The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-28
MEMORABLE SUNBxY.
The Last Day OF tho eConiedes~ey-scenes
In Riehmond-The Flight or President
apas-Evacuation ofshe Capitalize
CeAAaSratloa.

Udbtl6-uOV
breath had yet reached the doomed city. 1t was
q lovely Sabbath day, and Richmond basked In
its beauty and enjoyed more than usual Re.
mission from the cares CT the week. There
were no sounds as Of the ve1ed thoroughfare
the long streets laid open. not vehicle upor
them; the murmur Of the river gave tones only
to soothe the ear. and the silent pulses Of the
laid ON the landscape 1t was day Of are esi
thoughts. The usual Sunday crowd lounged
aear the postoface. exchanging rumors OF thu
war, or tee latest deprav.d gossip of Rich
mond society. Hundreds wended their way to
the cburcnee, while not few Of their ''coun.
try's hope trod the paths beaten as sheep
walks to the back entralce OF the whiskey
In the shades Of "the Chickahominy," ''the
Rebel" and 1.-THE Wilderness" Ladies dressed
IN old fnery. in which the fashions Of manv
years were mingled, we're satisfied to make Q
display at St Pauls shout equal to the hoE-
day Eardrobes in better days OF the negroes
at the African Church. It the former church
worshippe1 Mr. Davis. he now sat stun and
alone m .sthe Presidents peW"-where no one
outslde his family had ever dared tn i1trude
nnce Mrs. Davis had ordered the sexton to
remove two ladies who had ventured there
and who ON t,rping their faces TO the admo-
milton to leave. delivered before the whole con.
gregstion, hao proved, to the dismay aud well
deserved modification Of the Presidents vile,
to be the dsughte, = Of General Lee. Mr..
day before tn memorable one. he. Genera
Lee and Secretary Trenholm had gone together
to the communion table, and many eyes in the
congregation had been inoIstened to see these
three men, on whom depended 90 many Of hu-
man hopes. kneeling side. By side, to partake
Of the most precious and conforting sacra-
msnt ot the church. Now Q very different
10 ho TIM
IN the midst Of the services, man walked
noisiiy into the church. and handed the Presi.
dent ahp Of paper. Mf. Dlvis read the pa
per, rose, and walked out Of the church with
out agitation, but bis face and manner evident
~ constrained; m uneasy whisper ran through
the crowd Of worshippers. and many FASTENED
into the street. The congregation WAS soon
street that Richmond was to be evacuated; it
was confirmed to ; few who penetrated the
closed doors Of the War Department, or made
persist mt inquiries ct the telegraph o@ce; bnt,
although the government had no motive 1ou
to suppress the sad truth. but, on the contrary.
Wss in duty bound 20 inform the people and
pispsre them for the exieeucy. it is remarkable
the intended evacuation, no pubhShed order on
the subject; no official notification Of any eort;
and that news in winch every mans hou ehoid
WAS involved was left 10 wander all day o. Q
vague rumor in the streets, only TO be con.
frmed by the actual visible hct Of the author
iHes leaving the city. -
A little past noon some regiments 1t Long
stre,at's command on the north ofJames River,
wero seen marching through the city, on their
way to reinforce General Lse imthe battle he
was then supposed to be making, to save or re-
cover his lines before Petersburg. The soldier,
moved with Q slouching step; and ouceon their
disordered march. IL is said RroanslWere called
for Jefferson Dayia. Formerly when Confede-
rate soldiers had passed through Richmond,
taere had been Hnsic, cheers, crowds Of shout.
Ing spectators, ,hrongs Of ladies standing on
the balconies Of the principal hotels on Main
street, to waive their adieux perchance to
scatter flowers on them, at least TO bestow upon
them sweet and Inspiring oountenansee. Now.
as they passed through the thoroughfare, only
few spectators looked on sadly or cynically;
no note OF music oheere1 the sullen process
sion Of men marching sadly and wearily to
death; q few blank faces appeared st the win
tel only Two or three ladies stood
For four years Richmond had iveo N the
easy riot OF the war. Now it appeared as il
the day Of Judgment had been called upon it.
NOW there was burrying to aud no. Now the
panic stricken city broke up as il riven by
lightning, into black. torn crowds OF mad-
6ened men, conscience s-stricken fugitlves. So
bered jewellers, blanched women and children,
Aeelng 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. It was 9 scene never
to be forgotten in the memories OF Richmond.
The night was. noarse with the roar OF the
great fight.
was aware that eight o'clock bad been desig-
mated by General Lee as the hour OF evacua-
ton. unless meantlms he su,c ,eded in re-es-
tabishing his lines, in which event hs would
Telegraph again, attended the room of Gene
raj Breckinrldge ct that hour and was admit
ted He came out with blank face. "There
il no hope" said General Breckinrdge, ana he
walked quietly from the room and from the
building to the house where the President was
then concealed, making private preparations
for his fight. There was no last council or
conference. AL that there was Of deliberative
assembly-all hat remained oftbe once proud
AID ioquacious government OF JEFF :rson Da-
vis-was to appoint the rendezvous and time
fr fight, the Cabinet members being instruc-
ted to meet the President at the Danville
de-. OF little before midnight.
The capitol appeared deserted; but as night
fell 1t WIS noticed that the main doorway was
sjar. b away In an obscur3 room IN the
third story, the City Council was auxiouslv
debating what ceremonies we're necessary for
the surrender of the city. since the President
was supposed to have already Fl d or TO be
concealed for the present IN Manchester. and
the duty of surrenderlng the capital was thus
devolved upon the municipal authorities. It
was cowardly debate removed from the OBJ
servation of the citizens. Oae OF the CONN.,
cilmen was ostentstlouslv dressed in Con-
federate uniform. 80 extreme was the con-
Germ for the safety of the city, and such tae
anxiety for it's readiest humiliation. that it was
arranged that q notification of surrender
should bo given before the next dry broke,
and three hours past midnight the Mayor, de-
spite his eighty years of age WIS elarted in
q dapidated vehicle n.the mission Of surren-
dering Richmond before the enemy could get
in sight Of it.
Before the Mayor could mount on his mis-
sion to the enemy, new and surprising ter
ror fell upon the city, It had been fred IN
various quarters, and there were already
CLEANS Of confagration on the dark horizon.
Wine the heaying and tumultuous city was
even at thus hour Of the night filed with pill
layers and marauders -convicts from the pen
ltentiary, who had esca ed, their guards hav-
ing fed, and lawless soldiers who we're no
longer under any control, the main command
OF General Ewell having already tramped
across the bridges over the river the wakeful
and anxious eyes Of thousands Of terrified cit
izens looking from their wiDdows beheld this
new apparitlon Of horror rising from the black
wastes Of the night. Word came that the
that three other large warehouses containing
tobacco had been given to the flames. It was
too late; the hand Of the government Yas re-
coonizad in ~