Although the weather was unfavorable, the camp was in the best condition, and from the standpoint of sanitation was well-nigh perfect.  I went everywhere and saw everything, even to the sinks and corral.  Part of the time I was alone and part of the time an officer attended me.  There was an abundant supply of water from the Macon water works distributed in pipes throughout the camp.  The clothing was of good quality and well cared for.  The food was excellent, abundant in quantity and well prepared.  The beef was fresh and sweet, for it had not been “embalmed.”  The men were not obliged to get their fresh meat by picking maggots out of dried apples and dried peaches as has been the case sometimes in the past on our “Wild West Frontier.”  There were potatoes, Irish and sweet, navy beans, onions, meat, stacks of light bread, canned salmon, canned tomatoes, etc.  These were not all served at one meal, but all these articles and others go to make up the army ration list.

The spirit and discipline of officers and men was admirable, and reflected great credit upon the Old North State.  There was an enthusiastic spirit and buoyancy that made their discipline and evolutions well nigh perfect.  The secret of it all was confidence in their leader.  They believe in their colonel, and the colonel in turn believes in his men.  Col.  James H. Young possesses in a marked degree a quality of leadership as important as it is rare.  He probably knows by name at least three-quarters of his regiment, and is on pleasant terms with his staff and the men in the ranks, and yet maintains a proper dignity, such as befits his official rank.

[Illustration:  PROF.  CHARLES F. MESERVE, OF SHAW UNIVERSITY, RALEIGH, N.C. (Who investigated and made report on the Third N.C.  Volunteers.)]

On the last afternoon of my visit of inspection Col.  Young ordered the regiment drawn up in front of his headquarters, and invited me to address them.  The Colonel and his staff were mounted, and I was given a position of honor on a dry goods box near the head of the beautiful horse upon which the Colonel was mounted.  Besides Colonel James H. Young, of Raleigh, were near me Lieutenant Colonel Taylor, of Charlotte; Major Walker, of Wilmington; Major Hayward, of Raleigh; Chief Surgeon Dellinger, of Greensboro; Assistant Surgeons Pope, of Charlotte, and Alston, of Asheville; Capt.  Durham, of Winston; Capt.  Hamlin, of Raleigh; Capt.  Hargraves, of Maxton; Capt.  Mebane, of Elizabeth City; Capt.  Carpenter, of Rutherfordton; Capt.  Alexander, of Statesville; Capt.  Smith, of Durham; Capt.  Mason, of Kinston; who served under Colonel Shaw at Fort Wagner; Capt.  Leatherwood, Asheville; Capt.  Stitt, of Charlotte; Capt.  York, of Newbern; and Quartermaster Lane, of Raleigh.  That highly respected citizen of Fayetteville, Adjutant Smith, was in the hospital suffering from a broken leg.  I told them they were on trial, and the success or failure of the experiment must be determined by themselves alone; that godliness, moral character, prompt and implicit obedience, as well as bravery and unflinching courage, were necessary attributes of the true soldier.