This morning we
received marching orders to Bailey's, to have a grand review of the whole army.
Very few had any confidence in that part of the order announcing the purpose—a
review. All believed it was to take Fairfax, and then perhaps to move forward
on Centreville and Manassas; but all were disappointed. It was a "Grand
review,”—a very grand one—such as I doubt whether this continent ever witnessed
before. It may never witness the like again.
There were about one
hundred thousand men in battle array; not in one long line stretching far
beyond the reach of vision, and leaving the imagination to picture what we
could not see, but all in sight at once, on an immense plain, in squares and
columns, marching and countermarching, charging and retreating. The President
was there; General McClellan and the Prince de Joinville were there; all the
elite were there. But to the poor soldiers it was a very hard day. They marched
heavy, with knapsacks and all the equipments of a soldier. They started early,
marched ten miles, were then several hours under review, and then marched back
to camp. Many gave out, and were left by the way side, to come up when they
can; the rest of us are back in camp to-night, worn out and heartily tired of
grand reviews. I hope that the crowding of my hospital is not to be one of the
result of the overwork.
SOURCE: Alfred L.
Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of
Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B.
McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day
January, 1863, pp. 55-6
