National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-09-10

The FALL OF RICHMoND.-Pol.l
lard's life of jefferson Davis cen
tains powerful and highly dramatic
sketch of the evacuation and par
tial cOnhagratiOn of Richmond, after
Lees final defeat. The following
are extracts from POllard's book,
entitled life of jefferson Davis, or
Secret History of the Rebellion
The morn of the 3dO Apr. was ush-
cred in with a congregation of hor-
rors. The first grey streaks of the
dawn were broken by the explosions
of the iron clads III the James River,
blown up by orders of Admiral
Semmes. The air was rent by the
report of a hundred cannon. Men
rushed through the streets crying
out that Richmond was bOmbarded
but even the voices of alarm could
scarcely be lifted above the roaring,
the kissing and the cracking of the
flames as they leaped from house to
house, and licked the faces of the
swaying crowds. By ten O'clock
when several thousands of the enc
my had already marched into the
city-the scene had become fairly
sublime. 1t was a scene in which
the horrors of great cOnf1agration
struggled for the fore-part of the
picture, while the Grand Army, bril-
liant with steel aud banners, break
ing into the circle of fire with pas
sionatc cheers, and the crash of
triumphant martial music, dazzled
the spectator and COMPOUNDED his
imagination. The flames had al
ready spread over the chief business
portion OF the city; brands were
flying towards the Capitol, and it
seemed at one time as if the whole
of Richmond would lie destroyed
that the whole wicked city would
rush skyward in pyramid of fire.
All that was terrible i'll sounds was
added to all that was terrible i'll
sights. While glittering regiments
carried their straight lines through
the smoke; while smoke. masked rob
bers fought for their plumber while
the lower streets appeared as a great
pit Of fire, the crater of destruction ;
while alarmed citizens who had left
their property a ruin or spoil, found
IA brief refuge on the sward of the
Capitol Square. whose emerald green
was already strewn with brands
the seeds of the fire that the merci
less wind had sown to the very doors
of the Capitol; while the lengthening
arms of the conhagration appeared
to almost reach around those who
had fled to the picturesque hill fol
a breath of fresh air, sounds as ter
rible.a and more various than those o
battle, assailed the ear,and smote the
already Overtaxed imagination
There were shells at the Confederat,
arsenal exposed to the fire, from tn,
rapid progress of which they coul,
no longer he rescued, and for hours
the explosions of them tore the ali
and shock the houses in their vicin
. ity. Above all these scenes Of ter
ror hung a great veil of smoke. /
rose soemnly to .he sky and through
it the trimmed disc of the sun, 'n'
!. bigger than the moon,' shonc dull
and CHASTITY. There were crowds
/, mad with cowardlce, swaying undo
: excitement, trampling on each other
; there were lurid figures of pillager
: in the smoke and flame; there wer'
keen cries of distress that cleft tn
: volume of military music; and thus
, on this thronged theatre, unnatural
: ~ illuminated, and in an auditorium
f of almost unearthly sounds, expired
q much of the pride, the luxury, tn
: Righteousness and the cruelty Q
= Richmond,