Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-08

were allowed the opportunity OF enaAlne the
Subsequently the President and suite. with
cavalry escort OF colered troops, appeared on
the square, drawn in q carriage and four,
which was driven around the walks, the
President inspecting the condition of the
troops ahd exhibiting an unwonted interest in
everything.
Everywhere the reception was the same,
the bands playing and the people besieeing
the grounds, each anxious for q closer in
spection OF the distinguished occupants OF the
While these ceremonies were going on, a
salute of guns was fired from the steamers 81
Rocksts
The Public Buildings of Richmond.
From Rich mond correspondence N. Y. WorldI
The headquarters of rebeldom were concen-
trated around Capital square, and 1t is strlR-
ing fact that the first object that met the eyes
OF Jefferson Davis when he came out OF St.
Paufs Church on Sunday, April 2, 1865, with
the news from Lee that all was lost, and he
must leave Richmond, was the statue of Wash
ington, under which he had been inaugurated
as president of the Confederate States, }" Feb
ruary 22, 1862.
ST Paul's Church, on Ninth street. was the
church of President Davis, who is regarded
here as sincerely devout member of the Epis-
copal comm union. 1t is a large and comely
structure; the congregation made up of the
"best society" of Richmond; and the rector a
German by birth, but long resident here. A
good many notable funerals have taken place
in this church, including that of President Ty-
Ter, but the most notable of all in history will
the ssouthern confederacy' by jefferson Davis,
on Sunday afternoon, April 2. 1865.
Beyond ST Pauls, on 9th street. and near
Bank street, whic h forms the western boundary
OF the Capitol square, stood q handsome brick
building, now in smoking ruins, which was
known before the war as Mechanics Hall, and
has since been occupied as the rebel war de-
partment The treasury offices were in the
Immediate Reghborhood, and have also been
destroyed; but half way down Bank street,
and running through to Main street, the Rich
mOQd 90 RrOadWaV.'
ing of the United States custom house still
rears its majestic proportions. This is the
finest building in Richmond, was completed
just before the war broke out, and was appro-
priated by the rebel government, soon after
they came to Richmond, TO the various depart
ments of their administration. The war and
the treasury departments eventually outgrew
their lodgings here, and the post office was
established, under MIR. Reagan, in large
building just below the custom house, on
Bank street, which has also fallen prey 70
the flames.
In the custom house, however, Davis and
Benjamin and Mallory held their court till the
end The "Confederate President occupied
modest suite of rooms up two flights Of stairs
in wing of the building, They are not yet
open to public inspection, a sable guard stand
ing In the small ante-room at the head of the
stairs, with strict orders, polite but peremptory,
to keep watch over all they may perhaps con-
tain. This will not, however, amount to much,
for the general testimony is that all the impor-
tant archives OF the rebels were sent away sew
eral weeks ago, either to Lynchburg or TO
Danville. The probabilities are that Danyille
was their destination.
The rebel "cablnet ministers" seem to have
been comfor rtable in their way of living. Ben
jamin, the Secretary OF Stale, who has left an
enormous amount of unpopularity behind
him-I can't exactly make out why-hnd
fine house at the upper end Of Main street,
which has escaped the conhagration.
Mallory lived al a hotel, but passed most OF
his time with "tiger' who had a splendid
den on Main street. much resorted to by the
leaders of the s'secession" party. / find 40.
hOdv who SDeakS Qecently of him.
Trenholm, Of the treasury, reputed immense
ly rich in gold, invested " Itn the house OF Fra
zer Co, in nstand, had a fine house on
Grace street, and. am told, gave brilliant
party only about two months ago to South
Carolinian celebrity, not long since married TO
Richmond belle, at which party the toilettes
Of the ladies were as splendid as anything seen
in Washington or New York. at the supper,
champagne and pates de foieS gras were served, >.
brought in by the blockade.runners. So you
see all the "confederates" did not 60 about In
homespun or live on hominy for the benefit Of
their sarmy in the field.''
jefferson Davis's house, as have already
stands on the brow of Shockoe hill, at the foot
ef Twelfth street and Clay, and is in good con-
clifton, though rather shabby as to the exterior.
The shutters are broken, and the gates of the
garden swing all kinds Of ways. The stables,
too, are planted directly beside the front DOOR
way, which detracts very much from the ap-
though it would be thought q decent gentle.
mans house anywhere, it is by no means to be
compared even with many OF the houses in
Richmond and its immediate vicinity.
General Robert Lees residence Is still more
unpretending. 1t stands at the corner OF q
street, block or two above that Of President
looking kind of establishment The ladies Of tn Q
Generals family and of Governor Smiths still
remain in the city, and OF course will be well
and courteously treated. In fact, the change
from the confusion and disorder which at
tended the flight Of the Confederate rear guard
all Sunday night to the order which General
k,z -. =
ready succeeded in re-establishing, has pro-
duced, and must continue to produce, most
favorable effect upon the popular feeling here.
Main street, from below 9TH street, TO the
neighborhood OF Church hill, presents a most
lamentable appearance 1t seems to have pos.
sessed some very handsome blocks Of shops
ana stores, put most OF the buildings should
say must have been OF a decidedly second rate
class.
The old Bank Of Virginia building, the En-.
quirer building, and the "oldest house in Rich
mond," which stood quite at the further end
of the street, appear to be most bitterly la
mented by the citizens for different reasons.
street, with the old jail adjoining, in which
Aaron Burr was confined, and which has been
used in the present war as prison for many
of our officers and men, have also gone, as
well as the ''stone-jug" in which Ool. Lee. Of
Boston, Col. Wood, Of Brooklyn, and others,
the officers taken at Balls Bluff, and kept as
"hostages" for the crew Of the Savannah, were
confined.
Cary street, Virginia street, and other busi-
ness streets between Main street and the James
river, have suffered severely. But the best
parts of the town were either left untouched
altogether or have escaped with little damage.
The street from which / write, for example,
one OF the neatest and prettiest ia Richmond,
needs only six weeks Of peace and Yankee
administration to make it an agreeable habita-
ton for any man. There are some fine houses
near by in Broad street, which seem to be oc-
cupied, and in Grace, Franklin, and other
streets of this quarter which i have had
time to glace at, there are few visible signs Of
war or confiagaton.
A CHEAP CAMPAIGN.-The correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Press writes from Goldsboro'
NC.
The campaign closed is one of the most if not
altogether the most economical ever consum-
mated. The rations and acquired supplies for
Gen. Gerry's division, for instance, will fur
Aish q basis for calculating the extraordinary
cheapness of this campaign to the Govern
ment, as translated into dollars and cents.
Gen. Geary's command left Savannah with
three days rations of salt beef, fifteen OF hard
bread, three Of coffee, fifteen OF sugar, thirty OF
salt, and ten of soap. These rations were en-