Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-08-10
pearance of the wagon trains on the


What scenes ensued it is impossi-
bic to describe. What change fell
upon this city, palled its wanton and
hitherto unabashed revelry, and
spread terror through its wicked
streets like thunderbolt from the
unclouded expanse Of heaven, can
only be imagined, as the comparison
indicates, in the light of some sud-
den wrath visited from the Skies
For four years Richmond had lived
in the easy riot of the war. Now it
appeared as if the day of Judgment
had been called upon it. Now there
was hurrying to and fro. Now the
panic stricken city broke up, as if
riven by lightning, into black, torn
crowds of maddened men, conscience
striker fugitives, sobered jewellers,
blanched women and children, fleeing
wildly through the streets, over the
bridges of the river through every
avenue of escape from the terrible
day OF judgment-the chariots of fire
and wrath that were next day to
enter the doomed city. 1t was a
scene never to 10 forgotten in the
memories of Richmond. The night
was hoarse with the roar Of the great
fight
The reporter Of the associated
press, who was aware that eight
o'clock had been designa cd by Gen.
Lee as the hour for evacuation. UNI
less meantime he succeeded in re-
establishing his lines, in which event
he should telegraph again, attended
the room of Gen. Breckenridge at
that hour, was admitted. He came
out with a blank face. "There is no
hope" said General Breckenridge,
and he walked quietly from the
room and from the building to the
house where the president was then
concealed, making private prepara-
lions for his flight. There was no
last council or conference. All that
there was of deliberative assembly
all that remained of the once proud
and loquacious government of JEFF.
ferson Davis-was to appoint the
rendezvous and time for flight, the
cabinet being instructed to meet the
president at the Danville depot a lit
tie before midnight.
The capitol appeared deserted, but,
as night fell, it was noticed that the
main door was ajar. Hid in an
obscure room in the third story, the
city COUNSEL was anxiously debating
what ceremonies We're necessary for
the surrender of the city, since the
president was supposed to have al
ready fed to Manchester, and the
duty of surrendering the capital was
thus devolved upon the municipal
authorities. 1t was cowardly de,
bate, removed from the observations
of the citizens. One of the council
men was ostentatiously dressed in
the confederate uniform. Soextreme
was the concern for the safety OF the
city, such the anxiety for its readiest
humiliation, that it was arranged
that a notification of surrender
should be given before tho next day
broke, and three hours past midnight
the mayor, despite his eighty years
of age, was started in dilapidated
vehicle on the mission OF surrender-
ing Richmond before the enemy
could get in sight oft.
Before the mayor could mount on
his mission to the enemy, a new and
surprising terror fell upon the city.
1t had been fired in various quarters
and there were already CLEANS
of confagration on the dark
horizon. While the heaving and
tumultuous city was even at this
hour of the night filled with pillagers
and misunderstanding from the
penitentiary, who had escaped, their
guards having fled, and lawless
soldiers who were no longer under
any control, the main command of
Gen. Elwell having already tramped
across the bridges over the river
the wakeful and anxious eyes of
terrified citizens looking from their
windows beheld this new apparition
Of horror rising from the black
wastes of the night. Word came
that Shockoe warehouse was fired !;
then, again, that three other large
warehouses containing tobacco had
been given to the flames. 1t was too
late; the hand of the government
was recognized in it.
The confiagration had proceeded
from a strange negligence of PRESS
dent Davis. 1t was a standing order
in the confederacy, that cotton and
tobacco should be burned on the APP
proach of the enemy; and some
weeks before, in general discussion,
IN the newspapers, as to what might
possibly take place in Richmond, it
was suggested that the little there
was of these staples, in the city,
should be removed, and impounded
in the fair grounds outside the city,
who're they might be copveEiently
and clearly destroyed in case of
necessity. Thes suggestion was never
needed by Davis.
The cotton and tobacco remained
stored in large and scattered wares
houses. In the most thickly-buiIt
portion of his fight, and in the ex-
cessive concern for his own safety
Mr.. Davis appears to have left the
order for burning cotton and tobacco
unchanged at least the supposition
of neglect is most charitable for it is
hardly to be supposed that he would
have deliberately imperiled the homes
OF sixty thousand people to destroy
and deprive the enemy of some in
significant stores, the total value of
which, 1T has been computed, would
not furnish one days rations for
Grants army.
s@- General Sickles, Minister to