e fell into position, a series of blue
blocks, and then on down to the far left, block after block, came upon
the line with unerring order and precision, as though it were a long
curling whiplash straightening itself out to the tension of a giant
hand. And so with each of the other two lines. All were formed
simultaneously. Here was not only perfection of military evolution, but
the poetry of rhythmic movement. The three lines were all formed within
twenty minutes, ready for the reviewing officers.

Almost immediately the blare of the trumpets announced the approach of
the latter, and the tall form of the President was seen, accompanied by
a large retinue, galloping down the first line. Our division was formed,
as I recollect, in the first line, about three hundred yards from the
right. The President was mounted on a large, handsome horse, and as he
drew near I saw that immediately on his right rode his son, Robert
Lincoln, then a bright-looking lad of fourteen to fifteen years, and
little "Tad" Lincoln, the idol of his father, was on his left. The
latter could not have been more than seven or eight years old. He was
mounted on a large horse, and his little feet seemed to stick almost
straight out from the saddle. He was round and pudgy, and his jolly
little body bobbed up and down like a ball under the stiff canter of his
horse. I wondered how he maintained his seat, but he was really a better
horseman than his father, for just before reaching our regiment there
was a little summer stream ravine, probably a couple of yards wide, that
had to be jumped. The horses took it all right, but the President landed
on the other side with a terrific jounce, being almost unseated. The
boys went over flying, little "Tad" in high glee, like a monkey on a
mustang.

Of course, a mighty cheer greeted the President as he galloped down the
long line. There was something indescribably weird about that huzzah
from the throats of these thousands of men, first full, sonorous, and
thrilling, and then as it rolled down that attenuated line gradually
fading into a minor strain until it was lost in the distance, only to
reappear as the cavalcade returned in front of the second line, first
the faintest note of a violin, then rapidly swelling into the full
volume, to again die away and for the third time reappear and die away
as the third line was reviewed. The President was followed by a large
staff dressed in full uniform, which contrasted stro