Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grape of wrath is stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Chorus—Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded Him an altar in the evening’s dews and damps;
I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaming lamps;
His day is marching on, etc.
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on, etc.
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment seat;
O, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on, etc.
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me:
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on, etc.
The roads were so indescribably bad at this time that the army could make but little progress. I remember it required thirty-six hours for one train to accomplish the distance of five miles. However, after several days wading through mud and water, the troops reached the White House, where a portion of the army remained for a time, while the advance guards pushed on to the Chickahominy River, and established headquarters at Bottom’s Bridge—its further progress being impeded by the destruction of the bridge by the rebels.
“The position of the troops were as follows: Stoneman’s advance-guard one mile from New Bridge; Franklin’s corps three miles from New Bridge, with Porter’s corps in advancing distance in its rear; Sumner’s corps on the railroad, about three miles from the Chickahominy, connecting the right with the left; Keyes’ on New Kent road, near Bottom’s Bridge, with Heintzelman’s corps at supporting distance in its rear.” The ford was in possession of the federal troops, and a reconstruction of the bridge was immediately commenced.
On the 24th of May the two following despatches were received by Gen. McClellan from the President: “I wish you to move cautiously and safely. You will have command of McDowell precisely as you indicated in your despatch to us.”
“In consequence of Gen. Banks’ critical position, I have been compelled to suspend Gen. McDowell’s movement to join you. The enemy are making a desperate push upon Harper’s Ferry, and we are trying to throw Gen. Fremont’s force, and part of Gen. McDowell’s, in their rear!”
On the 25th, the President also sent the following to McClellan: “The enemy is moving north in sufficient force to drive Gen. Banks before him; precisely in what force we cannot tell. He is also threatening Leesburg and Geary on the Manassas Gap Railroad, from north and south; I think the movement is a general and concerted one—such as would not be if he was acting upon the purpose of a very desperate defense of Richmond. I think the time is near when you must either attack Richmond or give up the job, and come to the defense of Washington. Let me hear from you instantly.”
To which McClellan replied: “Telegram received. Independently of it, the time is very near when I shall attack Richmond. The object of the movement is probably to prevent reinforcements being sent to me. All the information obtained agree in the statement that the mass of the rebel troops are still in the vicinity of Richmond. I have no knowledge of Banks’ position and force, nor what there is at Manassas; therefore cannot form a definite opinion as to the forces against him. I have two corps across Chickahominy, within six miles of Richmond; the others on this side at other crossings, within same distance, and ready to cross when bridges are completed.”