August 12, 1864
I did not yet
mention that I had seen Colonel Thomas, who commands a negro brigade. A
singular thing happened to him. He went out during the truce to superintend,
and, when the truce was over, he undertook to return to the works, but took a
wrong turn, passed inside the Rebel picket line, and was seized. He told them
they had no right to take him, but they could not see it and marched him off.
But he appealed to the commanding General who, after eighteen hours, ordered
him set free. He was in and about Petersburg and told me the flower-patches
were nicely cultivated in front of the houses, the canary birds were hung in
cages before the doors, and everything looked as if the inhabitants meant to
enjoy their property during their lives and hand it quietly down to their
children. Little damage seemed to have been done by our shells, which I was
glad to hear, for I hate this business of house-burning. Next time, I fancy the
warlike Thomas will make no mistakes about turns.
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 211
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