ven the troops were marching down New
York Avenue. Halting a short distance from the corner of 14th street,
the column closed up, and prepared to pay the President a marching
salute, who, with General Burnside and a few friends, was awaiting their
coming. Mr. Lincoln and his party occupied a balcony over the entrance
of Willard's Hotel. The scene was one of great beauty and animation.
The day was superbly clear; the soft atmosphere of the early spring was
made additionally pleasant by a cool breeze; rain had fallen the
previous night, and there was no dust to cause discomfort to the
soldiers or spectators. The troops marched and appeared well; their
soiled and battered flags bearing inscriptions of battles of six States.
The corps had achieved almost the first success of the war in North
Carolina; it had hastened to the Potomac in time to aid in rescuing the
Capitol, when Lee made his first Northern invasion; it won glory at
South Mountain, and made the narrow bridge at Antietam, forever
historic; it had likewise reached Kentucky in time to aid in driving the
confederates from that State. Now it appeared with recruited ranks, and
new regiments of as good blood as ever was poured out in the cause of
right; and with a new element--those whom they had helped set free from
the thraldom of slavery--whom they were proud to claim as comrades.

Their banners were silent, effective witnesses of their valor and their
sacrifices; Bull's Run, Ball's Bluff, Roanoke, Newburn, Gaines' Mills,
Mechanicsville, Seven Pines, Savage Station, Glendale, Malvern,
Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Antietam, South Mountain, Knoxville,
Vicksburg, Port Hudson and Gettysburg, were emblazoned in letters of
gold. The firm and soldierly bearing of the veterans, the eager and
expectant countenances of the men and officers of the new regiments, the
gay trappings of the cavalry, the thorough equipment and fine condition
of the artillery, the clattering of hoofs, the clanking of sabres, the
drum-beat, the bugle call, and the music of the bands were all subjects
of interest. The President beheld the scene. Pavement, sidewalks,
windows and roofs were crowded with people. A division of veterans
passed, saluting the President and their commander with cheers. And
then, with full ranks--platoons extending from sidewalk to
sidewalk--brigades which had never been in battle, for the first time
shouldered arms for their country; they who even then were disfranchised