Grand review: “There were about one hundred thousand men in battle array..,”–Journal of Surgeon Alfred L. Castleman.

20th.–This morning we received marching orders to Bailey’s, to have a grand review of the whole army. Very few had any confidence in that part of the order announcing the purpose–a review. All believed it was to take Fairfax, and then perhaps to move forward on Centreville and Manassas ; but all were disappointed. It was a “Grand review,” –a very grand one–such as I doubt whether this continent ever witnessed before. It may never witness the like again. There were about one hundred thousand men in battle array; not in one long line stretching far beyond the reach of vision, and leaving the imagination to picture what we could not see, but all in sight at once, on an immense plain, in squares and columns, marching and countermarching, charging and retreating. The President was there; General McClellan and the Prince de Joinville were there; all the elite were there. But to the poor soldiers it was a very hard day. They marched heavy, with knapsacks and all the equipments of a soldier. They started early, marched ten miles, were then several hours under review, and then marched back to camp. Many gave out, and were left by the way side, to come up when they can; the rest of us are back in camp to-night, worn out and heartily tired of grand reviews. I hope that the crowding of my hospital is not to be one of the result of the overwork.