The troops included six divisions of infantry, with some 72 regiments between their 18 brigades; 24 light batteries that amounted to 120 guns; and six regiments of cavalry, a total of well more than 60,000 men... well-dressed, well-armed, and marching regularly, as the assembled bands played everything from “Hail, Columbia” to “Yankee Doodle.”William Howard Russell, the Times correspondent who had followed the British army to the Crimea, saw the parade at first hand. According to him, TFSmith is exaggerating the numbers present:
'November 20th. To-day a grand review, the most remarkable feature of which was the able disposition made by General McDowell to march seventy infantry regiments, seventeen batteries, and seven cavalry regiments, into a very contracted space, from the adjoining camps. Of the display itself I wrote a long account, which is not worth repeating here. Among the 55,000 men present there were at least 20,000 Germans and 12,000 Irish.'His 'long account' shows that the infantry were anything other than 'well-dressed, well-armed, and marching regularly':
'it was a display of military power which could not have been satisfactory to a military critic adopting the standard of European criticism... light dragoons, long-haired, open-collared, strapless, with trousers well up the calves of their legs, displaying great variety of booting and hosiery, with ungroomed horses and dirty accoutrements... it became a moot question whether he was going to commit unintentional suicide by falling on his sword, or whether he would cut off his horse's head or your own, as he flourished about on his steed, quite out of hand... the field-batteries on the hill fired a very irregular and ill-timed salute... the cavalry were bad, slovenly, ill set-up; in person, accoutrements, and horses, showing a want of care... inferior in appearance and regularity to the Cossacks of the Black Sea... The artillery was the best part of the display... The infantry was varied in character and air... There is still a diversity of armament in the artillery, and of small-arms and uniforms in the other branches of the service... Some regiments came by carrying arms, some with arms sloped, some with fixed bayonets, others without; some had excellent bands, others rendered day hideous by their discord... Taking the regiments of infantry at 600 strong, which, considering camp guards, reserves, etc., is rather a high average, there may have been 46,000 or 48,000 men on the field, with 3,000 cavalry... and 100 guns.' (Times, 9 December 1861)Russell's other observations from around the same time are little more complimentary to the Army of the Potomac:
'October 8th. A review of the artillery at this side of the river took place to-day, which has been described in very inflated language by the American papers, the writers on which never having seen a decently-equipped force of the kind pronounce the sight to have been of unequalled splendor; whereas the appearance of horses and men was very far from respectable in all matters relating to grooming, cleanliness, and neatness. General Barry has done wonders in simplifying the force and reducing the number of calibres, which varied according to the fancy of each State, or men of each officer who raised a battery ; but there are still field-guns of three inches and of three inches and a half, Napoleon guns, rifled ten-pound Parrotts, ordinary nine-pounders, a variety of howitzers, twenty-pound Parrott rifled guns, and a variety of different projectiles in the caissons. As the men rode past, the eye was distressed by discrepancies in dress. Many wore red or white worsted comforters round their necks, few had straps to their trousers; some had new coats, others old; some wore boots, others shoes; not one had clean spurs, bits, curb-chains, or buttons. The officers cannot get the men to do what the latter regard as works of supererogation.'
October 26th: 'spurring home pretty fast along an unfrequented road, leading from the ferry at Georgetown into the city, I was nearly spitted by a "dragoon," who rode at me from under cover of a house, and shouted "stop," just as his sabre was within a foot of my head. Fortunately his horse, being aware that if it ran against mine it might be injured, shied, and over went dragoon, sabre and all, and off went his horse, but as the trooper was able to run after it, I presume he was not the worse ; and I went on my way rejoicing.
'October 27th. After church, I took a long walk round by the commissariat wagons, where there is, I think, as much dirt, bad language, cruelty to animals, and waste of public money, as can be conceived.'
'December 4th. To Arlington, where Senator Ira Harris presented flags that is, standards to a cavalry regiment called after his name... The regiment then went through some evolutions, which were brought to an untimely end by a feu du joie from the infantry in the rear, which instantly broke up the squadrons, and sent them kicking, plunging, and falling over the field, to the great amusement of the crowd.'
No doubt many Union supporters will imply that Russell was mistaken, or call him a liar or prejudiced. Russell, who faced social ostracism and threats of violence from telling the truth about the Union's humiliation at Bull Run, and who was subsquently forced to leave America because he was denied permission to travel with the Union Army for fear of what he might say about it, would no doubt be amused by this.
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