October 2, 1864
. . . The
Washington boat was much in the style of the other — rather worse and more
crowded, people and freight similar. There were more Christian Commissioners,
who were joined by those who had come with me. The funniest people you ever
saw! Their great and overshadowing anxiety was dinner; that was the
thing. Accordingly they had deputed the youngest — a divinity student, and
supposed to be a terribly sharp fellow — to lie in wait at sundry times and
secure tickets for the meal. “I have arranged it all with the steward; we shall
sit together,” said this foxy one. Long before the hour, they all went down and
stood against the door, like the queue at a French theatre. One of them came
up, a little after, wiping his mouth; and asked me with surprising suddenness,
if I “was on the side of the Lord.” They were mostly Methodists, and of course
very pious. One of the soldiers on the lower deck, suddenly cried out: “Oh, H---!”
upon which a Christian Commissioner said: “Mr. Smith, did you think to bring a
bundle of the tracts on swearing?” I told him I hoped he had brought a good
many, and of several kinds, as there was a wide field in the army. All of which
reminds me of an anecdote. A group of these gentlemen, going on foot and with
their carpet-bags towards the front, were addressed by a veteran with “Hullo!
got any lemons to sell?” “No, my friend, we belong to the army of the Lord.”
Veteran, with deep scorn: “Oh, ye—es; stragglers! stragglers!” I respect these
Christian Commissioners, though they are somewhat silly often. Some of them had
come all the way from Wisconsin. I arrived in camp somewhat after dark and was
tenderly welcomed by all, from the General down. Barstow and Humphreys were
highly pleased with their gifts. To-day a curious thing occurred. While I was
away, looking for a place for the new camp, General Meade rode out with the
Staff. There came a conical shell, which shaved a patch of hair off the tail of
General Humphrey's horse, scraped the leg of General Meade's boot, passed
between General Ricketts and Griffin who were standing within a foot of each
other, and buried itself in the ground, covering several officers with sand and
dirt. Four Generals just escaping by a turn of the head, so to speak! I got
this shell and shall send it home as a great curiosity.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 231-2
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