Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-03-30
ted its superiority over the Yankee

| All Tue uckEOCo III TIC City wei 2
out on the streets following the col
ums, and endeavoring to keep step
with the music. Men, women, chill
dren, old and young, were >houtlng
welcome to the troops, shaking
hands with each other, dancing,
laughing, cutting up all manner of
joyful manifestations Some were
drunk; and these approached officers
ard soldiers with a freedom that cost
many bloody nose, or an unpleas-
ant concussion a trryo
General Logan selected the mag
nificent residence of General Wade
Hampton as his headquarters. Meas
ures were at once taken to protect
the citizens and the city. A Provost
Marshal was appointed, the guards
were strengthened, drunken men
were arrested, and by pightfall the
city seemed comparatively quiet
During the evening troops began
pouring in from the camps TO see the
city. The wind increased in violence,
and burning cotton fakes were flying
in all directions. Some houses took
fire from these, and others were fred
by the troops The flames spread
with wonderful rapidity, and by ten
O'Clock were making rapid headvay.
By this time fires were breaking out
in every direction. Frequent at
tempts were made to confne the
fame to certain district by tearing
away houses. So compactly built
was the business portion of the city,
and so gigantic, even now, the di-
mensions of the conhagration, that
one might as well attempt to curb
the flames of a burning prairie.
Higher and higher roso the wall oil
fire, casteilated here and there as it
rose above some building taller than
its neIghbors. More boisterous and
more terrific grew the flames Women
and children, chilled by the cutting
wind, and trembling with fright,
stood shivering in the streets, weep
ing, oh, you who have seen the de
vouring element lick up your little
all on earth, and leave you poor in
deed, know only how bitter tears, or
wringing their hands in speechless
agony. If prayers and cries could
now avail 10 check the fire, darkness
with the speed of lightning would
have covered all. As the hours
passed the circle Of fire extended.
At midnight 1 stood at the headquar-
tiers of General Logan, and traced a
continuous wall of flame encircling
the whole city The scenes / wit
messed l shudder now to recall. l
walked not square from this point,
when l was besought In the most
frantic terms, by agonizing mothers,
begging me to save their buildings
for the sake of their little ones. Some
had sick relatives that tLey implored
ne to save from the conflagration,
and my ears were besieged with
multitude of prayers and supplica-
tions that l could not grant. / started
with lady to carry out little bed
ding for a sick child, when another
seized me and begged my assistance
in another direction. On the main
street the terrible timult and confu-
sion defies description. The upper
stories of the business houses were
generally occupied, and these fami-
lies were the first driven from their
homes. Buildings were being ran
sacked by some while others were
assisting families to save a portion
of their property. Everybody seemed
to be talking, commanding, begging,
cursing, chiding, screaming, mourn
ing, crying, scuffiing or fighting.
Imagine a street full of all classes of
people of both sexes, a whole city a
blaze, and in this particular locality
the confagration so furious as to
mingle the confusion of the street
anG the roar of the flames into one
indescribable pandemonium of sights
and sounds, and you have faint idea
of the spectacle.
Two O'Clock A. NJ. came, but with
it the confagration had only gained
ground and the hurricane fury. The
fire now reached to the street further
east. The flames from either side,
meeting as they rolled upward,
rooted the street with a fiery arch.
The light shingles warped from the
roofs of buildings foated upward in
to the flaring, seething pillows, and,
borne off in the pitch. black column
of smoke, blazed like meteors hun
dreds of feet above us. 1t was
spectacle fit to appal the stoutest.
All was CONSERVATION now, and peo-
pie flocked to the cen. er of the city
and to the different headquarters.
Generals Sherman, Howard and Lo-
gan, with their respective stats,
were out endesvoring to quiet the
fears of the people, and offering to
the houseless all the accommodations
possible ts secure. The lurid blaze
Lit up every nook and corner. and l
could pick up pin or read news
paper in any street by the ruddy light
OF the connagration.
! have erred in asserting fear to
al. ! did sss a number Of the bitter.
vindictive girls and women Of the
city laughing detiantly, and threaten
ing the vengeance of the Southern
army, as the fiery element licked up
their homes and property.
The central portion of the city is
given greatly to the cultivation of
shrubbery and eyergreens. and l