ience arose and sang the
doxology. An impressive prayer followed, with the benediction, by the
Rev. Dr. Storrs, Jr. Six deafening cheers were then given for the old
flag replaced on Sumter; and three times three for President Lincoln,
General Robert Anderson, and our soldiers and sailors. Many of us
remained to avail ourselves of the opportunity to shake hands with the
old veteran, and I well remember the exultation with which I walked
off with the General's autograph.

We spent an hour in exploring the walls and casements of the fort and
rummaging about for relics. It was amusing to see a man who, after
selecting a twenty-five pound shot for a memento, would carry it a
short distance, change hands to make it easier, and then come to the
conclusion that it was foolish to lug such a heavy thing around; or to
see another person, who had been sweating under the burden of a heavy
shell,--when suddenly told that it was still loaded and liable to go
off, and take him off with it,--quickly turn and lay it down
carefully, and quietly depart. I satisfied my curiosity with a few
small grape and canister shot, some fragments of exploded shells, and
a section of the rebel iron wire fence on the outer wall.

It must have been fully six o'clock when we all arrived safely back to
the city. At sunset there was another grand salute from the fleet, and
in the evening we were summoned on deck to witness the closing
demonstration of the day. Nothing could be seen in the darkness, till
quick, as if by magic, at the signal from the flag-ship of the
Admiral, the entire harbor for miles around was brilliantly
illuminated. Every vessel and transport and monitor was ablaze with
many-colored fires. Each mast and sail and rope was aglow with light.
From every deck came the roar and glare of rockets, darting in quick
procession to the sky, then turning and descending in showers of
golden rain. Hundreds of lanterns, red, green and white, suspended
from the rigging, flashed out their starry signals over the bay, and
were reflected in the waters beneath, while heavy clouds of smoke,
tinged with golden radiance, rolled heavenward like ascending incense,
presenting a scene of rare enchantment.

But hark! another signal gun is heard. Every light instantly
disappears! Every sound is hushed! and grim darkness again mantles the
waters of the bay; and, I was about to add, we were all soon in
sleep's serene oblivion, but my diary records that at nine o'clo