“Leave them their Guns to Shoot Crows With”
We anchored a short time afterward, and were glad to be looking on the quiet wharves at City Point. That evening the sailors and marines were sent out to guard and escort in some prisoners, numbering about a thousand, more or less, who were placed on board a large transport lying in the stream. The President expressing a desire to go on shore, I ordered the barge and went with him.
We had to pass the transport with the prisoners; they all rushed to the side with eager curiosity; all wanted to see the Northern President. They seemed perfectly content; every man had a hunk of meat and a piece of bread in his hand, and was doing his best to dispose of it.
“That’s old Abe,” said one of them. “Give the old fellow three cheers,” said another; while a third called out, “Halloo, Abe, your bread and meat’s better than pop-corn.”
This was all good-natured and kindly. I could see no difference between them and our own men, except that they were ragged and attenuated from want of wholesome food. They were as happy a set of men as I ever saw; they could see their homes looming up before them in the distance, and knew the war was over.
“They will never shoulder a musket again in anger,” said the President, “and if Grant is wise he will leave them their guns to shoot crows with, and their horses to plow with; it would do no harm. “
Quoted in David Dixon Porter, Incidents and Anecdotes of the Civil War, pp. 312
April 22, 2020 at 15:19
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