er
rivalry to be first in Alexandria. Early on the afternoon of the
7th of May the brigades of Dwight and Weitzel, both under Weitzel's
command, arrived at the beautiful plantation of Governor Moore,
and went into bivouac. Here the cavalry, who had ridden well
forward, returned, bringing the news that Porter, with his gunboats,
was already in the river off Alexandria, where the fleet had cast
anchor early that morning, a full day before its time. This made
Banks desire to push on, and he at first ordered Paine to continue
the march, preceded by all the cavalry. When Weitzel heard this,
his spirit rose for the honor of his brigade, and in emphatic yet
respectful terms he protested against being deprived at the last
moment of the post he had held almost since leaving Brashear.
Banks yielded to Weitzel's wishes, and his men, not less eager than
their commander, notwithstanding the long march of twenty miles
they had already made, at once broke camp and with a swinging stride
set out the accomplish the twelve miles that still separated them
from the river. One of the ever-present regimental wits sought to
animate the spirits and quicken the flagging footsteps of his
comrades by offering a turkey ready trussed upon his bayonet to
the man that should get to Alexandria before him. For a long part
of the way the men of the 8th Vermont and the 75th New York amused
themselves by taking advantage of the wide and good roadway to run
a regimental race. As the eager rivals came swinging down the
hill, they found their progress checked by a momentary halt of the
horsemen in their front, while watering their jaded animals. Then,
"Get out of the way with that cavalry," was the cry, "or we'll run
over you!"

It was ten o'clock at night when Weitzel's men led the way into
Alexandria. A full ration of spirits was served out to the men,
who then threw themselves on the ground without further ceremony
and used to the full the permission to enjoy for once a long sleep
mercifully unbroken by a reveille. Paine followed and encamped
near Alexandria on the following morning; Grover rested near
Lecompte, about twenty miles in the rear.

Beside his own vessels, Porter brought with him to Alexandria the
_Estrella_ and _Arizona_ from the flotilla that had been operating
on the Atchafalaya under Cooke. Porter was thus fully prepared to
deal with any opposition he might encounter from the Confederate
batteries at Fort De Russy; but, alth