May 21. — Started James for Washington to get me some mess things. Egbert and I began our mess to-day. Went over to General Barnes’s in the afternoon, and saw the presentation of a sword, etc. The affair passed off very successfully. The lieutenant colonel of the 118th Pennsylvania made the presentation speech, and General Barnes answered, reading from manuscript. General Meade, General Benham, and all the officers of the brigade were there. The good things of this life were there in abundance. All kinds of punches, champagne, etc., were freely circulated. The grounds were beautifully decorated with flags and banners. Over the entrance were two American flags, with two white flags with the coat-of-arms of Massachusetts intertwined. I got back to camp about 10 o’clock, having stopped on the way at General Sedgwick’s. Weather warm and pleasant.
War Diary and Letters of Stephen Minot Weld.
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