"'Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much indeed for your kind attention to my few remarks.'
"When Mrs. Lincoln had thus spoken, she resumed her seat amidst a loud and long-continued storm of applause. The gallant chairman then called for 'three cheers and a tiger,' for the Lincoln family, which were given with a terrible vim, when the meeting broke up, and we all scattered for our separate homes. But a grander demonstration was never gotten up in the city of New Orleans."
The last grand struggle of war was in Virginia, where General Grant gathered together many of the veterans who had fought in the South and Southwest, including 20,000 colored troops, one-half, at least, of whom were veterans, and there were also many powerful, enthusiastic recruits who desired nothing better than an opportunity to assist in knocking down the Confederacy! A goodly number of those brave young fellows had been enlisted in Maryland. It is quite amusing to recall the letters and chronicles of the times when the recruiting officers landed from their vessels on the shores of the Chesapeake, marched up to the slave-holder's estates, called for all the male slaves to be brought before them, when they picked out the strongest and the best, asked them if they were willing to fight for freedom and the Union, and always receiving the joyful answer, "Yes, master, I am willing," laid down their tools there and then, and marched on board the Union vessels with great delight. It was in vain that their rebel masters and mistresses pointed out their need of their slaves, to gather in their harvest, which was then about ripe (1863), or that the officers took their able-bodied "servants," who left their teams right there on the highways, the heads of the horses being turned round in the direction of the plantation. The rebel masters and mistresses were simply referred to Washington for redress--if any could be got there! "You must apply to the Secretary of War; we are merely acting under orders from the head of the department." In the meantime the delighted slaves marched on board, and were taken to the camp appointed for drilling, and thus many a splendid soldier was recruited who mightily helped to pull down the "Confederate States."