On Thursday morning, April 2nd, I was aboard the train, hurrying on through brake and brier to Charleston. [...] I drew up before Mr. Lockwood's and cousin Becky came out to meet me with a kiss. That evening I walked on the battery with Arbuthnot; the same old breezes came bustling in. The same waves dashed over the parapet, but how changed everything else. Great earthworks were thrown up on the eastern corner, through the portholes of which were pointed the ominous mouths of forty-two pounders. A new fort (Ripley) had risen out of the waters - a hundred tents were strewing all the green and the busy forms of soldiers were seen everywhere. Suddenly the tattoo beat. The men hurried to obey the call, companies wheeled into line. Battalion touched battalion. The band struck up. The clinking of bayonets, the glittering of swards and the words of command were mingled - a thousand men drawn up in battle order graced the grounds.