Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-01

cIOm Oldru lie VI JeHereO
Davis, just published, we copy tn
copy the following spirited pictur
of the scene which preceded th
final evacuation of the Confederat
capital: l
No sound of the battle-not an
echo, not breath had yet reached
the doomed city. 1t was a Lowell J
Sabbath day, and Richmond baskeG
in itsbeauty and enjoyed more than
usual remission from the cares OF
the week. There were no sounds
as of the vexed thorougfare; the
long streets laid open, 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
a day of careless thoughts. The
usual Sunday crowd lounged near
the postofiice, exchanging rumors
OF the war, or the latest depraved
| gossip of Richmond society. Hun
dreds wendell 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 Chickahomi-
n.y." "the Rebel and "the Wilder
dess." Ladies dressed in old finery,
in which the fashions of many years
were mingled, were satisfied to
make a display at st. Pauls about
equal to the holiday wardrobes in
better days of the negroes at the
African Church. At the former
church worshipped Mr.. Davis. He
now sat stiff and alone in I" the
Presidents pew'-where no one
outside his family had ever dared
to intrude since Mrs. Davis had
ordered the sexton to remove
two ladies who had ventuIed
there, and who, on turning their
faces to the admonition to leave,
delivered before the whole eongre-
cation, had proved, to the dismay
and well deserved modification of
the Presidents wife, to be the
daughters of Gen. Lee. Mr.. Davis
was an earnest worshipper. But a
Sunday before this memorable one,
he, Gen. Lee and Secretary Tren-
holm had gone together to the COM
munion table, and many eyes in the
congregation had been moistened
to see these three men, on whom
depended so many of human hopes,
kneeling side by side, to partake of
the most precious and comforting
sacrament of the church. Now a
very different scene was to be wit
messed.
In the midst of the service, man
walked noisily into the church, and
handed the President a slip of pa
per. 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 into the street. The con-
gregation was soon dismissed. The
rumor had already gained the street
that Richmond was to be evacuated;
it was confirmed to few who pene-
trated the closed doors of the War
Department, or made persistent in
quiries at the telegraph office; but,
although the government had no
motive now to suppress the 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 au-
thentic announcement of the in
tended evacuation, no published Or
der on the subject, no official noti-
fication of any sort, and the news
in which every mans household
was involved was left to wander all
day as a vague rumor in the streets,
only to be confirmed 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 reinforce General Lee in the
battle he was then supposed to be
making to save or recover his lines
before Petersburg. The soldiers
moved with slouching step; and
once On their disordered march it
is said groans were called for Jeffer-
son Davis. Formerly when Con-
federate soldiers had passed through
Richmond, there had been music,
cheers, crowds of shouting specta-
tors, throngs 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 counte-
nances. Now, as they passed
through the thoroughfare, only a
few spectators looked on, sadly or
cynically; no note of music cheered
the sullen procession of men march
ing sadly and YEARLY to DEATH a
few blank faces appeared at the
windows, and on the balcony of the
American Hotel only two or three
ladies stood.
For four yesrs Richmond had
lived in the easy riot of 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, con-
science-stricken fugitives, sobered
jewellers, blanched women and chill
dren, 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 scene never to be for
gotten in the memories of Rich
mond. The night was hoarse with
the roar of the great flight.
The reporter of the associated
press, who was aware that eigbt
o'clock had been designated by
General Lee as the hour of evacua-
ton. unless. meantime, he Succeeded