Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-11
THE EVACUATION OF RICHMOND.


Though we have twice before dwelt upon
the subject of the evacuation of Richmond and
the subsequent dreadful conflagration, il is q
exhaustless theme, and so long as we can fur
llsh new facts in connection with il we DO not
fear wearying our readers.
For month past the Confederates have been
eyacuaung the city with all the speed and
means they could command, but 1mehow the
people refused TO believe that the removal
meant evacuation, and all declared that the
measures We're only precautionary Matters
went on in this manner until last Sunday, the
Confederates hurrytBg away every species Of
property, the people blindly refusing to be-
10 their Confederate shinplasters as if they
were things OF worth.
Sunday morning General Lee telegraphed to
Davis, giving an account of the general attack
upon his lines, stating that his lines had been
pierced in many places, and that illness he
could re establish them Richmond must be
given up that night His tone was, for the
first time since the war, respondent. He said
his men not coming up 10 their l0orI:.
at eleven o'clockthat morning he telegraphed
that all efforts to establish his lines had been
utterly unsuccessful Immediately began
among the officials in Richmond scurry and
panic. Still the majority of the people were
III the dark, and, refusing to believe their eyes,
so remained, many of them, till night. The
gold ard silver coin belonging to the Louisiana
banks, ard recently appropriated by the Con.
1ederate Congress, YVES run down to the Dan.
willie train in haste. So also was the specie of
the Richmond banks. Then the programme for
the departure Of the officials was arranged
evening; still there was not room for all who
thought il desirable to get away. Davis was to
departat seven o'clock in the evening. Breck-
lnridge elected TO go off on horseback, with the
last OF The army, on Monday morning.
At the request OF the Mayor, meeting OF
Council was held on Sunday evening, at four
O'Clock, TO consult as to what was best to be
done under the circumstances. Governor
Smith, being invited to attend this meeting,
almost convinced the Council that the Confea-
crate arms had been victorious at Peter sburg
and that Richmond was not to be evacuated
He, however, managed to become better in.
formed some hours afterwards, and ran off on
horseback some time during the night
The council, after much discussion, passed
resolution appointing committees for each Of
the three wards, who should, when the fact
that the city was about to be abandoned should
be aseertained, proceed TO destroy ali the alco-
noiie liquors in their respective wards, giving
the Councifs rece ipt for the same, to be paid
hereafter. The object OF this step is obvious
10 prevent disorder resulting from the intoxi-
cation OF the troops of either army and of the
evil disposed ameng the citizens. The order
of tAe Council was partially executed but
there is no doubt that much evil was arrested.
After dark the Council held another con-
ference, and this time being assured by the Sec.
rotary OF War, that the Confederate pickets
would be Withdrawn from the Richmond front
at three o'clock Monday morning, and that it
was calculated that the city would be evacu.
ated about night, 1t was determined that
committee OF preminen mt citizens should attend
the Mayor with flag of truce to the interme-
diate line Of Notifications, and there he might
ing the army of the James. Judge Lyon,
Judge Meredith, and several members Of the
Council attended the Mayor.
In the meantime saturnalia had begun in
the city. About dusk the government commits
saries began the destruction OF an immense
quantity OF whlskey and brandy stored In the
large building formerly Wallace's wholesale
grocery store, northwest corner of Pearl and
Cary streets. Several hundred soldiers and
citizens gathered in front of the building: and
contrived to save much of the liquor in
pitc hers, bottles and basins. This liquor was
not slow in manifesting itself. The crowd be.
came mob, and began to howl. Soon other
crowds had collected in front of other govern
ment warehouses. Some attempts were made
10 distribute supplies, but so frensied had the
mob become that the officers in charge IN many
cases had TO flee for their lives.
All through the night crowds OF men, women
and children travelled the streets, rushing
from one storehouse 20 another, loading them
selves with all kinds Of supplies. to be thrown
away Immediately on something else more
tempting Offering ITSELF Men could be met
rolling hogsheads Of bacon, molasses, sugar,
barrels OF liquor, bushels of tea and coffee
others had wheelbarrows loaded with all man.
Aer OF goods, while others again had gone into
the plundering business in large way, and
were operating with bags, furniture wagons
and drays. This work went on fast and furi-
Gus until midnight, about which time large
numbers OF struggling Confederate soldiers
made their appearance on the streets, and i'm.
mediately set about robbing the principal
stores on Main street. The scenes that then
followed have already been described. There
was reg ular sack.