Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-02-13
THE PANIC IN RICHMOND.
l n T Z NSE EX CIT ENT
The Yankees About.
BALTIMORE. Feb. 0. 1904

BALTIMORE, Feb. O., 1864.
The american has a special dispatch from
Fortress Monroe, from c. c. Fulton, who
has been up to City Point. 1t says
"The rebel flag or truce steamer Schultze,
with Commissioner Ould and Capt. Hatch,
the truce officer, arrived on Saturday morn
ing at City Point.
Two citizens, passengers brought down
by the Schultze, were sent on board the
New York. They were both Maryanders,
one of them A. F. Brengler of Frederick,
who was captured at Middletown, on the
goth of June last, whilst acting as volunteer
assistant to the Sanitary Commission, and
the other George w. Longlcy, of Baltimore
| county, was captured whilst driving wagon
of the Sanitary Commission near Chancel-
lorsville, on the 9th of November. They
were released through the intcrpostion OF
the Rev. Mr.. Patriken.
The prisoners brought exciting news from
Richmond which they represent to have
been in state of fercrish excitement from
midnight on Saturday up to the time they
left, at o'clock on Sunday afternoon. After
midnight on Saturday the bells of the city
were rung and men were rushing through
the streets crying "to arms. to arms The
Yankees arc coming" !" During the remain
der of the night an intense commction was
everywhere visible. The home guards were
called out and the tramp of armed men
could be heard in all directions.
Cannon were hauled through the streets
Women and children were hurrying to and
fro-such n panic as had seldom 3een wit
messed in Richmond. On Sunday morning
there was no abatement in the excitement
The guards were all marched out of the
city to the defences, and the armed citizens
placed as guard over the prisoners. Horse
men were dashing to and fro, and the ex
citemcnt among the prisoners to knUT tho
cause of all this commotion became intense
1t was soon learned that large cavalry anC
infantry force, with artillery, had mad,
their appearance on the Peninsula, at Bot
toms Bridge, within ten miles of the city
, and that Richmond was actually threatene(
by the Yankees.
The same hurrying of troops, arming o
citizens, and excitement among the womel
aud children continued during the morning
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when th
| prisoners were about to leave in the trans
port, alarm bells were again rung with grea
fury, and the left scene Of confusion ant
turmoil such as they had never before wit
messed in the city.
, The rumors which prevailed were con
r l1ictihg and wild. 1t was their imprcssio
I sure that 5000 or 10000 cavalry woul
n have found but little difficulty in cnterin
t the city, libcrating the prisoners destroyin
the forts and public properly, and returnin
: by the peninsula, before any Sufficient fore
n to resist them could be brought 10 the al
n Of the small garrison left to defend it.
d For several days previous to this alarn
n the troops in and around the city, to III
Y number of 1000 or 5000, had been sent o
i. 70 join Lees army with great dispatch, ii
v impression prevailing that movement W,
is contemplated by Meade. In this they wei
right, rs during the progress of the excit
,f ment on Sunday, intelligence was receive
IS that Meade had crossed the Rapidan. Q
n Monday morning courier arrived at Cit
e Point, bringing copies of the mornin
Ie papers, with intelligence that the excit
ment had abated, and that it had bee
,e ascertaincd that the Yankees were fal!in
d back from the Chickahominy, and ha
- abandoned the attack