The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-08-04
THE FALL OF RICHMOND,
a Rebel L II istOFiah,s Aeeouut or the
Evacuation. cEt

-5sS UNWILLING ih-SiI-Nt'- q ~tAtAt "
| the evacuation of Richmond b taken from
the advance Sheets, Ola b5ok entitled tn
Lost Cause. . written by E a: Pollard
one Of The rebel editors Of Richmond:
I A small. slip Of pages. sen up from .th,
War Department 70 President Davis, as
ne was seated, in his pew p So Paul'l
Church, contained the news OF the mos
momentous event of the war, Es1-
Ii Is most remarkatIe circumstance
that the people Of Richmond bad remain
ed 10 profound ignorance Of The 6ghtine
which had been taking place for three
days on General Lees lines. There wa:
note ruDor of it in the air. Not a news
paper Office in the city bad any inkline
OF what was going on. Indeed, for the
past few days there had been visible re
assurance in the Confederate capital
there were rumors that Johnston was
moving TO Lees lines. and general idea
that The combined force Ss5AiS take the
offensive against the enemy. But a day
before Grant had commenced his heavy
movement curious excitement had Ia
ken place in Richmond. The morning
train had brought from Petersburg the
wonderful rumor that Gen. Lee had made
a night attack, in which he bad crushed
the enemy 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, expressed
ha hat L
passed away just as decisive victory
was likely to give the turning point TO the
success of the Southern COnfederacy
This circumstance shows how little pre-
pared The people of Richmond were on
the bright sabbath morning of the 2l Of
April tor the news that 1ell upon them
like thunder clap from clear skies, and
mote the ear of the community like the
kuell of death. .,..
The report of great miofol tune trav-
erses city without the aid of printed
bulletins. But that Of the evacuation OF
Richmond Tell upon many incredulous
ears. One could see The quiet streets
stretching away. unmolested by one sin.
gle sign OF war; across The James the
landscape ghstened in the sun; everything
which met The eye spoke OF peace, and
made it impossible to picture in imagiua
lion the sceue which was TO ensue. 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, aud hoated on the
blue tide of the beautiful day. How was
1t possIble TO imagine that in the nextIWen
ty-iUur hours war, with it's train of hor-
rors, was 10 enter the scene; that this
peaceful city, q secure possession for
four years, was al last TO succumb; that
it was to be a prey TO great confagra
ton, aud that all the hopes OF the South
ern Contederacy were TO be consumed 10
one day. as scroll in the fire -.
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
streets were Ehronged with fugiuves max
ing their way TO tue railway depoLs; pale
women and little shoeless children slrug
gled 10 the crowd; oaths and blasphem
Gus shouts smote tue ear. Wagons were
being hastily loaded at The Departures ut
with boxer, trunks, ETC., and driven to
the Dauville depot. In the afternoon
special train carried from Richmond Pres
ldeut Davis and some of the Cabinet. At
the Departments all was CONFUSION; there
was no system; there was no answer 10
inquiries; important officers were invisi-
Bile, and every one felt like taking care OF
himself. Outside the mass of hurryiug
tugitives, there were collected here and
there mean-Visaged crowds, generally
around the commissary deLots they were
of that brutal aud riotous element that
revenges itself on all communities in a
time Of great public misforgnes 1,r
The only convocalion, the only scene
OF council that marked the fall of Rich
mond, took place in dingy room in a
corner of the 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 ensue It
appeared TO represent all that was left of
delibetapon ia the Confederate capital.
II was painful contrast to look in upon
this scene; to traverse the now almost
silent Capitol Hou,e. so often vocal with
ora.ory, and Gro wded with The busy seene
of,legIslatIon; TO hear the echo of the
foot step, and at last TO climb 10 the dis
NAL show Of counciimen in the remote
room where half a dozen men sat at
rude table, aud not 80 many vacant idlers
listened to their proceedings. At the
head of the board sat an ilhterate grocer
of the name of Saunders, who Was max
ing his last exhibition of Southern spirit,
and twenIY-four hours thereafter was
subscribing himself to some very GETTY
Federal officer, ''H1ost respectfully, YOUR
most obed.ent servant" Here aud there.
hu,rying up With the latest news from
the War. Department, was Mayor Mayo,
excileu, incoherent, chewing tobacco de
faulty, but yet full of pluck, having The
meCtIe ST the true Virginia gentleman,
stern aud Eatchtul to. the last in fidelity
to the city that his ance stors had assisted
in iouOdiug. and exhibiting mo matter in
what comicsl aspects, courage that no
man ever doubted. When it was finally
announced By the Mayor that those who
had hoped for a dispatch from General
Lee contrary to what he had telegraphed