Buckingham Legion,                                                                         

20^th Regt., C.V.

Camp near Stafford Courthouse Va   Apr 11 1863.

 

Dear Parients,

                        Your letter of the 9^th inst came into camp last night and as I was out on picket I never got it untill I came back this forenoon. Lieut. Campbell came back last night. I recieved the handkerchief and money all right and was glad to get them. The Hdcf. was just what I wanted. You need not have sent so much money at a time what was in the letter was enough beside what Lieut. brought.

 

We had a great grand review yesterday was reviewed by President Lincoln and Maj Gen Hooker. Twas the / largest body of troops I ever saw in one field. There was about thirty thousand of Uncle Sam's boys out besides the officers and batteries of light artillery. It was the grandest display I ever witnessed. The President and escort rode on to the ground amid the thunder of cannon and the roll of hundreds of drums. Old Abe pulled off his beaver and rode up and down the lines and then took his stand on a little hill. On his right were Maj Gen Hooker and on the left was Maj Gen Slocum and in the rear was a carriage containing Mrs Abe Mrs Sickles and Mrs Maher / whilst all around except in front were a crowd of officers all of high rank and farther back was a detachment of mounted lancers and cavalry who acted as guard to keep back the crowd of soldiers who were not on parade. I wish you could have seen us for the "Gallant 20^th" was in the 2^ond Brigade 1^st div Commanded by Brig Gen Jackson we have got rid of our drunken Brigadier Kane. If Portland folks could have seen that display which was about 1/30^th of the whole Union Army, it would knock all of the "General Trainings" (which I used to run so far to see) all to the devil. As we looked over that / vast field black with soldiers and the bright colors waving in the breeze and the bristling of thousands of bayonets the scene was grand and imposing. I wish the Northern Copperheads could have seen even that small portion of the army it would have made them tremble in their shoes. But I cannot write more at present. Your pictures I was glad to recieve but they do not look so well as the originals do. Father looks the best

                                                                                   

Yours in haste

Henry

 

PS

I think I shall write Mr Dennis about the review and write better than this

Hen

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