The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-04-26


who begged that he city might be honora
bly, surrendered, as :he retreating rebels
were more 10 be feared than The open foe.
The euidons OF the cavalry were placed
on the Capitol about O'Clock. About
half past 6 O'Clock the lasl train OF the re-
treating rebels crossed the DanviIs rail
road bridge our troops were sighting the
city from the hills. John c. Breckinridge
who had remained behind TO superintend
the work of destruction, was among The
asI TO leave. His assistants in this work
were General EweII and Major Dick Turner,
OF Libby prison noIorieiy. Governor Smith
lei! an hour earlier on canal boat, the
transportation horse vehicles having been
exhausted.
The ahratory and the freiga: depot of the
DanviIle road were fred about six O'Clock
several of the citizens protesting al the
ime haI il would cause immense loss 10
private individuals. An appeal was mate
to Breckiurdge, by the suggestion oil Ewell,
who ordered the torch to be applied and
then left. The rattle OF the locomotive
could be heard on the bridge as our troops
catered The heart of he city.
AWFUL COMPLICATIONS
The firemsn and soldiers (ne2roes) who
were prompted aud urged by the few
white officers made ineffectua endeavors
TO check The iFe, bni their efforts seemed
The large mills of HaxaIl & Crenshaw
went as we'll a. all the warehouses on and
near ihs canal Main street was reached,
and for lime 1t seemed as il ;he Spots
wood would go. People were afraid 10 en-
ter it, bot iis proprietor by strenuous efforts
esyed il. DowE Main street, and up the
west side of the Capitol square, il caught
the War Department buildings aud Quar-
ermaster's Offices. though it is supposed
this may have been fired inde pendeniy,
as loads on loads of papers wsrs haulei
out into the street and bsrned on Sunday
The Treasury building strangely enough es-
capped, being q stone structure with metallic
roof, though on tie three sides of il for
blocks, is vast m ass of black ruins The
fire swept down six blocks on Main street
from the CAPITOL square. On The river bank
everything was burned .or a full mile In
fact, the fire died on, Tor the wan; OF con-
tiguons fuel The sight on Monday nigh,
from the heights above Was terrific and
Ing OF flames gave every hour fresh impe.
tus to the burning mass.
On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings
the view from CANDLES Hill. looking over
the river, We could see nearly square
mile of black and smoking ruins. The
three bndges across the James, one of them
a costly and magnifcen, structure, the Pc.
tersburg bridge said 10 have cost .over a
million oI dollars, were burned. Two or
three large mills in Manchester, opposite
The navy yard, and The navy yard, and the
whole of the hear, OF The city was destroy
ed. The loss must amount 10 thirty. mil.
lions Of dollars in gold. The Ballard House
and Exchange Hotel were saved The
most OF the banks and one church were
consumed, though there was probably little
specie il the vanlls. 1t is computed thai
one thousand five hundred building were
destroyed and forty blocks.
SCENES OF yUMuLr
In the spread of the fire there was much
piiiaging The poorer classes, including
women who had long tell the pangs Of fam.
inc, now found their opportunity OF wreak-
ing a suppressed vengeance agains, the
spectators and exlorIiouers. The negroes
caught the infection, and stores were bro
ken into. and for a few hours the wIdes,
scenes Of disorder prevailed. 1t should 5e
mentioned that on Sunday evening a com
mittee of citizens, headed By the civil au-
ihorlies, seeing the ia'e before them, very
wisely concluded 10 destroy all the liquor
before the entry of our troops. Accordingly,
all the deposrlArie~ were visited aud the
liquors were emplied into the cutters.
THE FLIGHT OF JEFF DAVIS.
Tie despatch sent by Lee on Sunday
from Petersburg. aud which reached Presi
dent Davis while it, church on Sunday, was
the signal for grsud exodus. His wife
left on Wednesday previous. il is said, for
Galveston He sent over to Dr. Hope.
whose sermon he had been listening 10, a
small note by the black sexton. The latter
on receiving it changed the course OF his
remarks, and said i, was probably the las,
time hs should address lhem and hastily
conc uded the services. The rest OF The
day he spen, with his secretaries in pack
ing up his papers His house was left
otherwise in the usual order, a white
house ke eper being found in charge by our
people He took the train al half past six
in the evening.
Governor Smith (Extra Billy lef; his
wife "a very excellent lady, by the wsy)