Fortress Monroe/The Forces
- The Forces.
When I arrived, Fort Monroe and the neighborhood were occupied by two armies.
- General Butler
- About six thousand men, here and at Newport’s News.
Making together more than twelve thousand men.
Of the first army, consisting of the General, I will not speak. Let his past supreme services speak for him, as I doubt not the future will.
Next to the army of a man comes the army of men. Regulars a few, with many post officers, among them some very fine and efficient fellows. These are within the post. Also within is the Third Regiment of Massachusetts, under Colonel Wardrop, the right kind of man to have, and commanding a capital regiment of three months’ men, neatly uniformed in gray, with cocked felt hats.
Without the fort, across the moat, and across the bridge connecting this peninsula of sand with the nearest side off the mainland, are encamped three New York regiments. Each is in a wheat-field, up to its eyes in dust. In order of precedence they come One, Two, and Five; in order of personal splendor of uniform, they come Five, One, Two; in order of exploits they are all in the same negative position at present; and the Second has done rather the most robbing of hen–roosts.
The Fifth, Duryea’s Zouaves, lighten up the woods brilliantly with their scarlet legs and scarlet head-pieces.
[These last words were written upon the day that the attack in which the author fell was arranged.]