Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-11
REMINIsCENOE OF THE EVACUATION OF
RICHMOND

AS the events OF that dread1ul Monday
morning Of April Sd rGcede from us upon
the tide of time, circumstances that were
then swallowed up and lost sight OF iii the
general Pandemohium stand out most prom
inently upon the minds vision. 1t was be-
tween the hours of and I Il. IN. The gov
ernment had gOne-crossed the turbid wa
ters of the James never to return-a and
Richmond was no more the capitol Of the
Southern Confederacy The bridges and
river side of the city were in flames, and
the fire. struck by southeast breeze,
swept towards Main-st., leaping from house
to house and block to block. The inces-
SAINT noise of exploding shells in the ar
senals and magazines, and the crash offall-
ing walls. went up on every side, while the
lurid smoke ashes and red-hot cnders roll
ed down in the adjacent streets, enveIop-
ing the thousands who filled them, some
hurrying to and fro with pitiful relics of
their household goods others, and by far
the greater number, intent on plumber.
The sun rose red and round, and hung
amid the lurid smoke and glare of the flame
like great beacon of woe, or the awful
unlashed eyeIof an avenging Deity. Men
were not excited but stunned, and stood
dumb apparently, watching with vacant
stare the rolling and surging of the sea of
fire, that was tapping up with the tongues
Of flame their consecrated homes, and
sweeping away the accumulated comforts
and toll of years. Some wept silently like
children, and wrung their hands like wo-
men. Remorseless flame What cared it
for tears 1t leaped for very joy it leaped
and danced upon the house-roofs it shot
up in great pyramids, and curled up and
nestled down in the chambers,
Ever in a new place
Lifting its fiery face"
At about 8 O'Clock, the confagraton,
viewed from an elevated position, fearfully
reminded the spectator of the ancient paint
ings representing hell. Whole acres were
billowed over by flame and smoke and a
great cloud, the smoke of its torment hung
over the city. Verify had the day for
which all other days were made" been ac-
tually come, the CONSERVATION terror and
agony of the scene could hardly have been
enhanced. The devil was loosed for his
little season God seemed to have removed
his Providence, and all was whirling to
chaos and ruin together Thieves, black
and white, were abroad by hundreds. Re
treating in advance of the fire, they broke
open stores, robbed and plundered, and
then aided in the spread of the flames by
firing the stores plundered. Few saved a
tenth part of their plunder and that plum
dered by one set of thieves often fell into
the hands of another set of pillagers. The
cutters and sidewalks of Main-st., were
strewed with silks, satins, bonnets, boots,
hats, clothing, fancy goods and cosmetics.
Men drunk with the liquor that was to be
had od hbltum, flowing in the streets and
decorating the sidewalks in bottles and
casks, staggered under the burden of great
loads Of stolen goods. Men, women boys
and girls, halfstifed with the smoke that
rolled along the street, "tugged, pulled,
hauled and tusseled" with one another, all
endeavoring to save as much as possible
from the general wreck and ruin impend-
ing-not for the owners, butfo themselves.
Weak children tugged at boxes of tobacco,
rolling them when too heavy, and over end
to places of safety. Women grappled
with barrels of -four, screeched and yelled
to each other for assistance. but rarely got
1t unless co-partnership of spoils was
agreed upon. Carts, drays aud wheel-bar-
rows were running in continuous train up
town, carrying away the plunder of the
plllagers. No law, no police, there was no
one stop the wholesale plundering and
transfer of goods. Rights in property were
wiped out no man owned anything. And
it was wonderful to witness the apathy of
owners. Men who were threatened with
the greatest loss seemed least concerned, and
the least disposed to save their stock
They stood like blocks and saw their wealth
scattered to the four winds of heaven part
ed among thieves, scattered and trampled
i'll the street. Some few had a realizing
sense of the situation, and exerted them
selves to save what they could.--Richm0ad
Wing.