nation.
The Generals and their staff looked bronzed and
hardened by exposure and labor, still they appear
ed happy, happy for themselves and their country.
About twenty rods behind the officers followed the
soldiers, first the pioneer company, generally about
half blacks, with their picks, axes, and shoYels,
then came the infantry twenty abreast in one con-
tinuous column for about an hour, after which the
jack and packed mules appeared these created
great cheering Each mule was led by a negro
and i'll each company there probably from
twenty to forty loaded with the camp furniture and
blankets, haversacks, shovels, axes, hoes punches
of hay, oats, blacksmith tools, in fact everything
i'll the way of baggage that the army wanted, or
had at least, on top of the loading fowls cats
dogs, racoons and even goats behind this COM
pany, in some cases, there was II COW led by a
black boy These were followed by the rumbling
artillery three abreast
For six hours did this tide of officers, soldiers,
horses, mules, ambulances, cannons caissons, flow
on through Pennsylvania Avenue to the Treasury
Department, thence past the stand where the mil
itary and civil officers seated to review them
Each brigade was headed by band of musicians,
or company of drummers and flies who dscours-
ed from their varied instruments either sweet or
soul stirring music The officers and priyates in
SHERNIAN's army are general thing larger men
than of MEADE's army, and fewer boys among
them. They marched with such exactness and
precision that the tramp of all that could be heard
at one standing place, sounded like the coming
down to the ground of one immensely large foot,