New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-08
RICHMOND.
4 DIARY OF EVENTS TO THURSDAY

UlANl Uf Et ENID ~ LII MONA IL
From Our Spsci,l Correspondent
SrOITswooD HOUSE, RIcHnosD. !
Thursday, Aprile. 800
Onward into Richmond, at last, and the rep
reseptatiyes OF The TnRUSE are at the "Spottswood
FLIGHT OF DAVIS AND HIS CHAPLAIN
At III O'Clock Sunday morning. while seated in his
pew at church listening to the lucubratons OF the Rev
Dr. Hoge. jeff Davis was handed dispatch from Cen
Loo Thereupon he instantly arose. and walked hur'
redy down tie aisle beneath the quesiionngs OF ali
the eyes in the house. Tie dispatch was to the effect
that Richmond must be evacuated during the coming
night And 80 his exExceency. the late President oil
the late COnederacy. went forth from the sanctuary
where prophesed the fayore high priest OF his realm
to pack up his portable property In hasty prepara
ton for Journey on the Sabbath day. Like thief in
the night he stole away with repdaion and fear and
with an agonizing sense Of the sbortness Of time.
As the preacher closed the services the colored sex
ton handed him a note from his eI.Excclency. The
face of the preacher waxed sickly with despair while
that Of the sexton glowed with JOY too great for conceal
1rent The chagrn Of the quite as marked as
the grin of the other The former begged his coogrc
CATION To tarry and told them in sad uterances that be
did not expect to minister hom any more. His fare
well over he too proceeded furiousy TO the packing OF
portable property"-he also intended to journey Oh
the Sabbath This DR.. Hoge il will be remembered.
visited England two years ago. ostensiby TO procure
supply Of Bibles but really emmssary Of the lie
belion He was largely fetcd by the British adheren's
Of the South and doubtless did much harm. Since bis
return he has been In tie habit OF making camp
speeches full OF hot JUNCTION and perforated with pre-
sumptious appeals TO the q cd OF battles. ProSlayey
fanatic OF considerable ability he has been peited and
~, .trp epOrr ing nd
welcomes have nothing Of the element Of fann,ic'm
The two worthless fed together. R,quic'eat'
TIE EvAcU sTToS CONTEMPLATION.
The evacuation. though; suddenly determined upon.
hnd evidently been some time contemplated ana pro
yidcd for Correspondence Of their Treasury ana o'hef
Departments shows that long month ago man! OF
the prIic effects were sent 70 Danvile, Augusta anu
Charlotte. But the event, when IT came, was under
more stress and urgency than could have been expected
still II WIS conducted very Systematically and with
much completeness.
NECESSITY OF THE LvACCATI0E-How TT WAS DONE.
The overthrow OF their amy south OF Petersburg on
Friday Saturday and Sunday, by the magnificent hight
ing OF Sheridan and the soring OF the works in front
Of that city BY Wright. oil in pursuance OF conhina'
ton involving forced marehes timely demonstrations
and successf RISES though conducted thirty snd forty
miles awsy-these won for Us the city Military con
sderatons oyeulel moral ones, pushed aside the dc
,atcs Of pride and sstepIcease compelled The evaeu'
alton; and the decision so promptly made war a.
promptly acted upon. Their Government Offices were
stripped Of their effects the banks and Treasury OF their
coin the houses Of the officials Of their vauabes sll
the available means OF transportation both OF cars on
the Danve Road and Of horses and vehicles In the city
gathered together: iaboiers, white and black. i'm
pressed orders ssued for the troops 20 be Withdrawn
for the destruction OF the ir0n.cads maynard, arse
mails and laboratories io the tobacco warehouses to be
fred for all stores OF provisions and large anonnt OF
whisky TO be de,troyed-in short they we're wonder.
ously busy sc. of iDen, those oficlaia
Very few OF the citizens while they coneciured that
the city being abandoned by the Government
dreamed IL was 10 be done that night They had no
means Of going themselves had they been so much
disposed TO- They seem TO have looked in grim and
stupid amaze and 70 have been Weakened to the actual
fact in the early morning by the terrific explosions and
raging flames wakensd to find the Rebels gone--ths
Yankees come.
TAKING POSSESSION.
And now let me narrats how the latter cane.
When Grant began the movement Gon. "eiHei was
Len in command of line north Of the river. with Two
divisions OF his Corpsihe 18th colored. and len
Devins Division the Third OF the Twenty fourth
Corps At o. a. M. Monday. Capt. Brnce oil Downs
stat being in charge OF the picket line visited the out
posts AID his suspicious for some reason aroused he
sent three men TO reo,nooitor They penetrated the
Rebel line aud reported no enemy. These three like
the three children of israel dispatched by Aoses spied
ont the land Of Canaan At advancing his whole
picket line by skirnsAers and opportunity falling In
with /. dcserter BY whom BIO was piloted he himsef
Hsr~ aA ant tor i
,uous path through three lines Of eAsvsxr Dc i<'.
which had been used Tor ssrsss and insress q IT, n
pictc. relis aid v unlike tho rest Of the llns fros
from thiOkiy panted torpedoss. Ordering his men To
depoy widely md continue TO advance Capt ucc rode
rapidly 10 Ger Downs, who instantly te ersphed the
Aoss TO wssss. Tat energetic efsc/r By daylight
Wa advancing his entire force yy nat hour series
Of heavy spiosions and the smos and flames of Rich
nOnd burning, put the fact ft,s evacuation beyond
question Major Stevens Of r/sitsers ssAG Lieut. ".
4. tsdd Detn's. and NJ or Brooks Of the eth Yer.