There was great excitement in the city during Sunday, the 10th of
July, and strange stories were set afloat concerning the arrival of
General Early, and his rebel army. There was also great excitement
in and around the forts north of the city. The hundred-day men did
not feel themselves safe in the forts, and those outside were making
a desperate effort to keep their courage up.

We had heroes enough in the city, but the great question was, how we
were to get them organized, provisioned, armed, and sent to the
front in time to be of service. The District militia, which we have
all heard so much of and seen so little, was not enrolled, and, of
course, could not be made available. It was said there would be some
desperate fighting done if the Treasury Guard only got to the front.
This valuable body of distinguished heroes was composed of nice
young men, who wore fine linen and patent leather boots, and in
appearance were unexceptionable.

It was a trying time for the nation, my son, and the young men of
this Treasury Guard felt that they had a duty to perform in
defending the capital, and must perform it with courage. There was
one little drawback, however, to their conduct as soldiers; and that
was, that each man wanted to go to the front encumbered with a
carpet bag, filled with sandwiches and clean shirts. Aside from
this, let me say, the guard was got in order for marching, and their
gallant commander, Colonel Floyd A. Willett, made a speech, in which
he declared there was not a chicken-hearted man in his ranks. And
when it marched for the front, which it did with drums beating, its
gallant colonel at its head, and Corporal Spinner, of Company B,
bringing up the rear, there was many a tear shed and handkerchief
waved by the pretty female clerks of the Department. Many of these