Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-07
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE OCCU.
PATTON OF RICHMOND,
Scenes During the Conflasr ration-Charac-
ter OF the Rebel Fortifications-Jef eff
Davis Farewell-Mrs. Gen. Lee in the
City.

| eral WeitZel sent a small detachment of the
4th Massachusetts cavalry, under the COM
| mand OF MAJOR Stevens, to meet the Mayor Of
| the city, from whom General W. received the
| keys Of the public buildings The Army OF
| the James then marched triumphantly into
the reoei caplai' having met with no opposi-
After leaving our works in front of the ebel
entrencnments, our army was greeted with en- =
thuslastic cheers by the populace, who have
| thus far behaved in a becoming manner and
have SHOWN us every respect
The colored population were excessively Ju l..
bilant and danced for very JOY at the sight of
| their sable brethren in arms, the 25th corps,
| who followed close upon the heels of General
Ripley's brigade of the oath corps, in the entree
| of The Union forces into Richmond.
About daylight on the morning of the sur
render, our forces were formed in line of battle
| in front Of our works confronting Richmond,
| and were then moved up by General Weitzel.
A few stray shots were fired by the retreating
rebels, iDJuring no one. Beyond this Go oppo.
! sition was offered US, and our troops filed into
| the rebel works and up the Osborne and New
market road to the city.
| An inspection of the rebel works disclosed
| the TACT OF their having left in great haste
Many of their quarters were left without q
thing being taken out Of them. Pistols, revol.
| vers, carbines, and arms OF every description
were found in profusion, clothing of every de.
scrlptlon was IN abundance, and in some Of
| the offlcers' qurters We're found their private
correspondence, diaries, &c.
While stragglers were pillaging the deserted
| camps our army continued its march towards
| the city.
A couple of hours more brought as into the
| heart of the rebel city.
The sight OF the burning buildings was truly
sorrowful. That part of the city along the
river front known as the main business part
was one vast sheet OF flames.
What with the roaring and dashing and
| clashing, burning and tumbling buildings. the
| shouts of our soldiers moving up the main
streets to the Capitol, the music Of Unisn bands
playing the Star Spangled Banner, the shouts
Of welcome and the excitement Of the people,
was scene of grandeur and magnificence
never to be effaced from memory.
The thought OF entering the city OF Rich.
| mond, that city seemingly the objective point
OF a four years war, in such style without a
struggle, after many hard-fOught battles to
possess it, in which thousands ef eur brave
heroes have been slain, was calculated to thrill
the hearts of all in the column.
General Weitzel Immediately established his
headquarters in the State Capitol, in the hall
lately occupied by the Virginia House of Dele
gates, and Immediately instituted measures to
restore order to the town, as all was Babel OF
confusion.
General Weitzers Order.
The following order was issued by General
WeitZel, directly after taking up his headu uar.
ters In the city
HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT ARMY OF THE
JAMES, RICHMOND, VA, April 3, lS65.-Major
General Godfrey Weitzel, commanding detach-
ment of the Army OF the James, announces the
occupation of the city Of Richmond by the ar
mics Of the United States under command of
Lieutenant General Grant. The people Of
to them the blessings of peace, prosperity, and
freedom, under the flag of the Union. The citi-
zens OF Richmond are requested TO remain for
the present quietly within their houses, and to
avoid all public assemblages or meetings in the
public streets. An efficient provost guard will
re.establish order and tranquility within the
claimed. Brigadier General George F. Shep.
ley, United States volunteers, is hereby an.
pointed Military Governor OF Richmond.
Lieutenant Colenel Frederick S. Manning, pro.
vost marshal general Of the Army of the James,
will act as provost marshal OF Richmond
Commander of departments doing guard duty
in the city will report to him for Instructions
By command Of Major General Weitzel.
u. ID. WHEELER, A. A G.
General Shepley's Order.
Brlgadier 0enl Shepley, upon being placed
In command OF the city, issued the folio wing
patriotic order:
HRADQ'Rs MILITARY GOVERNOR OF RICH.
MoED, Richmond, Va, April 5, lS65--The ar.
mics of the rebellion having abandoned their
effort to enslave the people Of Virginia, have
endeavored to destroy by fire the capital which
they could not longer occupy by their arms
Lieutenant Colonel Manning, Provost Mar
shall General of the Army of the James, and
Provost Marshal of Richmond, will immedi.
ately send detachment of the provost guard
to arrest, if possible, the progress of the flames
The fire department Of the city of Richmond
and all the citizens interested in the preser va.
tion of their beautiful city, will Immediately
report to him for duty, and render eyery DOS
sible assistance In staying the progress of the
confiagration. The first duties of the armies
Of the Union will be to save the city doomed
TO destruction by the armies of the rebellion
No person will leave the city Of Richmond
without pass from the office of the Provost
Marshal. ANY citizen. soldier, or any person
whatever, who shall hereafter plunder, de.
stroy, or remove any public or private prop
erty of any description W whatever, will be ar
rested and summarily punished.
The soldiers OF the command will abstain
from any offensive or insulting words or ges.
lures toward the citizens.
n M
sions, insulting to the flag, the cause, or the
armies Of the Union, will hereafter be al.
lowed.
sixth. For an exposition of their rights, du-
ties and privileges, tle citizens Of Richmond
are respectfully referred to the proclamation
OF the President OF the United States in reIa-
ton to the existing rebellion.
Seventh. All persons having in their possess
sion or under their control any property what.
ever OF the So called Confederate States, or of
any officer thereof, or the records OF the ar.
chives OF any public officer Whate yer, will i'm
mediately report the same to Col. Manning,
Provost Marshal.
assured tina with the restoration of the flag OF
the Union they may expect the restoration of
that peace, prosperity and happiness which
they en] Dyed under the Union, Of which that
flag is the glorious symbol.
q. F. SHEpLEY,
Brig. Gen. United States Volunteers, and Mill
Governor of Richmond
The rebel rear guard, q small body of cavalry,
retreated In the direction Of Lynchburg, only
few minutes before our advance entered the
town. The main body of the enemy com.
menced to retreat about 10 o'clock the preceding
Sunday evening. Their destination was be-
leved to have been Lynchburg, but whether
they will strike for that point when they come
to learn the strait which Lee, with the main
body of his army, has been forced into is doubt
tul.
jeff Davis remained in the city till dark Sun.
day night. having, however, sent his family to
Charlotte, N c., some time during the preceding
week.
The inhabitants generally were not informed
of the contemplated evacuation until they saw
the Confederate troops passing through the
town from the east. Then the truth flashed
upon them that they were to be left TO the mercy
Of the Yankees.
number OF these, fearful that their past
misdeeds would not recommend them to the
clemency of the United States Government,
hastily left their all to share the fate and for.
tunes Of the rebel army, an army so shattered
that 1t can hardly be digntfed by that name.
The damage done by the fire was very great.
Tbe finest portions OF Main street and the street
below, fronting the river, have been laid waste
by the devouring element
The Libby prison still stands, surrounded on
all sides by q heap OF smoking and burnlng