Near St. James’s Palace there was a vast crowd of people some thous[and]s, I should say. By and by Drums began to roll and a military band pealed out a spirited march. Then we could see over the heads of the dense crowd the tall black bearskin shakos and the gleaming bayonets of a portion of the House-hold troops who were returning to barracks. In two minutes I was marching along with them. The sounds of the mart[ia]l music & the rhythmical roll of the kettle drums and the regular tramp of feet as the thousands of men, women & children there kept step & time with the soldiers fired my soul, elated my spirit and seemed to lift my feet from the ground. I can now understand the effect of the music of the band & the music of the firearms upon the soldier.