ast ten thousand of them were veterans,
and had driven many confederates out of their breastworks.

The world never saw such a spectacle as America presented in the winter
and early spring of 1864. The attempt to capture Richmond and Petersburg
had failed. The Army of the Potomac lay like a weary lion under cover,
watching its opponent. Bruised, but spirited and defiant, it had driven,
and in turn had been driven time and again, by its equally valient foe.
It had advanced and retreated until the soldiers were foot-sore from
marching and counter-marching, crossing and re-crossing the now historic
streams of the Old Dominion. Of all this, the loyal people were tired
and demanded of the Administration a change. The causes of the failures
to take the confederate capitol were not so much the fault of the
commanders of the brave army as that of the authorities at Washington,
whose indecision and interference had entailed almost a disgrace upon
McClellan, Hooker, Burnside and Meade. But finally the people saw the
greatest of the difficulties, and demanded its removal, which the
Administration signified its willingness to do. Then began an activity
at the North, East and West, such as was never before witnessed. The
loyal heart was again aroused by the President's call for troops, and
all realized the necessity of a more sagacious policy, and the
importance of bringing the war to a close. The lion of the South must be
bearded in his lair, and forced to surrender Richmond, the Confederate
Capitol, that had already cost the Government millions of dollars, and
the North thousands of lives. The cockade city,--Petersburg,--like the
Gibralter of the Mississippi, should haul down the confederate banner
from her breastworks; in fact, Lee must be vanquished. That was the
demand of the loyal nation, and right well did they enter into
preparations to consummate it; placing brave and skillful officers in
command.

[Illustration: PARADE OF THE 20TH REGT. U. S. C. T. IN NEW YORK.]

The whole North became a recruiting station. Sumner, Wilson, Stevens and
Sherman, in Congress, and Greeley, Beecher, Philips and Curtis, with the
press, had succeeded in placing the fight upon the highest plane of
civilization, and linked _freedom_ to the cause of the Union thus making
the success of one the success of the other,--"Liberty and Union, one
and inseparable." What patriotism should fail in accomplishing,
bounties--National, State, county, city and t