h gave rich
promise of an abundant harvest; fine groves upon the hillside, in the
valleys and on the plain, gave a charming diversity to the scene, and
the old mansions, embosomed in vines and trees, and surrounded by
colonies of outhouses, reminded us of the ease and comfort which had
reigned here before the ravages of war had desolated Virginia. To the
right was Charles City, almost hidden by trees, a little town, in
prosperous days, the home of a few hundred people, now almost deserted.

In the vicinity of Charles City we halted a little before noon. The
Second corps, which was in the advance, had already reached the James at
Wilcox's Landing, and was preparing to cross. The men of our corps were
delighted with the opportunity of once more spreading their tents over
clean grassy turf, and each quickly pitched his shelter tent preparatory
to a refreshing rest.

Within two miles of our camp was the residence of the late ex-president,
John Tyler, which was visited by many of our officers. It was a charming
spot, with everything about it to please the eye of a lover of the
beautiful. But except the grounds immediately surrounding the house,
everything was in the wildness of nature.

The house was stripped of almost everything. The cabinet was carried
off. The large library had lost many of its choicest volumes, while the
remainder, with heaps of letters, lay thrown in wild confusion about the
floor. The pile of sheet music which had been left on the piano by the
family, had been culled over and nearly all taken away. In fact such a
sad scene of destruction was rare, even in the track of a great army.

On the morning of the 15th, the corps moved to the river side, where it
remained while other troops were crossing by ferry and on an immensely
long pontoon bridge. The river was full of shipping, the forests of
masts making strange contrasts with the native forests on the river
banks.

Near the crossing was a superb old mansion, the residence of a rebel
general, surrounded by its little village of negro cabins. Here many
officers of the corps resorted, to spend the time in walking among the
grand old trees, or to stroll through the garden, admiring the elegant
and rare exotics which adorned the grounds. Here was the magnolia
grandiflora in full bloom, its immense cup-like flowers filling the
whole place with delightful fragrance, and the American agave, also
loaded with a profusion of elegant flowers; roses of the most