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Saturday May 24th.

Yesterday afternoon McDowell's Army
Corps was reviewed by President Lincoln, by divisions. So
much ground had to be passed over by the reviewing party
that very little time was occupied at any one point. I had
a fair view of "Old Abe" as he rode by, and concluded he
was not likely to be hung for his beauty. However, he has
a good, honest face, and looks like a man who will do
his duty as he sees it, to the best of his ability. Last night
I slept out in my shelter tent in a rain storm, said tent,
some what to my surprise, proving quite tight. This
morning we are under marching orders, to start at
eight o'clock. We have no information of what course we
are to take, but presume we are to cross the river to
Fredericksburg, two brigades of King's division being there
already, our facilities for mailing letters may therefore
be slight for a few days. But our tents are to be taken
down, rations packed, blankets rolled, companies formed &
all the various preparations for a march to be made during
the next hour, and I must be at my post. x x x .