Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-01-04

Z
Yorktown fer copy OF "The. Cavalier" paper pub
she'd there BY the Yankees We make the following
ex racls:
KSRoENKST OF CITIZENS.
Gen. Wlssr, acting under an order from the General
commanding the Department., has appointed officers to
enyO tie names CT ell citizens Ia shat command pre-
parslesy TO the draft in JAuuary.
pickles Driven IN.
On Thursd5 the pekes on the Gloucester aide of the
RIVER were driven ia by rebel cavalry $50 in number
deiAehment Of mounted rites Eas sent out, and
tounda fsrc Of rebel cavalry ia Ice Of battle which
was deemed too strong to be q tackled. The Yankees
fell back to await IeiGfOroements and an advance was
sgan made with Infantry and cavalry whom the rebels
ske9a5dled without a 6ghi the Yankees pursuing for
four mica
RKcsUnEKST or coLoRxD rRooPs.
-The following is extract from Basers order In re-
lAon 70 recruiting negro soldiers: "Tho theory upon
Whioa negroes received into the Uabn lines aud en-
pogd either IS Aborsrs soldiers is that every negro
able TO work who leaves the rebel lines dminshes by
so much the producing power of the rebe on supply
itself with food and labor Necessary TO oe done outside
OF military operations, to sustain it's armies, and the
United States thereby ns ether soldier or pro-
ducer. Women and children are received because It
Wou be manitesy uru5. and nquitOHs to take (stea1
the husband and fAsser aud leave the wife and child TO
hl-ueatment and starvation. Women and children are
algO ccved when unscccmpsned by the husband and
as1er because the negro mas the domestic affections in
as sro.g degree as the white man, and however far
Sutl bis master may drive him, he will or later
rstuIn to hil family
therefore it is order: That every officer and soldier
o. this command shall aid b. every means in his
power the coming of coldrsd people within the
Union lines that a officers commanding expeditions
ard raids sha bring in with them all the negroes pos
sbe afordng them transportation, aid protection, and
encouragement. Any officer, solder or citizen who
shR dissuade, hinder prevent oudeavor TO- hinder or
r,-eV sfinp vrbn ali,
abuse iidcue Interfere with, for the purpose Ofcas
ing rideue or contempt upon oOlored troops or IN u
ual soli "a beenso they are e1l3red, shah TO deemed
t. b. al teld ce uadsr the several cots of Congress
sppisa1le to This subject and be punished with military
severity for obstguotng II oruiting
No cOlrred man oetSten The agss of lSand AZ, who
can pass the surgeons eIsmn alton for colder shall b
euPOysd on land by any petsOs in behalf Of The gov
erumen..
Gan Cferces by oiiiz ms sesinst negroes or nv ne-
gtoes against citizens except of high and aggravated
character, shall be heard ami rsd before the Provost
Court"
FHE EXPLOSIONS AID CONFEDERATION
We make she annexed extracts from the Cavaliers
account Of tia recent hfe and explosions:
About o'clock on Wednesday evening last, the usual
que gie and Of security from danger that had so
long pervaded yorktown disturbed bJ the startling
alarm Of F,re and soldiers and etizs-s rushsd from
her quarters 70 behold one of the most alarming sights
that the Imagination eouli picture.
The frame building occupied Tor hospital purposes BY
tie Ash New FORK Volunteers and the lelh New York
Foot Artillery, in the kitchen Of which the FIRE orieina
ged vas in Aines and separated from it o. " by the
Government bakery, slso 8 light wooden structure,
COd the Court House, in witch large quantity of am
Ia1iticn stored, Wills! the other eide oil the
street., and directly opposite the Cour. HoRae was the
cd frame tavern aard with tnbers dry AID combusti-
IL punk Which also c0ntai9ed quantity of almost
cgery aIyty Of explosive missiles threatening with
FkO had tot Ia tka
olld:Eston, and exered every energy in fruieas Of
tOIt, 70 sapprEs the flames.
Tks h3spial contained about twenty patients, all of
whom escaped unirjuisd and found refuge in buildings
remote from the fee. But in spite of every effort to
stay is progress, the IRE communicated with the old
tavern, ard soon aferTSrds with tbs Court HAuse
spreading rapidly that the removal Of tho Ammuni.
ton ON the buildings was beyond all human possibility
Of accomplishment
The alsrm and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the fort when
the bursting OF heated shells gave the terrible warning
OF explosion more terrific that certain 70 follow
most intense. None knew at what moment the eX
pec'ed crash would come, and few dared TO hope for
o.hsrthan the most destructive results Where might
SAFETY be found was the absorbing question watch
could answer and pon VII ch but little time was
lels to deliberate. The mid ran 70 the remoter
eXremiIies of the fort and sought refuge behind the
numerous guns that peerng the parspet defy an
srGy OF human beings ye' remained silent ald power
less uuder she broad and baleol glow o. the triumphant
flames. O!heTs fell 1pon TIE ground, or got behind
buildings hay bales, in the ravnes and behind trees
wherever theslghteet promise Of Shelter was offered
to await in painful suspense, the inevitable explosion
few out hearts fingered around the burning build.
ngS unwilling to give up the field Of Srife to the de-
YoUrng element until finally forced by the increasing
heat to abandon the coGhcl and themselves from
sRuo ion. Zoo much credit cannot be given 10 L.
Hunt Of Battery L. 4h U. S. Artillery and portion of
tue men Of that battery, who whilst fragments Of shells
and bricks few Thick and f:et around Them Undertook
"A cd tha
magazine near the burning buildings and thus saved 1t
from explosion.
Thicker and fastor few the missiles through ihs air
and along ire Streets until about eight O'Clock when the
old tavern was blown up destroying the upper portion
the Court House and gnitng the powder in the base
ment OF that building, CGlsiDg q second explos on,
When followed the first 20 quickly to be seare-y dis
togushabe from it. The eon3u sion that followed was
tremendous, making the earth trembe for miles around
as though shaken BY some awful revulSon Of naure.
Burning timbers we're scattered In every direction, ]
and showers Of Whstpg shot and bowling shell were
hurled through the air witch dArkened by clouds
OF smoke and sand and amoss Simultaneously following
the explosion, aud uingiGg with the unearhlJ no Sc
came the crash Of falling buildings followed by the
mvre rspd explosion Of shells whose fragments filed
che air during the whole night, rendering it impossible
70 ascertain, With safety, the extent Of the damage
We arein ogmed that nearly all the ammunition that
stored in the basement of the Court House and the
tavern building consisted Of old stores that left
mere oy Nrhe4A Magruoefs a large QOantlty OF the
pOsder, in cartridges had teen 6saed from the river
where it hrOsn BY tie rebels which, after tho
FIRE was exngushed, lag scattered among the rubbish
uReXplOdSd.
The camp Of the 10Th n. Y. Artillery was q mass of
burning uns, and he Of that regm mt WeFe most
Of them, left shsteress daring the long hours Of that
light OF 0srOrs exposed TO the increasing cold many
having 0st Aer blankets add OVercoas in the geoeIal
ruin.
The camp of Battery L 4th U. S. Artillery, was ssO
partially destroyed.
The explosion had scattered the Ere over the whole
space Of ground extending from the spo. where the hos
Ptalhs stood 10 the northern gate of the fort aud
embracing the camp Of the 1874 n Y. Artillery and
portion Of the camp of the Battery L. and from among
the seat cred and burning fragments OF buildings thar
sireHed the ground there poured forth continual
$40 Of rhe and hrok thai went whist ny Ecreeeh