he speakers'
stand, was a golden eagle, resting upon a shield of the national
colors, and holding in his beak a wreath of flowers and evergreen.

Descending to the interior of the fort, we passed from the foot of the
wall-steps to the platform through a double file of navy boys, in
trimmest holiday attire. Here were now assembled the great audience of
five thousand soldiers, sailors and citizens, and we joined them in
the stirring song of "Victory at Last," composed for the occasion by
William B. Bradbury, who was present and led the singing. Then
followed the old battle song:

"Yes, we'll rally round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom."

The formal exercises were opened with prayer by the Rev. Matthias
Harris, Chaplain United States Army, a venerable man, who had made the
prayer at the raising of the flag on Fort Sumter, in December, 1860,
when Major Anderson removed his command from Fort Moultrie. It was a
brief but touching invocation for the blessing of God upon the flag of
the nation, and upon the great occasion. The Rev. R.S. Storrs, D.D.,
of Brooklyn, N.Y., then read with the audience, alternately, the one
hundred and twenty-sixth, forty-seventh, ninety-eighth, and a part of
the twentieth Psalms.

Major Anderson's dispatch to the Government, April 18, 1861, on
steamship "Baltic," off Sandy Hook, announcing the fall of Fort
Sumter, was then read by Brigadier-General E.D. Townshend, Assistant
Adjutant-General United States Army.

Then came the crowning event of the day, the "raising and planting
upon the ruins of Fort Sumter of the SAME United States flag which
floated over the battlements of the fort during the rebel assault,
April 14, 1861, by Brevet Major-General Robert Anderson, United States
Army."

Promptly upon the reading of the dispatch, Sergeant Hart (who had
gallantly replaced the flag after it had been shot away in the first
assault) stepped forward with the Fort Sumter mail-bag in his hand. As
he quietly drew forth from its long seclusion the _same_ old flag of
'61, a wild shout went up, "prolonged and loud." It was quickly
attached to the halyards by three sailors from the fleet, who were in
the first fight, and crowned with a wreath of evergreen, set with
clusters of rosebuds and orange blossoms.

All was now ready, and the hour, the moment, for which the nation had
so long earnestly struggled and patiently waited, had come at last!

"Thou