Fanny recalls seeing Union camps early on in the war, such as the Rush’s Lancers camp, which is pictured to the left from 1863. Her descriptive language suggests a naïve perspective and possible over-glorification of war life.
“We drove out past the Navy-yard to the camp of the __ regiment Sickles Brigade—It was on a hillside with roads on two or three sides of it. In the shade lay some of the men, one was washing some article in a little stream—others were gathered in knots while the sentries were walking up and down…
Father & Mr Lincoln accompanied by the Colonel walked all around passing each man—they having no good parade ground were draw up into a sort of triangle in double rows…the Col gave his orders in a strong clear voice—the men goin through with the maneuvers then the were marked off by their individual officers into their companies…We now drove on, passing houses and any number of soldiers—This camp looked very prettily—the tents were arranged in rows. Being so hilly & elevated it is very healthy—We next came to another encamped regiment of the same brigade…In a short time the regiment were in line…their ground here enabled them to stand in a line—but being hilly you could not see the whole unless you stood on the top of the middle hill. They went through the manual remarkably well. The fixing & unfixing bayonets was quite wonderful to see—Westfield men were pointed out as one of the best companies, they say that country men make the best soldiers—this camp like the other is called remarkably healthy—there were but thirty sick in the whole regiment—one thousand or more. The band which was composed of two or parts of two was a fine one—going to the camps we passed the old capitol building were the secession prisoners were confined it is a large old brick corner house—a guard was around it and “confederates” leaned from the window—they wear a variety of clothing one or two a red flannel shirt one man had brown hairs & heard one was quite a lad” Sep 1, 1861