The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-07-27

.
a small slip of paper sent up from the
War Department to President Davis, as
he was seated in his pew in st. Paul's
Church, contained the news of the most
momentous event of the war.
1t is a most remarkable circumstance
that the people of Richmond had re.
mained in profound ignorance of the
fighting which had been taking place
for three days on Gen. Lees lines
There was not a rumor of it in the air
Not newspaper office in the city had
any inkling of what was going on. In.
deed for the past few days there had
been visible reinsurance in the Confed-
crate capital; there were rumors thai
johnston was. moving to Lees lines
and a general idea that the ombined
force would take the offensive against
the enemy, But day before Grant
had commenced his heavy movement a
curious excitement had taken place in
Richmond. The morning train had
| brought from Petersburg the wonderful
| rumor that Gen. Lee had made night
attack, in which he had crushed the en-
emy along his whole line. John NJ.
Daniel, the editor of the Richmond
| Examiner, died the same day under the
delusion that such a victory had been
won; and John Mitchell, who wrote his
obituary in the morning papers, ex-
pressed the regret that the great Vir-
| ginian had passed away just as a deci-
sive victory was like TO give the turning
point to the success of the Southern
Confederacyi This circumstance shows
how little prepared the people of Rich
mond were on the bright Sabbath morn
ing on the ID, of April for the news that
| fell upon them like a thunderclap from
clear skies, and smote the ear of the
community like the knell of death.
The report of a. great misfortune
traverses a 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, un-
molested 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 ensne. There
were but few people In the streets; no
vehicles disturbed the quiet of the Sab
bath; the sound of the church bells
rose in the cloudless sky, and floated
on the blue tide of the beautiful day.
How was it possible to imagine that
in the next twenty-four hours, war,
with Its train OF horrors, was to enter
the scene; that this peaceful city, a se-
cure possession for four years, was at
last to.succumb; that it was to be a prev
to a great contlagration, and that all
the hopes OF the Southern Confederacy
were to be consumed in one day, as q
scroll in the fire!
AS the day wore on, clatter and bat.
tie In the streets denoted the progress
of the evacuation, and convinced those
who had been ineredulous of its reality
The streets were thronsed with fugi-
tives making their way to the railway
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 special train carried
from Richmond President Davis and
some of the Cabinet. At the depart
ments all was confusion; there was no
system, there was no answer to inQui-
ries; important officers were invisible,
and every one felt like taking care of
himself. Outside the mass of hurrying
fugitiyes, there were collected here and
there mean-visaged crowds, generally
around the commissary depots: they
were of that brutal and riotous element
that revenge itself on all communities
ina time of great public misfortune.
The only conYocation, the only scene
of council that marked the fall of Rich
mond, took place in a dingy room in a
corner ofthe upper story of the capitol
building. In this obscure chamber as
sembled the City Council of Richmond,
to consult on the emergency, and to
take measures to secure what of order
was possible In the scenes about to en-
sue. It appeared to represent all that
was left of deliberation in the Confed-
crate capital. 1t was painful contrast
to look upon this scene; to traverse the
now almost silent capitol house, so
often vocal with yoratory, 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 remote room where
halfa a dozen men set at rude table,
and not SO many vacant idlers listened
to their proceedings. AT the head of
the board sat an illiterate grocer of the
name of Saunders, who was making his
last exhibition of Southern spirit, and
twenty-four hours thereafter was sub
scribing himself to some very petty
Federal officer, ''11ost respect fully, yonr
most obedient servant" Here and
there, hurrying up with the latest news
from the War Department., was Mavor
Mayo, excited; incoherent, chewing to-
bacco detiantly, but yet full of pluck,
having the mettle of the true Virgins
gentleman, stern and watchful to the
last in fidelity to the city that his an
cestors had assisted in founding, and
exhibiting, no matter in what comfcal
aspects, courage that no man ever
doubted. Wheniitwas finally announc-
ed by the Mayor that those who had
hoped fof q dispatch from Gen. Lee con-
trary to- what he had. telegraphed in
the morning, had ceased to indulge
such apexpectation, and that the evac-
uation of Richmond was a foregone
conclusion. 1t was proposed to main.
tain order in the city by two regiments
of militias 20 destroy every drop of
liquor in the warehouse and stores,
and to establish a patrol through the
night. But the militia ran through the
fingers of their officers; the patrols
could not be found alter, a certain hour,
and In aishort while the whole city was
plunged into mad confusion and inde-
scribRble hon ors. Ea ts4F
But the horrors of that night in the
Confederate capital were to be estudfous-
~ yelled from the eyes of the enemy,
The Federal force on the north side Of
the James river consisted of three di-
visions under command OF Gen. Welt
eel; while Gen. Eweil covered this ap-
proach to the capital with force of
about four thousand strong. The Con-
| tederateS were silently withdrawn from
lSWeitzel,s front, their rear guard trav-
ersing the city before daybreak. Welt
\ eel had been instructed to push on
whenever satisfied of his ability TO en-
/ ter Richmond. During the whole day
IthRt Grant had been engaged in 'front.'
hof Petersburg, the entire lines north of
I the James were perfectly quiet. Welt
zelis command had orders to make as
Il greata show as possible.
He fred no gun during the day, but
L rs darkness came on, he set all his
pands ofmusic to work upon national
faira. .f9hs Confederates WED with the
i musical tertRinment; for many hours
the night was filled with malodious
lHeratns. But about midnightia COM
4 paets and absolute silence fell upon the