Friday, February 26, 2016

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, April 12, 1865

We started at 8 a. m. and marched five miles, all the way through one continuous swamp. News came to us this forenoon that General Lee had surrendered his entire army to General Grant. It was glorious news. We forgot all about our hard marching, and the whole brigade commenced singing songs — “John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, As we go marching on!”

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 267-8

No comments: