July 22, 1864
I had one of the most amusing excursions that I have had
during the campaign — really quite a picnic. Colonel de Chanal, Rosy, and
myself made the party. The distance to Butler's Headquarters, whither we were
bound, is about eight miles, and the road all the way was either through the
woods or shaded by trees, and the dust had not yet had time to show its head after
the rain. It was a new part of the country to me and very interesting. We
struck the Appomattox at the Point of Rocks, where the river appears double by
reason of a long, swampy island in the middle. The width, between the two
steep, high, gravelly banks, cannot be less than 350 yards. Here is a pontoon
bridge, and, near each end of it, on the top of the bank, a fort for its
defence. Below it, too, lies a gunboat. Crossing this, we soon came to the
Great Ben's, who received us very hospitably, and exhibited a torpedo and a
variety of new projectiles, the virtues of which in the destruction of the
human race I explained in pure Gallic to the Colonel. During dinner he said to
me: “They spoiled a good mechanic when they made me a lawyer, and a good lawyer
when they made me general.” He delivered a long exposition (which I translated)
on the virtues of a huge powderboat, which he would explode between
Moultrie and Sumter, by clockwork, and not only flatten both forts, but
Charleston into the bargain! De Chanal replied (citing examples) that no such
result would follow and that the effect would be limited to a very small
radius. “No effect!” cried B., suddenly bursting into French, "mais pourquoi
non?” “Ah,” said
De C, with his sharp French eye, “mais pourquoi si?” . . .
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 193-4
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