Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (Library of Congress).

The Army of the Potomac is quite the tourist attraction in the days leading up to the final campaign of the war. Here, Meade describes yet another delegation, which included Edwin Stanton, the secretary of war. In his journal, Theodore Lyman described Stanton as “short, dark, very thick set, very big-headed; a small, turned-up nose; a long, black beard, mixed with gray, and a somewhat goblin air.”.

To-day Mr. Stanton and lady, with a select party, among whom was the French Minister, visited the army and went the rounds, witnessing among other things a review of Warren’s Corps. Yesterday we had a party of Senators, with their families, so that we have had junketings almost every day for a week past.

Meade’s correspondence taken from The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Major-General United States Army, Vol. 2, (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1913), p. 267. Available via Google Books.