Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-04-13

Prob1bitties If His Escape--A Stand to
be Nude at BurkcsriNe- Generals Sher-
man and .Stonemdn $ Corporations, DC.
Correspondence of New York World.l
Cry POINT, Va, April 4.
am enabled by singular good fortune,
to forward to you some particulars of the
closing scenes around Petersburg and Rich
mond, which feared would be unable to
do by the ordinary means of transmitting
information,
THE EVACUATION OF RICHMOND.
The first indication that the troops under
General Weitzel had Of the evacuation of
Richmond was the explosions early on Mon
day morning in the river above, which were
very heavy and gave the assurance that
something extraordinary was transpiring. -
| General Weitzel Immediately advanced his
picket line, and soon after the Twcnty-tourth
corps was formed and ordered forward eau
tiously. The rebel picket line was found
evacuated, and Immediately the whole corps
! followed with the widest enthusiasm. The
works were of the most formidable charac-
ter, and could not have been carried by AS
sault, except at fearful loss of life. They
consisted of earthworks constructed in the
most sbilltul manner, and protected by art
! fully planned abatis and bitches. The forts
mounted in all about Mrec hund,ed g,mS,
many Of them of very heavy caliDer, and to
great extent unnjured. On every hand
there were Indications that the retreat had
been hasty, almost beyond precedent, and
| the interior of the forts and the roads ap-
preaching Richmand were strewn with the
debris Of the retreating army.
OCCUPATION OF THE CITY.
U,,o,.,, c,,,,.l ,,,,,,, oo,,,, tbo, fool.
possession of the city, and General Weitzel
established his headquarters, temporarily,
at the Virginia House of Delegates in Capi.
tol square. He issued an order proclaiming
martial law and assuring the people that he
had come to restore the blessings of peace
under the flag of the Union He requested
them them to remain in their homes and to
avoid all asscmblagcs in the street. lie APP
pointed General Shcplcy (who was military
governor Of New Orleans under General
Benjamin Butler) military governor and
Colonel Frederick 5. Manning, formerly
provost-marshal of the Army of the James
provost-marshal of the city
GENERAL suEPLEY's ORDER.
On taking command as military governor
General Shepey issued an order, in which
he said that the armies OF the rebellion
having abandoned all efforts to enslave Nir
ginia, and having attempted to fire the capi
tai, which they could no longer hold by force
of arms, it would be the first duty of our
armies to cxtingush the flames, and save
the city lie ordered Colonel Manning tC
detail force under the provost guard to use
the utmost efforts to stay the ravagcs of tn,
flames, which had already destroyed ncarl,
forty blocks of houses. He also ordered tn,
prompt punishment of every man who wa
found pillaging or foraging on his own ac
,, count he also declared that no citizel
should be insulted, and at the same tim
cautioned citizens against the utterance o
the slightest reasonable sentiments, or doin
any act which would tend to Il breach Of tn
peace. For an exposition Of the rights c
' citizens under military rule, he referred t
: the Presidents various proclamations. TIL
y order directed that due respect should h
r paid to Colonel Manning, the provost maj
shal, and that citizens should promptly +,
port to him the existence of any propert
belonging to the rebel government.
i THE REBEL RETREAT.
n The evacuation of Richmond has been
i progress for some weeks, and the citizcl
d generally understood that the city was to |
Z given up, but at what time no one cxcel
II General Lee knew. The public archiv,
c were removed to Lynchburg, and the val'
e able effects of the banks and private either
n also took their flight for place of socuri
l. about the same time. As soon as Gener
y Grant smovemcnt from the immediate trol
c of Petersburg became clearly defined, prou
|, inent citizens prepared for n hasty departur
ot feeling confident that the city could not muC
lc longer be held by the army of Lee. UpC
n the departure of the army on Sunday Il
n ,,l,n.,N MI stp "A
ie set on fire by the rebel troops, but owing
lc the exertions of Colonel Manning the ii
ne was extinguishcd, and the entire city W
OF saved from being left mass of smokiI
$, ruins.
ne JEFF. DAVIS
ne, left on Sunday noon with his family, TAXI
III the Danvie road, He had removed d
O. most valuable portion of his furniture MAJ
or days previous, and am informed by citize
pt that he manifested by his manner the I
" most detection during all of last week. Jr
before he left he received n cipher dispat
III from General Lee which, doubtless, acce
v, rated his departure.
h ToRPEDoEs, ETC.
Ne The rebels, as is characteristic of the
ee planted torpedoes upon all the avenues
m approach to the city, especially in Fort Gi
ll man, opposite FOrt flulllSOn, OF DUrnnd
The James river is also understood to
si- full of these engines of destruction to su
ID an extent that it is deemed unsafe for vess
nj to attempt the passage up TO Richmo
ly from here
I'm CONDITION OF THE CITY.
a Our troops as they entered, behaved We
ty well. The citizens complained of scarc
Is offood, and at the Ballard House, which "
III the only hotel in active operation, the
III offare promised only bacon and corn-dodge
ed with u cake made of oat meal as a substitl
n for bread The scenes attending the evaC
,c- alton on Sunday are described TO us as ,
citing in the extreme. The movement
or troops toward the Danville depot was raj
m, and disorderly. Every one seemed to CT
N. only for himself, and it was only by the M
he severe measures on the part Of the prov
ch guard that anything like organization
he discipline could be preserved. The citize
Of, especially the women and children, were
~. terrible state of excitement, and seen
almost frantic with fear. The expressi
all was frequently made rhat the cause of
or, confederacy was lost beyond recovery, o
of that Lees army was hopelessly defeated
De- Those Of the citizens who had no hopes
all escape resigned themselves to their ia
= while those who had means with which
art purchase a passage, paid almost fabul'
Al . II