Gilpin observer., 1906-02-08

face and awkward horsemanship con.
stituted the chief attraction to that
seasoned army. The music by the
bands and the glad shouts of the SOL
diers when the review was over, and
the blow ride of the President and
those with him back to headquarters
were features of that review. l can
never forget them.
The Burnside Mud March.
at was after the Burnside battle and
Union defeat at Fredericksburg, and
the Burnside Mud March that Presi
dent Lincoln visited the army and
again reviewed the troops. This was
in April, 1868, not long before the
disastrous Charlottesville campaign
This seems to have been one of the
pleasantest-for the president and the
soidiers-of the visits Mr.. Lincoln
made during the war. There were sew
eral receptions to the president and
those who accompanied him. The
army had been greatly reinforced.
Fighting Joe Hooker had recently been
placed in command, rations and cloth
ing had been improved and the tenn
per anc spirit of the troops were as
good as at any time during the war.
That visit was holiday for all. The
bands seemed to play better, their
selections were more appropriate and
the cheers of the army had an extra
ring of earnestness and confidence.
Whenever he appeared on that visit
he seemed more like a man enjoying
himself than upon any previous or sub
seqeunt visit. After the review he said
to Gen. Hooker, among other things:
This atmy of yours, general, could be
depended upon to fight and win vic
tory over any army of equal number
in the world, outside of our own coun-
try. Do you think it capable of meet
ing and defeating Gen. Lee and his
army of fighting Americans?"
"Hooker's reply was, I will answer
that question within a month. Mr..
President
The question was never answered.
Hooker began his campaign in the
spring of 1863 under most favorable
circumstances with an army full of
hope, fight and confidence, but dire
disaster came suddenly, like flash.
when Stonewall Jackson, the only one
of his kind the world has produced,
flew at the right of the Union army
and broke the line.
"Hooker's defeat in that campaign
was most disheartening to his SOL
diers. for they all felt that a victory
could have been won. Who douhss
that Grant. a Thomas, a Sherman, a
McphnrSnYr n ny. Shnri6on would have
won a great victory at Chancellors-
Vile?
The fourth review took place near
Petersburg the 25th of March, 1865.
The president. Gen. Sherman and Gen.
Meade were with Gen. Grant at City
Point on the James river, twelve miles
from Petersburg. That morning Gen.
Gordon of the Confederate army had
taken Fort Steadman and large num-
her of Union prisoners, but the Union
army had rallied and driven them
back. capturing 5000 of Gordons SOL
ders.
There was firing along the line for
three or four miles when President
Lincoln and number of distinguished
generals came up from City Point to
the Fifth. was the first to be reviewed.
1t was on this trip, when he was pass
ing the Confederate prisoners just
taken. that Lincoln made one q his
quaint remarks that greatly pleased
the soldiers. Among the Confederate
prisoners was a large number of col
ored men, servants. hostlers and
cooks. The late Gen.. Ruggles said.
Mr.. President, here are the prisoners
our people captured this morning.
Yes. there they are, in black and
white: there is no disputing of that
The reviewing party reached our
corps short time before sundown.
There was no time for the troops to
pass the president so he simply drove
down the line and closer to the men
than usual, something for which the
soldiers were very grateful. If they