The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-28
Il MEMORABLE SUNDAY.
The Last Day OF the Confederacy-Seenes
I'm Rachmond-The Flight or President
Davis Evacuation OF the Capital-The
tonhlaRratl0n.

From Pollards Life Of Jefferson Davis. jus
puolls Led, we copy the following spirited pic
ture Of the scene which preceded the fina
evacuation of the Confederate capital:
NO sound OF the battle-not an echo. not ,
breath had yet reached the doomed CITY. It was
lovely Sabbath day, and Richmond basked in
lts beauty and enjoyed more than usual re.
MISSION rom the cares CT the week. There
were no sounds as OF the vexed thoroughfare
| the long streets laid pen. not q vehicle upon
IN tnem; % 1he % murmur Of the river gave tones only
sunsi,ine beat slowly in the misty warm air that
thoughts. The usual Sunday. crowd iounged
nsar wsr .ne a post9mce, exchanging rumors OF the
RsnS society. Hundreds wended their way to
Sfe cLurcnes. while not few OF their ,.ooun.
| sfys nope trod the paths beaten as sheep
| shops on Main-street, aud sought consoiatao1
In the shades Of .'the Chickahorainy." She
Rebel" and ''the Wilderness" Ladies' dressed
N oia hnery. in which the fashions Of many
DISPLAY at st. Paurs about equal to the h"l;. !.
day wardrobes in better days of the negroes
at tle African Church. IT the former church
e,ona %,oran,ppei l Mr: Dsve: BE now sat stiff and
outside his family had ever dared to i1trude
SINCE Mrs. Davis had ordered the hexton Ia
remove rem Hsd two ladies' who had ventured there.
n;ton ~1o 10 eav on sar9ng their faces to the admo
gregaton. hao proved, to the dismay and well
deserved modification of the Presidents wife.
70 70 oe the daughte 3 OF General Lee. Mr..
dav Before was Oh n saTneSe w3,rshipper But Sum
Lee and Secretary Trenholm had gone toeether
to the communion table, and many ewes in The
Gthongsegation thng had been moistened to see these
man hopes, meeliog side by side, to psrtake
OF the moet precious and comforting sacr,~
ment OF the church. Now o worry different
scene was to be Witnessed
o;n;,1 "a me midst OF the services, man walked
nolslly into the church. and handed the Presi-
cent slip OF paper. Mr.. Davis read tho pa
per, rose, and walked out Of the Church with,
out agitation, but his face and manner evident
y constrained; an uneasy whisper ran throueh
the crowd Of worshlppers, and many haat ened
into the street. The congregation was soon
dismissed: The rumor had already q aimed the
street that Richmond was to be evacuated: it
was confirmed to q few who penetrated the
closed doors OF the War Department, or made
persist mt inquiries at the telegraph Office: bnt.
altnouRh the government had no motive aow
70 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 announcements ar
me intended evacuation. no published order on
cne s.aD!ect; no oHclal notification Of any ,rt;
and that news in which every mans hou ehoId
was involved was left to wander all day as q
vague rumor In the streets, only to be con-
hrmed by the actual visible fact Of the author
tiles leaving the city. h.
A little past noon some regiments ST Long,
streets command, on the north OF James River.
were seen marching through the CITY. on their
way TO reinforce General Lse in the battle he
cover his lines before Petersburg. The soldier.
moved with sIouching step; and once on their
dlsordered march it is said groans were called
for Jefferson Davis. Formerly when Confede-
rate soid!ers had passed through Richmond.
there had been music, cheers, crowds Of shout.
ing spectators, thrOngs Of ladies standing on
me Dalconies OF the principal hotels on Main
stleet, 70 waive their adieux. perchance to
them sweet and Inspiring countenanees Now.
as they passed through the thoroughfare. oniy
o rev spectators looked on sadly or cynically:
no note OF music cheerea the sullen process
sion OF men marching sadly and wearily to
death; few blank faces appeared at the win
dows, and on the balcony of the American Ho-
tel only Two or three ladies stood.
FOR iour years Richmond had lived in the
easy riot of the war. Now It appeared as il
M the day OF Judgment had been called upon it.
NOW there was burrying to and fro. Now the
panlc stricken city broke up as If riven by
1entmne. into black, torn crowds OF mad.
bered reve lers, blanched women and children.
neelng wildly through the streets, over the
bridges OF the river, through every avenue of
escape nom o. the terrible day Of judgment
to enter the doomed city. 1t was q scene never
to be forgotten in the memories Of Richmopd.
The night wassnoar with the roar of the
great fight. s8sE fEs.G
The reporter of the associated press. who
was aware that eight o'clock had been desip-
mated by General Lee as the hour OF evacua-
nrn: nnIess meantIme he sncc eded in rees.
ta,aag tta,nnsni1g MS hoes in which event he you'd
raj Breoknridge at that hour and was admit
ted He came ont with blank face. .yhere
Is no hope" said General Breckinridge, and he
nn;d;aq maikGa q11etty III ~ rom the room and from the
then concealed, making private preparations
tor hls fight There was no last council or
conference. All that there was OF delib erative
assembiy7aH' hat remained Of the oace proud
q! a loquacious government OF JEFF rson Da-
vas-.was TO appoint the rendezvous and time
frH'ght, the Cabinet members being instruc-
TED TO meet the President at the ,Danville
The capitol appeared deserted: but az night
fell II was noticed that the main doorway was
alar: d away in an Obscur3 room IN the
thlrd story. the. City Council was anxiouslv
the surrender of the city. since the President
was supposed to have already f d or TO be
concealed for the present in Manchester. and
the duty OF surrender7ng the capital was thus
oevoived upon the municlpal authorities. It
was cowar1ly debate removed from the oh
eeryatinn OF the citizens. One OF the cOun-
cl'men was ostentatiouslv dressed in Com
iederste uniform. So extreme was the con-
anxiety for its readiest humil alton. that It was
arranged that . notification OF surrender
should be given before the next d,y broke.
and three hours past midnight the Msvor. de.
spite MS eighty years Of age WIS started in
9 d!lapidated vehicle on the mlssion or surren-
In sight Of it. ,T1'' ~.
Before the Mayor could mount on his mis-
Tor fell upon the city. IL had been fred IN
vaslous quarters and there were already
Cleans s; Is Of conasEration On the duk horizon.