Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-08-06

panic-stricl1cn city broke up as if
rivcn by lightning, into black, torn
crowds of maddened men, conscience.
strickcn fugitives, sobcrcd revelers,
blanched women and children, fleeing
wildly through tho streets, over tho
bridges of tho river, through every
avenue of escape from the terrible day
of judgmcnt-the chariots of fir. and
wrath that were next day to enter
tho doomed city. 1t was q sccno
never to bo forgotten in the memo
RIGS Of Richmond. The night was
hoarsc with the roar Of the great
fight.
The reporter of the associated press,
who was aware that eight o'clock had
been designated by General Lee as
the hour of evacuation, unless mean
time he succeeded in re-establishiug
his lines, in which event he would
telegraph again, attended the room
OF General Breckenridge at that hour
and was admitted. lie came out with
blank face. "Thcre is no hope"
said General Brcckinridgo, and he
walked quietly from tho room and
from the building to the house where
the President was then concealed
making private preparations for his
flight. There was no last council or
conference. All that there was of dc.
Lucrative asscmbly-all that remained
of the once proud and loquacious
Government Of Jefferson Duvis-was
to appoint the rendezvous and time
for flight, the Cabinet members being
instructed to meet tho President ut
the Danville depot little before mid
night.
The capitol appeared deserted but
as night fell it was noticed that the
main doorway was ajar. Hid away
i'll an obscure room in the third story
the City Council was anxiously de-
batting what ceremonies were neccs
sary for the surrender of the city
since the President was supposed tc
have already fled or to be concealed
for the present in Manchester, and tho
duty of surrendering the capitol wa:
thus dcvolved upon the municipal au
thoritics. 1t was cowardly debate
removed fro II the observation of the
citizens. One Of tho councilmen wac
ostcntatiously ly dressed in q Confederate
uniform So extreme was the concern
for the safety of the city, and suct
the anxiety for it's readiest humilia
ton. that it was arranged that poti
fication Of surrender should bo giver
before the next day broke, and thro'
hours past midnight the Mayor, de
spite his eighty years of age wa
started in n dilapitatcd vehicle on tn,
mission Of surrendering Richmond be
fore the cucmy could get in sigh
of it.
Before the Mayor could mount OF
his mission to the enemy, a new ane
surprising terror fell upon the city
1t had boen fred in various quarters
and there were already CLEANS o
confagration on the dark horizon
While tho hcaving and tumultuou
city was even at this hour of tn,
night filled with pillagcrs and marau
ders-convicts from the penitentiary
who had escaped, their guards ha>in,
fled, and lawless soldiers who were n,
longer under any control, the mail
command of General Ewell havin:
already tramped across the bridge
over the rivcr-the wuleeful and anx
ious eyes of. thousands Of tcrri6ct
citizens looking from their window
beheld this new apparition of horrt
rising from the black wastes of th
night. Word came that the Shockhc
warehouse was fred; then again, tha
three other largo warehouses, contain
ing tobacco had been given to th
flames. It was too late; the hand O
the Government was recognized in i.