Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-13
alninn aud Smfritan.
THE FREEDMEN's CELEBRATION OF
APRIL THIRD IN RICHMOND.

The Richmond correspondent of the New
York Times furnishes the following descrip.
ton Of a very unique affair:
The programme Of the celebration was a
parade through the principal steeets and ad-
dresses from the monument In the Capitol
Park. The procession was formed away up
town on Broad street, and as il passed down
through the business avenues Of the city, at
tracted considerable attention. Falstafi7s
ragged battalions, or the grotesque dresses OF
a bal mdsgue, could not ave.furnished more
oHtrc costumes than were 10 be found in the
line. First came a stalwart body of sixty
men, mounted on fat and lean horses, with
sabres drawn, regalia fluttering in the breeze,
and rosettes bespangling their breasts. They
were followed by a colored band, whose
great delight seemed 10 be in playing king
dom's Coming" with long drawn out
"Massa run aba-a-a." Then came fOotmen,
comprising members Of different societies,
with banners and national flags streaming in
the wind, and perspiration streaming down
their bedusted faces. Brass buttons and blue
coats prevailed as uniform. and little scraps
Of Uncle Sans soldier paraphemalia were
10 be seen in nearly every outfit. Many OF
gard for propriety, and presented fine APP
pearance. There were altogether about IF
teen hundred men in the line of march.
The thrOng, the crowd, the rabble Of wo-
men and children that swept the streets and
sidewalks on each side Of the procession,
like an avalanche rushing down the side Of
mountain, was Undesirable. Each one
wanted TO get nearer the music than the
., ~ l,,,l -,
waves Of crushed crinoline, torn dresses and
bonnets, utterly regardless Of corns and bun
ions, like an overpowering food. II seemed
as If the gates Of King Dahomey's domin-
ions had been opened and his subjects were
running pell-mell somewhere, no matter
where. Still, there was a near approach to
order in all the confusion, for sable horse
men galloped 10 the rear, TO the front, and
backward and forward alongthe length ofthe
column, carrying and receiving orders,
swinging batons, cursing and praying huz-
zaing and yelling grand as peacocks in the
full feather Of spring time. How it was
they managed not 10 ride over any one ] do
not know, but no one was hurt and the coli
umn proceeded down Broad street, up Main,
and into the Capital Park, with but little
interruption.
On Main street badly intoxicated indiyid-
ual fired pistol-shot at one of the horse
men, when the whole line rushed upon him,
and would have lynched him on the spot had
not the police dragged him off to the lock-
up. Ii should be known that Gen. Terry
informed the freedmen that he could not
interfere with the celebration, as its animus
was not inimical to the best interests Of the
Government, but advised them that in his
opinion it would prove disastrous to their
material interests, and told them 10 protect
themselves. They were ready TO do it /; but
il was not necessary, as the city authorities
had detailed large squad of policemen TO
accompany the column, and battalion Of
infantry was brought into the city to be
handy If needed.
Many Of the colored men, women and
children, who were unable TO stand the pres
sure Of the crowd accompanying the process
sion, had already congrega!ed in the
square" when the procession, with its adj
junctive music followers reached the gates.
The column filed in, the horsemen took up
a prominent position and then the review
commenced, each crispy head being barred
10 the sum, as it passed the mounted digni
taries Gov. Pierpont and the occupants Of
his mansion also received salute. After
they had passed the reviewing officer"
the different societies were huddled together
around the monument, and there, almost
within the shade of the building in which
jeff Davis Congress sat, ten thousand freed
slaves played numblety-peg, marbles and
turned summersaults on the grass, or listened
10 addresses from the mouths Of truly
eloquent men Of their own color, and from
a man named Hunnicutt editor Of the Rcw
Nation, n newspaper published here, after
which the crowd dispersed