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

visit of the President to Rfchmond-He
Receives Visitors in Jeff. Davis Man
sion.
From the Richmond Evening Whig, April S.
We gave in yesterday afternoons edition Of
the Wing the main history of events which
marked the evacuation of Richmond by the
Confederate Government and army, and its
occupation by the forces of the United States.
An inspection of the burnt district this morning
shows that we did not over estimate the extent
ofthe area burned over. or the number of houses
destroyed. The fire, commencing at the Shockos
Warehouse, radiated front and rear, and on
two wings, burning do wn to, but not destroying
NJ L. .Jacobson's store, No. = Main street,
southside, half way between 14th and 18th
Streets and back to the river, through Cary
and all the intermediate streets. Westward, on
Main, the fire was stayed at 9Th street, sweep
ing back to the river. On the south side OF
| Main the flames were stayed at Mitchell &
| Tyler's jewelry store, between 18th and nth
streets From this point the flames ragged on
the north side Of Main up TO Sth street, and
back to Bank street. The familiar aspect and
| face Of Main street is changed Sc completely
that those best acquainted with the buildings
cannot point them out with certainty. The
busy street Of few days ago is the ghost of its
former self, an amphitheatre of crumbling
walls and tottering chimneys.
The Custom- house, late Confederate treasury.
passed through the ordeal OF fire unscathed,
| from the fact that the edfice is of granite and
| ire-proof The Bank OF the Comm on wealth
presents granite front, but is q mere SHE'LL as
also is the Bank Of Virginia. At one time
| was in great danger, the flames leaping to-
wards Its location with great rapidity; but
merciful Providence caused a lull in the breeze,
and blew the flames out of their track.
Sunday morning, April p broke upon Rich
mond calmly and pleasaL tly, and without any
thing porentous in events Immediately trans
piriDg. There were rumorS of eyacuauon, but
very few supposed the event was upon US and
| at hand. The church bells rang as usual, with
| nothing Of alarm in their tone, and worshippers
were as prompt and devout as was their won't.
But by the hour of noon nervous people began
| to snuff danger IN the air, and ones ears were
| filled with the most terrible rumors. Then there
came an unusual increase in the number of
wagons In the streets; boxes and trunks were
| being hastily loaded at the departments and
| driven TO the Danville depot Those who had
determined to evacuate with the fugitive gov.
| eminent looked On with amaZement; then, con-
| vnced with the fact rushed to follow the gov
ernments example. Vehicles with two horses,
rose to a premium value that was astounding,
ana ten, fifteen, and even a hun dred dollars in
| gold or Federal currency was offered for con-
| veyance. Suddenly, as II by magic, the streets
| became filled with men, walking as though
| for a wager, and behind them excited negroes
toting trunks, bundles and luggage Of every
| description. All over the city it was the same
| wagons, trunks, band boxes and their owners,
mass OF hurrying fugitives, filling the streets
| The banks were all open, and depostors were
| as busy as. bees removing their specie deposits;
| and the directors were equally active in getting
| of their bullion. Hundreds Of thousands of
collars @ OF paper money was destroyed, both
/
it came confusion worse confounded There
| was no sleep for human eyes in Richmond
| Sunday night. The rapid tramp of men upon
the streets, the rattle and roar of wagons, the
| shouts of soldiers retreating through the city
to the South side, went on the whole long, long
| weary night.
| At day6reak, Monday morning, the scene at
the Commissary Depot, at the head Of the
| dock, beggared description. Hundreds OF Gov
eminent wagons We're loaded with bacon,
| flour, and whisky, and driven of in hot haste
| r0tro8tinR NoprOaE. ut
their peculiar "heave oh"' sweated and
worked like beavers. but the immense piles
| OF stores did not seem to diminish in the least
| Thronged about the depot were hundreds Of
men, women, and children, black and white,
| provided with capacious bags, baskets, tubs,
buckets, tin pans and aprons, cursing, push
| ing and crowding, awaiting the thro owing open
| OF the doors, and the order for each to helm
himself When the Government wagons had
that several hundred barrels of whisky re-.
| mained IN the upper story.
One after another, in hasty procession, the
! barrels were rolled to the hatchway, the heads
| Knocked out, and miniature whisky Niagara
| poured continuously down, pouring into the
dock in current almost strong enough to
and three hundred barrels were thus poured
| the river.
| About sunrise the doors were opened to the
| populace, and a rush that almost seemed to
| carry the building off its foundations was
made: and hundreds Of thousands of pounds
C..
| capacious nav OF the public.
And here we may remark that while the
Confederate Government was making such a
| poor mouth over the reported failure Of sup.
| Plies, while the people were being starved that
| the army might be ted, this immense sIorehouse
| was bursting with fullness and plenty, to come
finally to utter wreck and waste.
While hundreds of families have been rem
| dered homeless and houseless by the confagra-
tlon, great many persons who live IN sections
spared by the flames have accumulated small
Ypp0 anti Of
from the burning buildings. Clothing, shoes,
dry goods OF every description were saved in
large quantities, and are now stored away in
| the houses Of those who saved them. Part
restitution would be the proper thing in cases
where the owners are known.
| A whirlwind sweeping through dead leaves
in autumn scattered them no more wildly than
| official documents, pamphlets, &c, were scat
| tered on Monday morning. Confederate bonds.
| Confederate notes, bank checks, bills, fecked
and whitened the streets IN every direction
| all so worthless that the boys would not pick
them up.
While the city was burning, about o'clock
on Monday morning, terrific shell explosions,
rapid and continuous, added to the terror of
| the ecene, and led to the impression that the
| city was being shelled by the retreating Con-
| federate army from the SOuthside, but the ex-
| plosiope were soon asces tanned to proceed from
| the Government arsenal and laboratory, then
| in flames.
The Libbey prison which ever since the war,
| has been used as prison house for Union
| prisoners, is now serving the same purpose for
| Confederate prisoners, several thousand being
| now confined there, and the number is increas.
| ing daily. Hundreds of Confederate deserters
| and stragglers are being hunted out and con.
| fined there.
| We are glad to be able to correct the report
| widely circulated and generally believed yes
| terday that the extensive Haxau Mills had
been burned. The Warwick Mills were
| burned.
| The military authorities, in view OF the de-
| struction of the bridges across the James, have
| thrown across the river below Mayo's bridge
| one OF their firm and very durable pontoon
| bridges to facilitate travel and transportation
! to the Southside.
! The insurance Offices being mostly located
in that portion of the city destroyed, are in
| cluded among the buildings burned, with their
| books and accounts in many instances. Hun
dreds Of the sufferers hold policies of ins surance
| on their property in these offices, but whether
| they can ever realize a cent under the present
| circumstances Is grave question.
The visit Of his Excellency President Lin.
| coin was the event Of yesterday afternoon,
The President, accompanied by Admiral Por-
ter, of the United States Navy, with an escort
| of arnnv and navy Officers woro lendod .