Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-08-10
The Coilapse-The Last Day of the Con.
federacy in Richmond.

From Pollards Life of jefferson Davis just pub he'd
AT ii o'clock in the morning Gen
Lee wrote a dispatch to President
Davis at Richmond, advising him
that the army could not hold It'll
position, and that preparations should
be made to evacuate the capital that
night lie might have added in his
dispatch what he remarked to one oil
his staff officers, as with embittered
and lofty face, he saw his army
breaking up in the broad sunshine
at has happened as | told them it
would in Richmond; the line has
been stretched and it has broke"
No sound of the battle-not an
echo, not breath-had yet reached
the doomed city. 1t was lovely
Sabbath day, and Richmond basked
In its beauty and enjoyed more than
usual remission from the cares of
tho week. There were no sounds as
of the vexed thoroughfare; the long
streets laid op9n, not vehicle upon
them; the murmur of the river gave
tones only to soothe the ear, and the
silent pulses of the sunshine beat
slowly in the misty warm air that
laid on the landscape. 1t was day
OF careless thoughts. The usual
Sunday crowd lounging near the
postoffice, exchanging rumors of the
war, or the latest depraved gossip of
Richmond society. Hundreds wend.
ed their way to the churches, while
not a few of "their country's hope"
trod the paths beaten as sheep walks
to the back entrances of the whisky
shops on Main street, and sought
consolation in the shades of "the
Chicahominy," "the Rebel, and 'the
wilderness" Ladies dressed in old
finery, in which the fashions of many
years were mingled, were satisfied to
make display at st. Paul's about
equal to the holiday wardrobes in bot
ter OF the negroes at the African
church. At the former church wor>
shipped Mr.. Davis.
lie now sat stiff aud alone in "the
presidential pew" where no one out
side his family had ever dared to in
trude since Mr.. Davis had ordered
the sexton to remove two ladies who
had ventured there, and who, on
turning their faces to the admoni~
ton to leave. delivered before the
whole congregation, had proved, to
the dismay and well deserved morti>
tication of the presidents's wife, to
be the daughters Of Gen. Lee. Mr..
Davis was an earnest worshipper.-
But Sunday before this memorable
one, he, Gen. Lee, and Secretary
Trenholm had gone together to the
communion table, and many eyes in
the congregation had been moistened
to see these three men, on whom de-
pended so many human hopes, kneel-
ing side by side to partake of the
most precious and comforting sacra-
ment of the church. Now a very
different scene was TO be witnessed.
In the midst of the services, a man
walked noisily into the church, and
handed thespresident slip of paper
Mr.. Davis read the paper, rose, and
walked out of the church without
agitation, but his face and manner
evidently constrained; an uneasy
whisper ran through the crowd of
worshippers, and many fastened in
to the street The rumor had al
ready gained the street that Rich
mond was to be evacuated it was
con 5rmed to few who penetrated
the closed doors of the war depart
ment, or made persistent inquiries at
the telegraph office but, although
the government had no motive now
to suppress the sad truth, but, on
the contrary, was in duty bound to
inform the people, and prepare them
for the exigency, it is remarkable
that there was no authentic an
nouncement of the intended evacua-
ton, no published order on the SUBJ
ject, no official notification of any
sort; and that news in which every
mans household was involved was
left to wander all day as q vague
rumor in the streets, only to be con-
firmed by the actual, visible fact of
the authorities leaving the city.
A little past noon some regiments
Of Longstreet's command, on the
north of James river, were seen
marching through the city, on their
way to reiHforce Gen. Lee in the
battle he was then supposed to be
making to save or recover his lines
before Petersburg.
The soldiers moved with SLOUGH,
ing step and, once, on their dis
ordered march, it is said groans were
called for jefferson Davis. Former
ly, when confederate soldiers had
passed through Richmond, there had
been music, cheers, crowds of shout-
ing spectators, throngs of ladies
standing on the balconies of the
| principal hotels on Main street, to
wave their adieus, perchance tc
scatter flowers on them, at least tc
bestow on than sweet and Inspiring
countenances. Now, as they passed
through the thoroughfare, only few
spectators looked on sadly, no note
of music cheered the sullen process
sion OF men marching sadly anC
YEARLY to death; a few blank faces
appeared at the windows, and OF
the balcony of the American hote
only two or three ladies stood Il
was melancholy to see one OF then
Imply wave a single handkerchief
in hesitating way, and then stop
pale and wounded, as not singl,
soldier cheered or recognized the
compliment.
As the day wore on it was noticed
that wagons were driven to the door
OF the departments, and to the pub
lie store housss--many of then
branded as government. wagons, many
nondescripts-snd all moving OF
toward the Danville depot. Th,
accumulation of stores there, and o
ticketed boxes, left no doubts tina
the city was to be evacuated. Sign
of hurry increased wagons, NJ
! Inn crer drivan in Order tnra thrnno al