The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-01
REy. DR.. BURROWS 8 LpcrrRE ON "ExAc.

REV. DR.. Burrows LECTURE ON "EvAC-
UATIoN DAY IN RICu4oSD."-One OF the
largest and most intelligent lecturc-ludiences
ever assembled in Richmond greeted DR..
burrows at the First Baptist church last
night. Members Of his old church, Leading
citizens, old soldiers, our noble women, and
the comrades with whom the Doctor used to
tramp the weary road in his missions of
mercy to the sick and wounded tboys in
gray" were all there to do him honor and
listen to his story of that sad day which wit
messed the fall of Richmond.
After some amusing hits at. the people
who "told you So" and a frank avowal Of
bis own ignorance Of The impending fall of
Richmond, and his entire confidence of the
ability Of the army which had bafIled Scott,
Mcdowell, Mcclellan, Pope, Burnside,
Hooker, and Grant, to hold outifor all time
against all comers, Dr. Burrows gave vivid
sketch OF life in Richmond during those
early spring days when we went to market
With full purses and came home with scanty
ba>keta.
| lie pictared the calm Sabbath morning,
the services in the churches, the fatal dis
patch which was banded Mr.. Davis while
ne was worshippins at St. Paups, and the
despair which took possession Of the people
| when it spread among them that Richmond
was to be evacuated. He alluded to an in
tervicw he had with President Davis, and
then drew Il most vivid and lile-lke picture
Of The scenes OF that day and night-the
skill and energy displayed In hiding away
vaIuables the packing up and departure of
The Government and others who proposed
to leaye tbe city; the, marching of troops
through the streets the distribution Of CO.
vernment stores the firing ofthe warehouses
| and armory the plundering mob who, drunk
with whiskey /" hich ran along the cutters,
broke into and fired stores as they revelIed
in their carnival of woe 10 Richmond the
hurried farewells of husbands, sons, and
ing arny-all these were painted with the
hand Of 4 master.
The story of the destruction Of the iron.
clads the blowing up of the powdermaga-
zines; the burning of so large part OF our
fair city the escape of the conylcts from the
peni,cntiary ; the reign OF the mob after the
Confederate forces withdrew until even the
coming of the Federal army seemed mercy
the entrance of the cavalrym men in blue; the
hauling down of the Virginia flag and the
hoistng Of the Stars and Stripes over the
capitol the march of General WetZel's
solid column (of both negroes and whltes)
up Broad street; the occupation of the En-
tire city; the orders issued; the efforts OF
the Federal soldiers to eXtinguIsh the fumes,
and the subsding OF the dread and excite
ment until "order reigned in" Richmond,
were told with the ViyidneSs Of the eye
witness and the skill of the trained rhetori-
clan. ... .......
This bare outline conveys only il very i'm.
perfect idea of this admirable lecture, whicn
was one of the finest pieces Of rhetoric ever
heard on the platform, and combined all olthe
points CT Il good lecture, and enchaned the
audience for an hour.
At the conclusion of the lecture DR.. Bur-
rows bad a perfect ovation from bis old
friends, who crowded around him and gave
him an enthusiastic welcome back to Rich
mond.