The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-11

From Judge Bruce's "reminiscences before tn
Southern Historical Association.l

From Judge Bruce's "reminiscences before the
Southern Historical Association.l
President Davis and his family were in
their pew that morning. / saw the sexton
go to that pew in the midst of the services
and speak to the President and the Presi-
dent retire from the congregation. was
not feeling very we'll that morning. l felt
that something was going wrong with our
cause when | saw the President withdraw;
and this. in connection with the indispo-
sition referred 70, caused me also to retire
from the Church. | repaired at once to my
lodgings on Second street not far from the
residence of DR.. Morris in Linden Row, on
Franklin street. DR.. Morris-a brother of
our friend Colonel John ID. Morris, well
known to most of us present this evening
was President or General Superintendent of
the telegraph lines in the Confederate States.
Immediately on reaching my lodgings met
friend who asked me if L had heard the
news. / responded, mo; what is it?' He
replied: CDR Morris little daughter was
lust over here and said that her father had
Just come home and stated that General
Lee had telegraphed President Davis that
the enemy had broken the Confederate
lines, that the army would have to retire
further south, and Richmond would have to
be evacuated"
The hours / remained in Richmond on
that melancholy Sunday, after leaving st.
Pauls, were among the saddest of my life.
felt that our cause was then the lost cause.
Many of the scenes witnessed by me as
went to and fro through the streets of that
good old city were heartrending. The bad
news had spread with lightning speed all
over town. Having spent much of the time
during the war in Richmond, had formed
many acquaintance among its noble and
and hospitable citizens; and, am proud to
say some of them became my dearest
friends The men generally were on the
streets, and large numbers of ladies stood in
the doors and on the steps of their houses,
many bathed in tears making inquiries and
giving utterance to woeful disappointment
and anguish. About nightfall / took my
seat in car of the train at the Danvlle
Depot, preparing to start southwark with its
President and his Cabinet were on the same
train. BY this time had become much ex-
hausted by the fatigues of preparation and
visits to attached friends for the purpose
of leave-taking, and had almost succumbed
to the indifference resulting from
the irredeemable loss and disappointed
hopes. My fellow-passengers both male
and female, in the crowded car, were very
much in the same plight l never knew SC
little conversation INDUCED by so large q
number of acquaintance together. for we
were nearly all acquainted with each other,
and may say, fellow fugutives driven by
the same great calamity and wrong. Very
few words were interchanged. Sleep soon
overcame most of us. This, well remem.
Der, was my case, for / dropped to sleep be-
fore the train started from Richmond, and
was not aware of its departure when it left.
slept quite soundly nearly all the night
through. l believe we did not leave Rich
mond until pretty late in the night and
when day broke in on us on the morning
of April 8, we were somewhere in the neigh
borhood of Baskerville Junction, probably
between that place and Roanoke. We stop
ped at every station on the way, crowds
thronging to the train at each to make in
auiries, for the bad news in this case pre-
served its proverbial reputation for fast
travelling. Everybody sought to see, shake
hands with and speak to the President, who
maintained all the way bold front, gave nc
evidence by word or appearance of despair
but spoke all along encouragingly to the
peOple