The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-21
EVACUATION OF RICHMOND.
From Pollard's (forthcoming) Lost Cause.

|
A small slip of fpaper, sent up from
the War Department to President Da
Wis, AS he was seated in his pew in st
Paul's church, contained the news o.
| the most momentous event of the war
1t is most remarkable circumstance
that the people of Richmond remained
lin profound Ignorance of the lighting
which had been taking place for thre'
days on Gen. Lees lines. There was
not rumor Of it in the air, Not
newspaper office in the city had any
inkling Of what was going on, lndeee
flor the past few days there had been
visible reinsurance in the Confederate
capital; there weresrumors that John,
son was moving to Lees lines, and 9
general idea that the combined force
would take the offensive against the
[enemy. But a day before Grant had
commenced his heavy. movement g Gu,
I.rious excitement had taken place III
Richmond The, morning train had
brought from Petersburg the wouder-
full rumor that Gen. Lee had made
night attack, in which he had crushed
the enemy along his whole line John
NJ. Daniel, editor Of the Richmond Ex
aminer, died the same + day under the
delgsion that such victory, had beer
won; and John Mitchell, who wrote
lhis obituary in the morning, papers, eXy: :;
pressed regret that the great Virgihian
had passed away just as decisive vic
tory was likely to give the turning
point to the success of the Southern
Confederacy! The circumstance shows
how little prepared the people Of Rich
mond were on the bright Sabbath
morning Of the I'd of April for the
news that fell upon them like a thunder
clap from clear skies, and smote the
ear of the, community as q knell OF
death. s.. ,e ...al .,....
The report of great misfortune
soon travcrses Il city without the aid OF
printed bulletins. But that of the
evacuation of Richmond fell upon
many incredulous ears. One could
see the quiet streets stretching away,
unmolested by one single sign Of war
across the James the landscape glisten-
ed in the sun; everything which met
the eye spoke Of peace, and made it
impossible to picture in imagination
the scene which was to ensIe. There
were but few people in the streets; no
vehicle disturbed the quiet Of the Sab
bath; the sound of the church going
bells rose into the cloudlcss sky, and
loated on the blue tide of the beautiful
day. How was it possible to imagine
that in the next twenty,four hours war,
with it's train Of horrors, was to enter
the scene; that this peaceful city, Sc
cure possession for four years, was at
last to succumb; that it was to be II
prey to a great coniiagration, and that
all the hopes of the Southern Contede-
racy were to be consumed in one day
us scroll in the fire!
As the day wore on, clatter and bus
tie in the streets denoted the progress
of the evacuation, and convinced those
who had been incredulous Of its reali-
ty. The disorder increased each hour.
The streets were thronged with fug-
tives making their way to the railroad
depots; pale women and little shoeless
children struggled in the crowd; oaths
and blasphemous shouts smote the ear;
wagons were being hastily loaded at
the Departments with boxes, trunks,
ETC., and driven to the Danville depot,
In the afternoon u special train carried
from Richmond President Davis and
some Of his Cabinet AT the Depart
ments all was confusion there was no
system; there was no answer to lnqul-
ries; /; important officers were invisible,
and every one felt like taking care OF
himself; outside the masses of hurry
ing fugitiyes, there were collected here
and there -visaged crowds, gene
rally around the commissary depots;
they had scented prey they were of
that brutal and riotous element that re-
venges itself on all communities in a
time Of great public misfortune. ...
The only convecation, ;, the only
scene of council that marked the fall
of Richmond. took.place in a dingy
room.in corner of the upper story Of
the Capitol building. In this obscure
chamber assembled the City Council Of
Richmond, to consult on the emergen-
cy, and to take measures to secure what
of order was possible in the scenes
about to ensue 1t appeared to repre-
sent all that was left of deliberation in
the Confederate capital. 1t was apain-
full contrast to look in upon this scene;
to traverse the now almost silent Capt.
tol house, so often vocal with oratory,
and crowded with the busy scene OF
legislation; to hear the echo of the
footstep; and at last to climb to the
dismal show of councilmen in the re-
mote room where half dozen men sat
at rude table, and not 80 many vacant
idlcrs listened to their proceedings.
At the head of the board sat an illite-
rate 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 officers,
"most respectfully, your obedient SER
want" .'.ss~s----
Here and there, hurrying up with the
latest news from the War Department,
was Mayor Mayo, excited, incoherent,
chewing tobacco defiantly. but yet full
of pluck, having the mettle of the true
Virginian gentlemen, stern and watch
full to the last in fidelity to the city that
his ancestors had assisted in founding.
and exhibiting, no matter in what COM
fcal aspect, courage that no man ever
llodbted. O. When it was finally annoqn.
cetl by the Mayor that those, who had
6 G. 1san.1h S,o~. Con he