The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-25
A PEEP INTO THE PAST.
A GLIMPSE AT A CONFEDERATE-CAPf
TAI DIRECTORY OF 1863.
Where the Government Offices Were
LOcatcd-Names OF Many Of the
Heads OF Departments and Bu-
rcaux who Vet Surviyc-Per.
sOuaI Points.

" The Strangers Guide and official Dir6o-
tory for The Ctyof Richmond, Snoring
the Location of The Public Buildings and
Offices Of the Confederate, State, and
City Governments. Residences Of the
Principal officers, etc. Geo. Il. EronS
d. Co., Printers, Wing Building, 1863"
This is not ga new publication" IL is
twenty years old. and was printed amidst
the smoke Of war, but having been care
fully laid away is as fresh in appearance as
when ii came from the press in the days
when Richmond was the capital of the
Conicderacy. The author (Nir. John
Grame) says in the preface: &" The object
of this publication is TO supply q want
which has been long felt. not only by
strangers arriving in the city, but by num-
bers Of our citizens. The immense amount
OF business arising from the prosecution OF
the war has been distributed among q large
number Of departments, blreauX, ETC.,
which are located in so many different
places that persons having business at
some Of them are unable TO find them cX-
cept by persistent inquiry. This little
book will tell them where the various
offices are situated
DEPARTMENTAL BUILDINGS.
The Treasury Department was in the
cuStom-hOuse. The General POst-Oflice
Department was in the GOddin building,
Bank and Eleventh streets, burnt down by
the evacuation fire, but since rebuilt in
about the same style. The War Depart
ment was in the Mechanics Institute build
ing-whcre fhc Secession Convention sat Il
part OF its time-Gestroyed in the same fire.
The State Court-House was in the Capi-
tol Square near where Franklin runs into
Twelfth street, and was likewise burnt and
never rebuilt. The Supreme Court Of Vir-
ginia, Richmond Circuit Court Judge
Meredith's), and IIenrico Circuit Court sat
there.
CITY HlIL-PASSP0ETS.
The City Hall was at the corner Of Broad
and Eleventh. Ii stood TIL after the Capt.
tol disaster, when it WAS condemned, and,
after hard work, pulled down to make
room for new one, now about TO be COM
menced. II was a small and unclean struc-
ture as to the interior; as to the exterior
quite imposing with its broad but some
what dingy porches and lofty columns.
The Winder building, next referred to
in the Directory, was framed structure.
the oufgrowth OF the necessities OF the Gov
ernment. and was built on the present tenn
porary City Hall lot, and extended from
Capitol to Broad alongside OF Tenth street.
Major Griswold was Provost-Marshal in
1863, but Major Isaac II. Darlington sue
ceeded him and had his Office in this build
ing. Here, also, was the passport office.
No man, woman, or child could 20 from
Richmond to Petersburg or from Rich
mond to Fredericksburg, or anywhere
else, hardly, without a passport. The
United states authorities took possession
OF the building, removed it to Navy Hill,
and established in it a freedman's school.
1t stands TO this day and is now part OF
the city property, and is known rs Navy
Hill school.
HON. JEFF DAVIS.
President Davis lived ir the BrOcken-
brough mansion, now Central School, and
had his Office in the custom-hcuSe build
ing in the room now occupied by Mr. VI.
+. Peasants, clerk Of the United States
Circuit Court.
President Abraham Lincoln, who came
TO Richmond Immediately after the surren-
der Of Lee, visited this room and took a
seat in the chair that had been used by Mr..
Davis. Subsequently. after imprisonment
in Fortress Monroe. Mr.. Davis was brought
back to this very building TO the next room
for trial. but the trial never took place.
President Dayis's private secretary, Col
onel Burton y. Harrison, had during the
war the room now occupied by United
States Marshal Hughes.
ALECK STEPHENS.
Mr.. stephens, Is Vice-Presdcnt. when
i'm Richmond and in average health. pre-
sided over the Confederate Senate. which
had us chamber in the Capitol building in
the corner now occupied by the rooms Of
Il. f. Walker, Superintendent OF Public
Printing, aud II. Il. Farr, superintendent
OF Public instruction.
After tie Capitol disaster, in 1870, that
portion OF the building was remodelled and
the identity OF the chamber lost in the
three rooms constructed in the space. II
was here that the a1'Iay occurred between
w. l.. Yancey and Ben. Hill, resulting, IT
has been alleged, in the death some years
afterwards OF the former.
Mr.. stephens was not often able 10 pre-
side, or at least, was not often present in
the Senate. Hon. X. vi. T. Hunter was
usuaiiy in the chair. When in Richmond
during the war Mr.. Stephens's home was
sat the residence Of Mr.. Baskervill, on
Franklin street between Eighth and Ninth
streets"
The Confederate House Of Representa-
tives IIon. Thomas ;. Bocock Speaker) was
where the State Senate Chamber now il.
BENJAMIN AND HEMMISGER.
Hon. Jud all i. Benjamin, Of Louisiana.
Secretary Of State now about to have con
spicuous honor done hlm as he retires from
the English bari, had his Office about where
Judge Bonds private Office now is; the
door to the right (easD OF the present
Judges bench. His residence was on
.'Main street second door from Fou-
shee."
The Office Of Hon. c. G. Memminger was
where Collector Cooks now is, fronting
Main street, and he resided "on the north
side Of Franklin street between Twenty
sixth and Twenty-seyenth, Church Hill"
All the other rooms of the cnstom-house
building were occupied by bureauX. The
city post-oflice was removed to tie Spots
wood Hotel, and the Confederate Treasury
took the whole OF the first or Main-street
floor Of the building.
John o. Steger was city postmaster, and
James VI. Wayt assistant postmaster.
CONFEDERATE OFFICIALS NOW LIVING.
Among the officials OF the bureaux were
Captain Il. 4. Wexford, collector OF tax
in kind, and as such in charge OF the wheat
department, with Office at llaXalPs mills /;
Major j. Il. Cary. assistant paymaSter; Cap
tain G.. A. Barksdale. paymaster OF officers
accounts; Major j. b. Hill, paymaster OF
soldiers in hospitals; Captain o. f. Weisi-
ger. in the clothing department; Captain
S. Putney In the shoe department; and
Major c. s. burlington, purchasing officer
Of forage for General Lees army.
DR.. Samuel Preston Moore (Still residing
here. and one OF our most estimable citi-