The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-01

never forget the awful appearance of that
town on Monday the 10th. Nature
seemed hushed the streets were filled
with trampling fugitives and citizens,
wandering about aimlessly and restlessly;
t le locomotives OF the Richmond road, ali
nuddied toge Their on the north side OF
Dan river, sent forth, throughout the day
and night, shrek after shrek, wall upon
wall, that reverberated among the hills
like the death song of the dying nation.
Breckenridge, Rosser, Gilmer and others,
arrived the next day and confirmed the
terrible news that the army of Northern
Virginia had surrendered. Then, i'm
perceplibly, new and awful life was IN
fused into the surgng mass. and the
sacking of the city negan. Yet there
was something ludicrous as we'll as ter
rible in the scene that ensued. The gut
tiers were trimming with spirituous IL
quors, and blacks and whites. were fra
ternally kneeling side by side, abssing
themselves before the divine Bacchus.
The postofice and stores, public and pri-
vate were broker pen, and every one
seemed to lay hasds on what they least
wanted old women dragging away ar
tillery harness, fit for nothing else and
boys with huge bundles of letters and
official papers; greasy negroes 'toting
off French and German scientific works
and soldiers with music and cotton yarn
all hurrying to and fro, covered with
molasses. A steady stream of wagons
were pouring through the town, regard
less OF Stoneman' threatening position 10
the southwark, and the result was that
many of them were burned Rosser
succeeded in organizing out of the chaot
ic materials a battalion of some seven
hundred cavalry, and actually carried 1t
far to the north of James River. Others
turned their faces hopefully to Joe john
son, but as they moved toward him were
disheartened by the preponderating
numbers leaving them.
Mr.. Davis left on the Gaeensborough
tram on Tuesday, the lith, think, but
will not be certain OF any dates from this
time to May LIST. One of Stoneman's
columns struck the railroad ten minutes
after he passed that point. The subscri-
Der left with train of three wagons, the
commander.in chief of which, Csnfed-
crate Brigadier, was evidently badly de-
moralized by too much baggage. His
vacillation in choice of roads was such that
it took three days to travel the forty
eight miles that separate Danville and
Greensboro However, this slow staging
enables me to bear willing testimony to
the hospitality of the North Carolinians,
except those living in Greensboro. This
town is in the habituslly loyal portion OF
North Carolina, was one of the tory
strong holds in the revolution, and strong
Holden in the rebellion. l observed
that the citizens were not so lavish OF
their hospitalities as the Danvillians and
the intervening population.
At this point it became evident that
the Confederacy could not stop East oil
the Mississippi, without some miraculous
change in the dispositions of Johnson's
men, who, reinforced by the fugltives and
| paroled prisoners from Virginia, were
Str coming through Greensboro by thous-
sands. 1t was found impossible to stou
the tide, for, as they remarked, they were
mot in the habit of being rallied" and
as they poured in, blankets, clothing and
| rations were thrown out to them, until
an irresistible mass of humanity accumu
Hated which swept every thing before it
1t was an exaggerated re-enactment o
; the Danville scene, and this time accom-
: panied with bloodshed, two of the rioter.
: being killed and four wounded.
Greensboro is on an extensive connect
ed system of railways, but Sherman wal
TO the east, and Grant to the North, anC
1.-THE Southern branch was cut all TO piece
iby Stoneman so it became necessary tC
ilghten our baggage and proceed obi
Hand" which we did about the 18th.
| The party consisted of Mr.. Davis, hi
ICabinet and Staff, and mounted escor
of about one hundred men, of whom
YOUR informant had the honor of form
ing one; and, a train of near twent
wagons. We moved only about hv
tmiles the first evening, and purchase
Hospitality with golden brides. The mex
day we made some seventeen miles, AM
biyouacked in pine thicket for tina
night. | beheld tableaux that nigh
that made an indeiible impression on m
memory-Davis, Breckenridge, Benjamin
Mallory, George Davis, Reagan and Coop
er. kneeling around camp chest. eatiu
supper by the Pickering light of fire an
candle a sable American Wiping b
fore head with his sleeve in the fore
ground; various side groups of less histc
rical characters, and the impenetrabl
gloom of the forest, for back ground
1t wcs a scene worthy OF the pencil {
. Rembrant. The whole party seemed
be in the best of spiIits--almost hilariou
and classic wit and state by mirth ra
rife. 1t is worthy of note that it ws
, here that the attorney General declare
his readiness, like his enemies, to pr
nounce any thing constitutional-exceI
short raiions. And here it was tn;
, Breckinride again went under" 500
. to appear again before the world nego'
: ating with Sherman.
. By day light we were in the saddle, an
z by dusk, in Salisbury. Fortunate
q SLOVENIAN had passed through few da!
before. and we were spared witnessir
one of those disgraceful scenes of plu
), der. that always attend such violent ar
h disiointed times yet the town and
j fact the whole route, was one mass
> fupitives. One day at Salisbury, and the
!. forward. The party divided there OF
. portion going "by land" and the 9th
. bv railroad. which was unbroken fro
4 Ave miles south of Salisbury to Charlo
q te. q,
We staid night at China Grove st
! t;on and Benjamin received dispatt
!. from Breckenridge, informing him
% President Lincoln's assassination: Nd
Il Davis being with the ether party. did q
!. Ion of il until he and we had reach'
; Charlotte. 800;
q tain a head, occupied and possessed 6y
"a lot of unruly. duplex rebels, who "ouldr
IL get down till General Sam Cooper drt
- 1na f;le of ten men with loaded muske
! III ordered them down by virtue OF b
:, 49, -. - .ar;or officer of the COME