success of our
cause, for the President of the United States and all in authority, for
universal freedom all over our land and the world, and for the speedy
return of peace, when we could beat our swords into plow shares, and our
spears into pruning hooks.

At the conclusion of the prayer, the entire congregation joined in singing
"My Country 'Tis of Thee." Captain Henry Ives was then called for, and
mounting the platform gave us a very eloquent and stirring address. He was
followed by Lieut. Ogden, 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, Lieutenant Leigh, 132nd
New York, Captain E. N. Lee, 5th Michigan Cavalry, Captain Kellog,
Chaplain Whitney, Chaplain Dixon and Lieut. Col. Thorp, 1st New York
dragoons. I have during my life participated in a great many Fourth of
July celebrations, but I never before--and I believe every officer at that
time in Macon will say the same for himself--really and truly appreciated
what a genuine celebration of the day meant.

If a stranger had come into camp Oglethorp at 3 o'clock that afternoon, he
would have thought every man in prison was drunk, so intense was the
enthusiasm, and yet there had not been a drop of anything of an
intoxicating nature, to be had at any price for two months. Officers were
drunk with excitement. The sight of that little flag that had been
presented to Captain Todd by his sweetheart and smuggled into prison,
sewed up in the lining of his vest, when shown in the morning, had created
a degree of patriotic excitement that could not be kept down, and when
some one said that Gibbs was coming in with a guard to take that flag, and
suggested that it be secreted, a thousand voices shouted--stand by the
flag boys--no traitor's hand shall touch that flag--keep her
swinging--there's not rebs enough in Macon to take that flag to-day,
&c.,--and I really and firmly believe that a terrible and bloody struggle
would have ensued, had there been any attempt on the part of the
authorities, to interfere with it or take it from us. I never saw men
wrought up to such a pitch of excitement, and the rebs were afraid all
day, that an attempt would be made to assault the stockade and break out.
From nine o'clock in the morning until three in the afternoon, the
celebration was kept up, with speaking and singing, when finally the rebel
commandant sent in his officer of the day, who said we had been permitted
to have a good celebration, and now he wished us to quietly adjourn which
we did; giving three he