The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1869-08-13
NEW NORTH WEST.


DEER LODGE CITY, FRIDAY, AUG. IL.
THE COLLAPSE.
Last day Of the COntr"eracy In Richmond.
From Pollards Life Of Jefferson Davis just published
At II o'clock in the morning. General Lee
wrote dispatch 10 President Davis at Rich
mond, advising him that the army could not
possibly hold its position. and that prepare
tons should he made TO evacustc the capita
that night! He might have added in tho
dispatch what he remarked 10 one Of his
staff officers, as with embittcrcd but lofty
face, he saw his army breaking up in the
broad sunshine: lit has happened Ms told
them In Richmond; the line las been stretch.
I'd until 1t has broken"
No sound of the battlc-not an echo, not
. brcath--had yet reached tho doomed city
1t was lovely Sabbath day, and Richmond
baskcd in it's beauty and enjoyed more than
usual remission from the cares Of the week.
There were no sounds rs of the vcXcd thor.
oughfarc; the long streets laid open, not a
vehicle upon them; the murlnur Of the river
gave tones only to sOOthc the ear, and tho
silent pulses of the sunshine beat slowly in
the misty warm air that laid on the land.
scapc 1t was day Of careless thoughts.
The usual Sunday crowd lounged near tho
POstOflicc, exchanging rumOrs Of the war,
Or the latest depravcd gossip of Richmond
society. Hundreds wendell their way 10 the
churches. while not few of their coun.
try's hope" trod the paths beaten Is sheep.
walks 10 the back entrances of tho whisky
shops on Main street. and sought consolation
in tho shades Of the ''Chick allominy," 1.-The
Rebel" and the Wilderness" Ladies
dressed in old fincry. in which the fashions OF
many years were mingled. were satisfied TO
make display at ST. Paul's about equal to
the holiday wardrObcs in better days of the
negroes OF the African Church Al the for
Mcr church wOrshipcd Mr. Davis.
lie now sat stiff and alone in the - Prcsi-
DENTAL pew" where no one outside his fam.
lily had ever dared to intrutlc since Mrs. Davis
had ordered the sexton to remove two ladies
who had vcnturcd there, and who, Oh turn
ing their faces ut the admOnition TO leave.
delivered before the whole congregation, had
proved, to the dismay and wcll.Jcservcd
modification Of the Presidents wife, TO lie
the daughters of General Lee. Mr.. Davis
was an earnest worshpper. But sunday
before this memorable one. he. General Lee,
and Secretary Trenholm had gone together
TO the communion table, and many eyes in
the congregation had been moistcncd to see
these three men. on whom depended SO many
human hopes knceling side by side to par
take Of the most precious and comforting
sacrament of the Church. Now, o very diff.
ferent scene was to bc witnessed.
In the middle Of the services, aman walk.
cd nOisily into the church. and handed the
President slip of paper. Mr.. Davis read
the paper, rose, and walked out Of the
church, without agitation. but his face and
manner evidently constraincd; an uneasy
whisper ran through the crowd of wOr.
shippers. and many fastened into the street.
The congregation Was soon dismissed. The
rumor had already gained the street that
Richmond was to be evacuated; II was con-
tirmcd to Il few who penetrated TO the closed
doors of the War Department. or made per-
sistent inquiries ut the telegraph office; but
although the government had no motive now
TO suppress the truth. but. on the contrary.
was in duty bound 10 inform the people and
prepare them for the cxigency. it is remark
able that there was no authentic announce
mcnt of the intended evacuation. no pub.
lisl,ed order on the sub ect. no official Motif
cation of any sort; that news in which every
mans household was involved was left to
wander all day as vague runlor in the
streets. only to be confirmed by tho actual,
visible act Of the authorities leaving the city.
A little past noon some regiments OF Long.
river were seen marching through the city,
on their way to reinforce General Lee in the
battle he was then Supposed 10 he making
TO save or recover his lines before Peters
burg.
The soldiers moved with slOuching step,
and once on their disOrdered march. II Is
said, grOans were called for Jefferson Davis.
Formerly, when Confederate soldiers had
passed through Richmond, there had been
music. cheers, crowds Of shouting specta'
tors, throngs Of ladies standing on the bal
comics of the principal hotels on Main street.
to wave their adicus, pcrchancc to scatter
flowers on them, atlesst 10 bcstow upon them
sweet and inspiring countenanccs. Now, Us
4 few spectators looked on sadly or cynical.
": no note of music cheered the sullen pro.
cession of men marching sadly and wcsrily
to death; few blank faces appeared at the
windows, and on the balconies of the Amer.
lean Hotel only two or three ladies stood. It
was melancholy TO see one Of them simply
wave single handkerchief in hesitating
Ixay. and then stop, pale and wounded, Is
not single soldier chcered or recognized tho
compliment
As the day wore on, II was noticed that
wagons were driven to the doors of the dc.
partments. and to the public storehouses-
many of them branded as government wag.
ons, many nondcscript-and sll moving off
toward the Danvillcdepo The accumulation
Of stores there, and Of tickcted boxes, left
no DOUBT that the city was to bc evacuated.
Signs Of hurry increased; wagons. no longer
driven IN order, tore through the streets;
men seemed suddenly possessed with ma.
mia to r,,m 10 their houses, to snatch from
them some hssty baggage. and to rush to
tho nearest exit from the city. In less than
IN hour iron, the first appearance Of the
wagon trains on the streets. the whole pOpu
lntiOn of Richmond was involved in panic.
What scenes cnsucd It Is impossible to
describe. What o change fell upon this
CITY: pallcd its wanton and hitherto una
hashcd rcvclry. and spread terror through
its wicked streets, Ike u thunderbolt from
the unclouied expanse of heaven, can only
bc imagined, NJ the comparison indicates, in
the ligKt Of Inc sudden wrath visited from
the skics. For four years Richmond had
lived In the easy riot of war. Now It ap-
pcsrcd a. II the day Of judgment had been
called upon it. Now there was turrying to
and fro. Now the panic. stricken city broke
up, N IL riven by lightning. into black, torn
crowds Of nloddened men, conscience. strick-
en- fugitives, sol,crcd rcvelevs. blanchcd
women and children, fleeing wildly through
chs stvxs.1G over fhO bridges of the river