Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-23
HONORS WERE EASY.
An Incident on the Morning Of the
Fall or Richmond.

An Incident ON the Morning Of the
Fall or Richmond.
Colonel A. Il. Botelcr in Phila. Weekly Times.
Toward the last Of March ! got few
days leave of absence TO 20 to Rich
mond on business requiring my person
i'll attention there, which ] was anxious
to arrange before the anticipated move
mcnt Of the federal army should in
nuguratc active operations III the field.
My leave expired on Sunday, the ID Of
April, when 1t was necessary for me, OF
course, to report my return to camp.
Soon after breakfast, therefore, that
day, left the hospitablc home Of the
Richmond friend with whom | had
been sojourning, and made my way
lcisurcly to the depot to take the train
back to the battlc-scarcd city Of Peters
burg. II was u lovely morning such
~ makes one glad to be alive ! A few
floating vapors, interluscd with light,
soilencd the rays Of the sun, and the
atmosphere, refreshed by recent rains,
was filled with the early flowers Of
spring. The streets were unusually
silent, and the city in It's Sunday
solitude" seemed to be reposing in the
holy calm Of peaceful security
"Therc was Sabbath Stiffness in the
air, and nothing to Indicate that the
dreaded day had come ut last-the dies
i'm which was towtncss the dcstruc-
ton of the doomed capital Of the CON
icdcrtc states,
But on reaching the depot it present
ed quite IN animated spectacle. The
regular passenger cars were crowded
with soldiers. There were extra troop
trains on the siding also filled to their
utmost capacity, and II considerable
body Of men beside were waiting for
means Of transportation. So that was
not surprised to learn when had
squeezed myself into one Of the cars,
that they were then fighting hard in
Petersburg" and had sent TO Rich
mond for rclnlOrccmcnts. Soon after
crossing the James river we met II train
of cars containing several HUNDRED
federal prisoners, some OF whom had
been taken by Fitz Lee on the Friday
before, it Five Forks, and others IL
few days previous by the gallant Cor
don in his capture OF Fort Stcadman on
llare's hill, The two trains stopping
for Il few moments side by side, the
boys III each began to chan those in
the other, good-humoredly us usual,
and to their mutual amusement.
ooh, Johnny Reb, Pm sorry for YOU.
OH, 50 sorry said boy in blue, shnk-
ing his head in mock soemnity.
Itsa good sign, Ynnk, when you
are sorry" replied the boy III gray
with merry laugh.
For continued the blue, you'll
get special thunder ut Petersburg this
evening
And YOU Castle Thunder, 1T Rich
mond this morning. was the gray $ re-
loindcr.
Say, Nnnk, asked another, chow
did You find il ut Five Forks, day be-
fore yesterdays
Hot rs , Johnny
| "rhcn, Iank, you got n foretaste Of
your future state
| don't think my statowill he hotter
than Virginuy is Just now. Johnny =
Bye, bye lank. Tell 'cm to take
care of you 1T The Hotel Libby"
Ia, tn Johnny Same to You mt
the hot hill Petersburg.
And SO the two trains separating,
moved oil toward their respective desti-
nations one taking its passengers "a
prison and the other bearing those on
board OF it to battle. When we got
near Petersburg we saw dense columns
of smoke rising from diilercnt parts of
the city, which indicated that our
people We're burning the cotton and to-
baceo stored IN the town and caused rs
TO fear that the conledemtcs had had
rcvmscs which would complain evaeua-
ton OF that place
Tn smokers of Italy have struck