After taking command of the Army of the Potomac on January 26, Joseph Hooker reorganized its command structure and raised its morale by improving camp conditions, providing better food, and granting furloughs. President Lincoln traveled to Virginia in early April to inspect the reinvigorated army and to discuss plans for the spring campaign with Hooker. Among the troops who passed in review was the artillery of the First Corps, commanded by Colonel Charles S. Wainwright. A former officer of the New York militia, Wainwright had served in Hooker’s division in the early battles of the Peninsula campaign.
CAMP THREE MILES FROM BELLE PLAINE, APRIL 5, SUNDAY. We are still undisturbed in our winter quarters and several reasons are plain for our remaining so for at least a week to come. First the weather which is very uncertain and stormy; all day yesterday and extending through last night, we had one of the most severe storms of the season, wind, rain and snow. It was much like the one we had last year during the time I was loading my batteries at Liverpool Point, except that one was longer and more severe. Then General Hooker has just commenced to review the different corps of the army, and cannot well get through under a week: while the War Department has ordered a general muster of all the troops on the 10th, for the use of the provost-marshal in making drafts to fill up the regiments, and so forth. . . .
This corps was reviewed by General Hooker on Thursday. The troops are so scattered, and the ground hereabouts so broken that we could not get the whole corps out together, so it was reviewed by divisions. The Third Division was formed about half a mile from our headquarters here. Doubleday made bad work of it, for the ground was very much cramped even for his little command of only some 3,000 men. . . . The next day, Friday, I went over to see the Sixth Corps reviewed. The whole of it was out together, though the ground it formed on was very rough. It is a larger corps than ours, and certainly made a much better appearance, but I hear that General Hunt says my batteries looked decidedly the best. There is no doubt that the Fifth and Sixth Corps under Porter and Franklin were much better instructed and disciplined than any of the others. Another cause for its superiority over this corps lies in the great proportion of Pennsylvania regiments that we have; which as a rule are, without doubt, worse officered than any others in this army. Major DePeyster is now on duty with Howe’s division of the Sixth Corps; and made himself very ridiculous at the review by his strutting manner, which called attention to him, while he not only did not mount his cannoneers, but also commanded “present sabres” when he passed in review. Every officer of my acquaintance whom I met after the review congratulated me on my major. The Twentieth New York met General Hooker about half a mile from the review grounds and marched up with us as a sort of escort; for the purpose of shewing the excellence of their drill. It is said (and I believe truly) to be the best drilled regiment in the army; their marching, and changes from company front to the flank, and their wheeling into line on Friday were certainly wonderful. It is a German regiment, raised in New York City, and commanded by Colonel Von Vegesack (I don’t know how to spell the name) an officer of standing in the Swedish service, and a very nice fellow in every way.
I hear that the President is expected down today. In case he comes, we may very likely have all our reviewing to go over again on a grander scale. Hooker has considerable liking for that sort of thing when he can make it pay; and is said to have boasted a good deal while at Washington; declaring that he “had the finest army on this planet” and that “he could march it straight to New Orleans.” Whether or no he will prove capable of taking it as far as Richmond remains to be seen, to say nothing of going to New Orleans. By the bye, Farragut’s success on the Mississippi does not turn out to be quite so great as at first reported. The news looks anything but very brilliant from both west and south. Consequently, the expected capture of Charleston, Port Hudson, and Vicksburg is again postponed; and gold is once more on the rise.
APRIL 8, WEDNESDAY. President Lincoln came down on Saturday afternoon instead of on Sunday, and arrived at headquarters quite unexpectedly. It is said that their arrival created quite a commotion on Hooker’s back stairs, hustling off some of his female acquaintances in a most undignified way. Mrs. Lincoln and one of his sons came down with the President. The object of his visit seems to be to review the army, which according to present appearances will keep him here all this week. The Cavalry Corps under General Stoneman was reviewed first, on Monday. It was probably the largest body of cavalry ever seen together on this continent, there being 11,000 out, it is said. Some of the regiments looked quite well, but many were little better than ridiculous. The country here is not calculated to make fine cavalry. Our men are far too slouchy, the “setting up” and bearing of the real soldier showing much more on horseback than on foot; and the plain, simple uniform now worn in our army prevents any attempt at style, especially on such wretched horses as we have here. The horse batteries were much more creditable, and looked really finely. They are all regular batteries, except one, and in most cases are commanded by old light artillery officers. The one volunteer battery is the Sixth New York which was with me on the Peninsula. Bramhall has resigned, and Martin is now the captain. Even in the midst of the old regular batteries they keep up their reputation, in camp as well as in the field. I have been to see them several times on my way to Army Headquarters, the shortest road leading almost through their camp, and always meet with the warmest welcome.
Today the Second, Third, Fifth, and Sixth Corps were reviewed together, and made really a splendid show. There must have been 50,000 men out; the ground was fair, and the arrangements capital. It would be hard to say which of the four corps made the best appearance: the Third has, if any, turned out in a little the best style, and Sickles deserves credit for getting so good a line formed; and for the manner in which the whole corps saluted at one time by bugle command. I rode around with General Hooker and the reviewing party, as did several ladies, of whom there were a large number present. . . .
APRIL 1, SUNDAY. The reviewing is over, the President gone back to Washington, and all once more quietly waiting for orders to move which will probably be the next excitement. On Thursday the whole of this corps was marched down to the plain on which the First Division was drawn up last week, and was there reviewed by the President. The day was fine, the view of the Potomac beautiful, the ground most capital. Reynolds and everybody worked hard, so the troops looked and marched well; and our efforts were repaid by the generally expressed opinion that it went off altogether better than any of the other reviews. There was one new feature in it, at any rate. The whole of the artillery was massed, and passed in review as one body, so that I appeared in my proper place, as an actual commander. It was General Reynolds’s own proposition, without any request on my part; whether it arose from his really approving the brigade organization, or was only done for convenience and effect, I do not know. The ten batteries made quite a display, marching battery front, and looked well, although some being six and others four-gun batteries rather broke the column. Hunt was much pleased with it. After the review, the President, most of the general officers present, and their ladies had a lunch at our headquarters, which Sanderson got up, and capped the satisfaction already felt with our review. . . .
We do not yet get any direct accounts of the attempt on Charleston: the reports through rebel sources are that Dupont’s fleet was repulsed and the monitor Keokuk sunk. I fear it may be true, as Charleston is almost as precious to them as Richmond, and every effort will be made to save it; while on our side we have anything but a desirable commander of the land forces in old Hunter.
Everybody is reading the first report of the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War. It is quite voluminous, and comes down to the close of last year. I am trying to get through it, but its unfairness, partiality, and in very many cases absolute falseness make me so nervous that I can make but little progress. The radical party, who have complete control over the Cabinet and do pretty much what they please with our weak President, seem to be determined to stick at nothing in order to punish every official who does not go all lengths with them. A small instance of this has just come out in a War Department order dismissing a volunteer lieutenant for what they call treasonable sentiments expressed in a private letter to his uncle in China!