Maryland free press., 1866-08-02

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drunken men, shouts of rov,ing pillagers, wild
cries of distress filled the air. aud made night hi.
deous.9J pt,y %. b-ail li..5f-i s.2.. $50 7.oHs
But new horror was to appear upon the scent
and take possession of the community. To the
rear-guard of the Confederate force on. the north
side of James River under General Ewell had
been left the duty of blowing up the iron-clad
vessel in the James, and destroying the bridges
across that river. The Richmond, Virginia and
and an iron ram were blown to the winds; the
little shipping at the wharyes was fired and the
three bridges that spanned the river were wrap.
ped in flames, as soon as the last troops had ira
versed them. The work of destruction might
well have ended here. ButIGcneral Ewell, obey
ing the letter of his strucions, had issued or
ders to hre the four principal tobacco warehouses
9l lhe city one OF theni-the' Shockoe Ware
ilouse-situated near the centre. of the city, side
oy side with the Gallego flour Mills, just in po-
siton and circumstances from which O confagra-
tlon might exSend to the whole business portion
OF hlchmond, In vain Mayor Mayo and a com
miitee OF citizens mad demonstrated against this
reckiess mihtaryi order. Inc warehouses; were
nfedi the hames seized on the neghboring build
lngs ana soon inVoiveda wiia ana widening a,
rea the coniagratlon passed rapidly beyond
sary destrucuon OF lheir property, tne ciuzens OF
slcpmond had a hitting soareaT OF the ,mpru-
dence and recklessness of the departing Admins
tration. .' g.a,g s..i : s.t. .,'s bI. R
Morning broke on q scene never to be for
gotten. 1t was strange picture--impossible to
idescribe---the smoke and glare of fire mingled
with the golden beams of the rising sun. The
great warehouse on the Basin was wrapped in
flames; the fire was reaching to whole blocks OF
buildings and as the sun rose maiestically a.
bove the horizon, it FURNISHED the fringe ofsmoke
with lurd and golden glory. Curious crowds
watched the fire. Its roar sounded in the ears,
it eaped from street to street; pilagcrs were bu-
sy at their avoeations, and in the hot breath of
the FIRE were figures as of demons contending for
prey. ..7.. sI aa . -l.'.... .i.'aF -
The sun was an hour or more above the hori-
zon. when suddenly there ran .'up the whole
1enoth of Main street the cry of ssYankeesp'
"Yankeesp' The upper part of this street was
choked with crowds of pillage,s-men provided
with draws others rolling barrels nm the street or
bendine nnder bcovv burdens and ;ntermixe
with them women and children with smaller lots
of plunder in bars. tubs. buckets. and pans. AS
the crv of I!Yonkeesi was raised ttis molly
crowd fore nm the street cursing SCREAMING,
upon each other. alarmed bv an enemv
not vet in siebt. and madIy seeking TO extricate
from imacinary dangers Presently.
beyond this crowd folIo,yipo, IN tbes TANGLED
mass of plunderers but NOT pressing or isterering
with them was seen small bodv of Federal cav.
alry. riding steadily along. Forty Massachusetts
troopers, despatched bv Gen Weitzel. TO investi-
cate affairs lad ridden without Iet or htndrance
into Richmond. At the corner Of eleventh street
thew broke into a trot for the public square. and
In few moments their onidons were planted ON
the Capitol and f]nttered n STRANGE spectacle in
the early morning Iigbt -.Io : -I.' ..l
A few hours thereafter andWcitzel,s troops
were pourino tbronob The streets Of the ci,v. a
lady. who witnessed the.orand Federal e,,trse. and
has given very oronbic account of II Tins des-
cribes norton of the scene. ttStretchinp from
the Exchange Hotel to the slopes of Church Hill,
down the hill, through the valley, up the ascent
to the hotel was the array. with its unbroken
blue friuged with BRIGHT bayonets. Strains of
martial music, flushed countenances waving
of swords, betokencd the victorious army. As
the line turned at the Exchange Hotel into the
upper street, the movement was the signal for
wild burst Of cheers from each regiment Shouts
from few negroes were the only responses
Through throngs of fsullen spectators along the
line of fire. in the midst Of the horrors of con fla
grafton, increased by the explosion of shells left
by. h, retire ,tiup army through curtains of smoke
through the vast aerial auditorium convulsed
with the commotion of friphtful sounds moved
the parish procession of the Grand army. with
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