Headquarters, Army Of The Potomac
September 3,
1863
Behold me, installed in solemn state! having thus far lost
no limb. Betimes, at seven this morning, I was duly at the Alexandria ferryboat
with horses, Silas and Albert. Having shown my pass, I assured the worthy
corporal on guard that there was no liquor in the saddle-box, and was allowed
to go on board, and twenty minutes took us to Alexandria, a town in no wise
remarkable except for an antique pavement, much resembling that of Pompeii and
of the Via Appia at Rome, in respect to deep holes and ruts. Here I was driven
to the “Depot,” which consisted in one wooden counting-room, closely beset on
all sides by puffing engines and innumerable freight cars. Having, at great
risk, got into the shanty, I of course found a Marbleheader at the head of all
affairs, viz., Colonel Devereux. He received me with tenderness, my horses were
put in the best car and I was placed in a state chair until the train was
ready, when the conductor solemnly took me and placed me first in the only
passenger car. Shoulder-straps is shoulder-straps down here, and folks
is obleeged to stand round. The conductor (the dirtiest mortal I ever saw, but
extremely energetic and capable) said we should have no trouble with guerillas,
as they had a very nice colonel in command near there, who had taken the wise
precaution to seize the father and brother of the chief guerilla and then to
send a civil message to him stating that, if any trains were fired into, it
would be his (the Colonel's) painful duty to tie said relations on the track
and run an engine over them! This had an excellent effect. I have only time
to-night to say that we got down all safe. . . . You may rest easy on my account for the
present. There is about as much appearance of an enemy near at hand, as there
would be on Boston Common. The nearest of them (except a few guerillas) are
many miles from here.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Meade’s Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from
the Wilderness to Appomattox, p. 4
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