Headquarters Army Op Potomac
February 12,
1864
In this epistle I shall describe to you the whirl of
fashion, the galaxy of female beauty, the grouping of manly grace. Behold, I
have plunged into the wild dissipation of a military dinner-party. The day
before yesterday, there appeared a mysterious orderly, with a missive from
Colonel Hayes (my classmate) saying that he should next day entertain a select
circle at dinner at five of the clock, and wouldn't I come and stay over night.
To which I returned answer that I should give myself that pleasure. The gallant
Colonel, who commands the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Corps, has his
Headquarters on the north side of the river, about half a mile from
Rappahannock station. At 4 P.M. I was ready, very lovely to look on, with full
tog and sash, neatly finished by white cotton gloves and my thick laced shoes.
With great slowness did I wend on my sable mare, for fear of splashing myself
in a run or a puddle. On the other side of the pontoon bridge I fell in with
Lieutenant Appleton wending the same way — he splashed his trousers in Tin Pot
Run, poor boy! The quarters were not far, and were elegantly surrounded by a
hedge of evergreen, and with a triumphal arch from which did float the Brigade
flag. Friend Hayes has an elegant log hut, papered with real wall-paper, and
having the roof ornamented with a large garrison flag. The fireplace presented
a beautiful arch, which puzzled me a good deal, till I found it was made by
taking an old iron cog-wheel, found at the mill on the river, and cutting the
same in two. Already the punctual General Sykes, Commander of the Corps, was
there, with Mrs. S., a very nice lady, in quite a blue silk dress. . . . Also several other officers' wives, of
sundry ages, and in various dresses. Then we marched in and took our seats, I
near the head and between Mrs. Lieutenant Snyder and Mrs. Dr. Holbrook. Next on
the left was General Bartlett, in high boots and brass spurs. There must have
been some twenty-four persons, in all. The table ran the length of two hospital
tents, ingeniously floored with spare boards from the pontoon-train and
ornamented with flags and greens. The chandeliers were ingeniously composed of
bayonets, and all was very military. Oyster soup had we; fish, biled mutting,
roast beef, roast turkey, pies, and nuts and raisins; while the band did play
outside. General Sykes, usually exceeding stern, became very gracious and
deigned to laugh, when one of his captains said: “He was the mildest-mannered
man that ever cut a throat or scuttled ship.”
After dinner, songs were encouraged, and General Sykes told
two of his Staff, if they didn't sing immediately, he would send them home at
once! I sang two comic songs, with immense success, and all was festive. I
passed the night there, and took breakfast this morning, when Albert came down
with the horses. Joe Hayes is a singular instance of a man falling into his
right notch. In college he was not good at his studies at all; but, as an
officer, he is remarkable, and has a reputation all through the Corps. Though
only a colonel, he was entrusted, at Mine Run, with bringing off the picket
line, consisting of 4000 men, which he did admirably. . . .
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 71-3
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