November 27, 1864
I think I will
occupy the remainder of this letter with an account of our picnic yesterday to
Butlerdom. The day was further remarkable for the departure of my dear General
Humphreys to take command of the 2d Army Corps. For Hancock has got a leave of
absence, and will doubtless be put to recruiting fresh troops, while it is
hoped that the President will permanently assign Humphreys to this Corps. He is
in high glee at going, and will be in despair if a big fight is not got up for
his special benefit. He was a great favorite and was escorted by some fifteen
mounted officers of the Staff to his new quarters, at which compliment I think
he was gratified. I regretted not to be with him, but had to go with the
General, who started by the mail train, at 8 A.M., to be early at Grant's
Headquarters, whence they were to start. We took our horses on a freight car.
In the train we found Generals Warren and Crawford, who were invited to be of
the party. Arrived at City Point, we discovered that the Lieutenant-General was
still in bed, whereat Meade did laugh, but the three stars soon appeared and
went to breakfast. After which meal, our horses were put on the boat and we put
ourselves on, and off we started. The party was a big one. There were Generals
Grant, Meade, Warren, Crawford and Ingalls, and several Staff officers. There
were then the bourgeois: to wit, a great many “Turkeys” (gentlemen who had come
down to distribute those Thanksgiving fowls); two men who wanted to sell a
steamer; one Senator, viz., Nesmith of Oregon, and one political blackguard named
H–––, whose special business was to praise a certain Greek fire, of which more
anon. This fellow's name is usually prefixed by “Pet.” He has wild hair and
beard and a face showing a certain ability; his distinguishing mark, I am told,
is the absence of any sort of morality or principle. With him was his son, a
small and old boy, of whom they said that, if papa could not get the best at a
game of poker, son would come in and assist. Senator Nesmith is a child of the
people, and was prepared for his congressional duties by a residence of
twenty-five years among the Indians. When he first got to Washington, he had
never before seen a railroad, a telegraph, or a gas-light. “Senator Fessenden
asked me what I thought of things. ‘Well,’ says I, ‘when I first came along I
was full of the dignity of the position to which I had been elected; but now
all I want to know is, who in thunder ever sent you fellers here!’” He has
plenty of brains, this same, but is a very coarse man. The “Turkeys” were of
various sorts: several of them were Club men, e.g., Mr. Benson, a
gentleman who seemed a middle-aged beau, with much politeness and no particular
brains. He kept bowing and smiling and backing into persons, and offering his
chair to everyone, from orderlies up to General Grant. He requested to know
whether in my opinion he could be properly considered as having been “under
fire; because,” said he, “I stood on the Avery house and could see the shells
explode in the air, you know!” All this motley crowd started at once for Deep Bottom;
nor should I omit to say that we had also on board a Secesh bishop — Leigh of
Georgia — who was going by flag of truce to Richmond. He had remained in
Atlanta, and Sherman had told him if he wished to get back, he must go via
Richmond. From him they got a good deal of entertaining conversation. His
opinion of Sherman was very high and complimentary. “The old Book tells us,” he
said, “that the race may not be to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, and
we feel that Providence will not desert our righteous cause.” “Yes,” said General
Meade, “but then we feel that Providence will not desert our cause;
now how are you going to settle that question?” Whereat they both laughed. The
bishop was a scholastic, quiet-looking man, and no great fire-eater, I fancy.
The boat made fast at Aiken's landing, halfway between Deep Bottom and Dutch
Gap. A Staff officer was there to receive us and conduct us, two miles, to
General Butler's Headquarters. Some rode and some were in ambulances. The James
Army people always take pretty good care of themselves, and here I found log
houses, with board roofs, and high chimneys, for the accommodation of the
gentlemen of the Staff. You might know it was Butler's Headquarters by the fact
that, instead of the common ensign, he had a captured Reb battle-flag stuck up!
This chieftain asked in the general officers and we were left to the care of
the Staff, who were not behindhand in their civility. . . . Presently Butler climbed on his horse
and led the way to see Fort Harrison, which was captured in the movements at
the end of September. It was well worth seeing, for on our side of the river we
have no hills: it is pretty much one plain with gullies. But here was a regular
hill, of some size, dominating the whole country about. How they took the place,
I hardly see, for the land is often for a mile in front of it, and the Rebs
had artillery in position and a regular infantry running quite to the river. .
. .
SOURCE: George R. Agassiz, Editor, Meade’s
Headquarters, 1863-1865: Letters of Colonel Theodore Lyman from the Wilderness
to Appomattox, p. 279-82
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