Maryland free press., 1866-08-02


DHS Hope and JOY have fed forever iiIo1 -
- V1n - Love lies low, with bleeding wing, hs)
oN' - By my pathway never, newer ~ .ii"ea
t,s1on Pleasures wild flowers will upspdng.l
'aoiinj OH the past was bright and pleasant,
.o1LIl9 But the future cannot be, b,peiL-I 4 Ga.
.,an,.It And the waters of the present ,..,,i. b.
.''.ca,' Lave the vale of misery u.s.,
'l2pp1t Alt around Is darkness ..'.9 sUi ~
es.y1e'a An around the path tfead;' 5,a,'l'qx9
-1-aD am sad, and am lonely, ~ w Y
Itf'.isi Oh; wouid that Il were deadl . 81. i'b
THE EVACUATION OF RICH MoND
,IFrom the Advance Sheets of q. A. Pollards New
.r.oa sloll Work, '.The Lost Caase." ]3aH-s 81
~, A small slip of paper sent up from the Wa
Department to President Davis, as he was seated
in his;pew at ST.. Papls Church, contained th,
news of the most momentous event of the war.
n I, II ID a most remarkable circumstances that the
people of Richmond had remained in profound
Ignorance Of the fighting which had been taking
place Tor three days on General Lees lines
There was, not a runner of it in the air. Not o
newspaper office in the city had any inking o
what was going on. Indeed for the past few
days there had been. visible reinsurance in the
Confederate Capitol;, there were rumors thai
Johnston was moving to Lees lines and a genef-
al idea that the combined force would take the
offensive against, the enemy. But day before
Grant had commenced his heavy movement a
The morning train brought from Petersburg the
wonderful news that General Lee had made a
night attack in which he had crushed the enc
my along his whole line. John NJ. Daniel, the
editor of the Richmond Examiner, died the same
day Hnder the delusion that such victory had
been won; and John Mitchell, who wrote his
obituary in the morning papers, expressed the
regret that the great Virginiap had passed away
just as decisive victory was likely to give the
turning point to the success of the Southern Cor
-tederacyi The circumstance shows how little
prepared the people of Richmond were on the
bright Sabbath morning of the I'd of April for
q, the news that fell upon them like a thunder-clap
from clear skies and smotesthe ear of the commu-
nifty as aknell of death. l,. .a. ..t. 'r s-.. ..
. The report of great misfortune soon traverses
city without the aid of printed bulletins But
that of the evacuation of Richmond fell upon
many incredulons ears. One could see the quiet
streets stretching away, unmolested by one sim
gle sign ofwar across the James the landscape
glistened in the sun (; everything which met the
eye spoke oil peace, and made it impossible to
picture in imagination the scene which was to-
ensue. There were but few people in the streets,
no vehicles disturbed the quiet of the Sabbath !;
the sound of the charch-going bells rose into the
cloudless sky, and floated the blue tide of the
beautiful day. How was it possible to imagine
that the next twenty-four hours war, with its
train OF horrors, was to enter the scene that
this peaceful city, secure possession for four
q great conhagration, and that all the hopes of
the Southern Confederacy were TO be consumed
in one day, as scroll in the fire 3D.!
AS the day wore on, clatter and hustle in the
streets denoted the progress of the evacuation,
and convinced those who had been incredulous
of its reality. The disorder increased each hour
streets were thronged with fngitives making their
way to the railroad depots; pale women and
little shoeless children struggled in the crowd (;
oaths and blasphemous shouts smote the ear
e Wagons were being hastily loaded at the De-
partmcnt with boxes, trunks ETC., and driven TO
the Danville dept In the afternoon a special
train carried from Richmond President Davis and
some This cabinet. At the Departments all was
confusion there was no system; there was no
answer to inquiries; important officers were in
visible, and every one felt like taking care of HIM
self Outside the mass of fhufrying fugitves there
were collected here and there mean-visaged
crowds, generally around the commiSsary depots
they had already scented prey they were of that
brutal and riotous element that revenges itselfon
all communities in a time of great public mis-
fortune. ,J'ssHs ..s',t f.. .r.s.I. e
The only convocation the only scene of coun-
Gil that marked the fall of Richmond, took place
in dingy room in a corner of the upper story of
: the Capitol Building. In this obscure chamber
assembled the City Council of Richmond to con-
suit on the emergency, and to take measures to
secure what of order was possible in the scenes
about to ensue. 1t appeared to represent all that
q tai. 1t was painful contrast to look in upon
this scene; to traverse the now almost silent
Capitol House, so often vocal with oratory, and
crowded with the busy scene of legislation; to
o hear the echo of the tootstep; and at last to
climb to the dismal show of councilmen in the
2 remote room where half dozen men sat at n
table, and not SO many vacant idlers listened to
their proceedings. At the ksad of the board sat
an illterate grocer of the name of Saunders, who
was making his last exhibition of southern spirit,
and twenty-four hours thereafter was subscribing
himself to some very petty Federal officer, "most
respectfully, your most obedient serv ant" Here
and there, hurrying up with the latest news from
the War Department, was Mayor Mayo, excited,
incoherent chewing tobacco defantly, but yet
full pluck, having the mette of the true Virgil
nian gentleman, stern and watchful to the last in
fidelity to the city that his ancestors had assisted
, in founding, and exhibiting, no matter in what
comical aspects, courage that no man ever
doubted. When it was finally announced by
the Mayor that those who had hoped for II dis
pa tch from General Lee contrary to what he had
telegraphed in the morning, had ceased to indulge
such an expectation, and that the evacuation OF
Richmond was foregoue conclusion; it was
proposed to maintain order in the city by two
* regiments Of militia; to destroy every drop oi
siauor in the warehouses and stores; and to es-
= tablish q patrol through the night. But the ma
itia ran through the fingers OF their officers; the
patrols could not be found after certain hour
into mad confusion and indescribable horrors.
But the horrors Of that night in the Confederate
capital were to be studiously veed from the eye:
of the enemy. The Federal force on the nortf
side of James River consisted of three divisions
under the command of General Weitzel while
General Ewell covered this approach TO the cap
ital with O force about four thousand strong.-
Tine Confederates were silently withdrawn from
,Weitzels front, their rear-guard traversing th
city before daybreak. Weitzel had been instruct
ed to push on, whenever satisfied of his ability Il
enter Richmond During the whole day tina
Grant had been engaged in front of Petersburg
the entire lines north Of the James were perfect.
quiet. Wetzel's command had orders to max
as great show as possible. He fired no GU
during the day, but as darkness came on, he Sc
all of his bands of music to work upon nations
airs. The Confederates We'd with the musica
entertainment for many hours the night wa
q filled with melodious strains. But about mid
night q complete and absolute silence fell upo
the lines. It was dead quiet a close mask
what was taking place in the doomed city; an
>. not until the morning hours did the direft