Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-02-18
.k.PlNTJ IN RICHMOND.
Anticipated Attack on the City.
"A GENERAL ALARM SOUNDED.
The settlement Caused by the
4 App pearance 0fa Union Force
2 jt at Hoftom's Bridge. ss
BAIrrraoonE, Tuesday, Feb. ., 1864.

'l' BALrIAoRE, Tuesday, Feb. ., 1854.
A special dispatch from Fortress Monroe |
to the Baltimore American, from Mr., G. 9.
Fulton, who j. at City Point, says; h
. The Rebel fag-of.truce steamer Schultz,
with Commissioner Ould and Capt Hatch,
the truce officer, arrived on Sunday. at City
Point Two citizen prisoners, brought
down by the Schultz, were sent on board
/, the New York. They were both Maryland
ers one Of them, Mr.. A. Brengie OF Ered-
( erick. Md, was captured at Nhddletown on
the 10th of June last, while acting as vol
runteer assistant to the Sanitary Commission;
and the other, George w. Langley Of Bal
timore County, was captured while driving
awagon Of the Sanitary Commission near
Charlottesville, on, the eth of November.
They were released through the interposi.
ltion Of the Rev. Mr.. Petriken. =
~ They brought exciting news from Rich
mond, which they represent was in q state
of the most feverish excitement from mid.
night on Saturday up to the time they left
on Sunday afternoon. g..-. syat4.t ssi
At midnight on Saturday the bells Of the
city were rung, and men were rushing
through tho streets crying, 10 arms to
armsl The Yankees are coming! the
Yankees are coming "W3 Irlupnel!
III During the remainder of the night there
was an intense commotion everywhere Wis.
ible. The Home Guard was, called out, and
!, the tramp Of armed men could bs heard in
Cannon we're hauled through the streets;
women and children were buErsing to and
fro, and there were all the evidences Of such
panic as has seldom been witnessed il
Richmond. @ ~ - .., =,
La7 On Sunday morning there was no abate
.,ment In the excitement. TIE guards were
!. all marched out OF the city to the defenses
and the armed citizens were placed on guarc
over the prisoners. t'l.s -. s.l
j. Horsemen were dashng to and fro und
the excitement among the prisoners to know
the cause Of this excitement became intense
O. II was soon learned that large cavalry
and infantry force, with artillery. had rnad'
their appearance on the peninsula at Bot
TOMS, Bridge, within ten miles of the city
and that Richmond was actually threatened
by the Yankees. rafa' '1.r
The same hurrying Of troops, arming o
citizens, and excitement among the womeI
and children continued during the morning
and ut about 2 o'clock, when the two re
leased prisoners were about to leave in th'
truce boat, the alarm bells were again rum
with great fury. ., ,a- .et
est turmoil and confusion, such as they ha
never before witnessed in the city. ca
"a The rumors that prevailed were coutiit
ting and wild. II was their impression tina
from 5000 to 10, 900 cavalry would have bu
iittle difficulty in entering the city and lib
Grating the Union prisoners. destroying tn
forts and public property, aud retiring b
the Peninsula before any sufficient force
resist them could be brought to the aid (
the small garrison left to defend It. ',.
For several days previous to this alar
the troops in and around the city. to ii
number of 1000 to 5000. had been sent {
to join Lees army with great dispatch Il
impression prevailing that q movement W
contemplated by fen. Meade. In this tn!
were right, as during the progress of ii
excitement on Sunday intelligence was 7
ceived that Gen. Meade had crossed Il
Rspidan. ... ......-.,,.,.
On Monday morning about 10 o'clock,
courier arrived at City Point. bringin
copies of the morning papers. with the il
telligence that the excitement had abate'
and that it had been nscertained that Il
Yankees were falling back from the Chic
ahominy and had abandoned tho attack.