The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-03
various places, and that the town Was
threatened BY 4 total destruction. as the

firemen were all secreted, in conse.
quence Of the operations of the rebel
cavalry, who were impressing them and
driving them from the town whenever
found and they desired protection from
the rebels, in order that the firemen
might perform their duty without fear
of being seized. More troops were then
landed, and the town was taken possess
sion of. The houses were all closed and
the people remained within.
The Courier remained and continued
publication, merely dropping Confcdc-
rate States of America from its head
ing, and forgetting to place in its stead
United States of America. It's tone was
somewhat changed, too, being subdued
and neutral. This morning it was taken
possession Of by Lieutenant Colonel
Woodford, Provost Marshal General of
this department, and placed in charge of
George Whittemorc, correspondent of
the New York Times, and George W.
johnson, Of the Port Royal Ne~ South,
who will issue, tomorrow morning, loyal
paper. Both Mr.. Whittemore and Mr..
Johnson are gentlemen Of talent and cx
pcricnce, and will make good, live
newspaper Of tie Courier. They will
achieve success, | am sure. All the
printing material in the job Offices in
town have also been turned over to them.
The Charleston Cou,'ier of the morn
ing of the 20th-its last Confederate
issue-thus describes the horrors Of the
evacuation Of the city:
The terrible scenes through which this
community has passed since our last
issue can only be conceived by those
| who witnessed the dreadful reality
The saddest part of all is the loss Of
life which occurred between eight and
nine o'clock Saturday morning from an
accidental explosion of powder and the
blowing up Of the Northeastern rail
road depot. About one hundred and
fifty persons-including men, women
and children-were either instantly
killed or persisted in the flames, and
about two hundred wounded. Of the
immense destruction of property no cs
innate can be formed, but it will amount
to several millions.
Early Saturday morning, before the
retirement Of General Hardee's troops,
| every building, warehouse or shed, stored
with cotton, was fired by a guard de-
tailed for the purpose. The engines
were brought out but with the small
force at the disposal of the Fire Depart
ment very little else could be done than
to keep the surrounding buildings from
igniting. On the western side of the
city the conhagration ragged with great
fury. On the wharf Of the Savannah
railroad depot several hundred bales Of
cotton were awaiting shipment on the
blockade-runners also, several thou
sand bushels of rough rice. On Lucas
street, leading to the depot, was shed
containing twelve hundred bales of cot
ton, which, together with several other
sheds and buildings filled with cotton,
belonging to private parties, fell prey
to the flames. Lucass mill, containing
some thirty thousand bushels Of rice,
and Mr.. r. L. Walkers warehouse, at
the foot of Broad street, filled with COM
missary stores, were also destroyed.
| Shortly after eight o'clock occurred the
terrible explosion at the Northeastern
railroad. The explosion was tremen-
dous, and shook the whole city. 1t ap-
pears, from all accounts, that this dread
full catastrophe was caused from the care
less handling of powder by some boys:
taking handrulls and throwing it into the
cotton fire at the depot. In doing this
they unwittingly laid train to the
apartment in which it was stored. The
spectacle which followed was horrible
In an instant the whole building was en-
veloped in smoke and flames. The cries
of the wounded, the inability of the
spectators to render assistance to those
rolling and perishing i'll the fire, all
rendered It scene Of Undesirable ter
ror. The flames spread with great rapid
ity, communicating to the adjoining
buildings, including the fine large
residence of DR.. Seaman Dcas, on the
northeast corner of Chapel and Alexander
streets, all of which were destroyed. The
buildings on theopposite side of the street
were soon enveloped in flames, and the
fire now became unmanageablc. All the
buildings embraced in the area of four
squares on Chapel, Alexander, Wash
ington and Charlotte streets to Calhoun
street, with few exceptions, were de-
stroyed. About 10 o'clock, fire broke
out in the large four-story brick building
Of Madame DuRee, at the northeast
corner Of East Bay and Laurcns street
This, with the adjoining building on the
northeast corner Of Minority street, were
all burned. Another fire broke out about
II o'clock in a range Of buildings on ths
west side of Meeting street. next to the
courthouse. Five buildings We're burn