The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-01

shells there stored commenced bursting.
THE C0NvICTs LOOSE.
The Public Guard having been with
drawn from Richmond, the care OF the pri-
soncrs in the penitentiary deyoved upon n
few officers OF that institution. who long
held them i'm subjection; but the prison.
ers saw that the city was burning and dis
covered the absence OF the guard. and raised
mighty clamor for release. Pillagers en-
tered the institution. and between them
and the prisoners who freed themselves
the shops and other buildings were rob-
bed and fired. The conyicts then spread
themselves over the city. After doing
much mischief, many escaped entirely.
Others were recaptured through the efforts
Of officer Caleb Jacob and by help OF the
military.
The connagratlon at the penitentiary was
only suppressed after great loss had been
inflicted.
or, 1T WAS FEARFUL
No man knew where the fire would end.
No man knew what the enemy, upon enter
ing, would do. Hundreds were homeless,
and had what they had saved in the Capitol
Square, subject TO the general pillage. The
roads west OF the city were filed witS fu-
gitives. The prominent men went out on
ears or horses; common-iOlk fugitiveS
footed it up the canal-bank or over the
Danyillc railroad. Very few Confederate
troops passed through Richmond From
the lines north of the James most OF them
crossed the river on the military bridges.
THE FIRE
As for the fire, IT swept from Mayo's
warehouse up TO the Tredcgar in one direc-
ton and TO Main street IN the other. On
Cary and the south side Of Main il extended
from Fourteenth 10 Ninth: on the north
side OF Main from dboW where Randolph
N EngliSh's now is 10 the corner OF Eighth,
and on Bank street from Twelfth TO
Eighth. Nearly the entire square on
which the It. James Hotel stands was de-
StrOyed. The present front ana columns
Of the Exchange First NationaD Bank with
stood the flames. The post-oflice was very
little hurt. The Mechanics Institute War
Department.. on Ninth street, went down,
and Or. Reads church. at the northwest
corner OF Franklin and Eighth streets, was
destroyed.
Among other structures destroyed were
the Danyllc and Petersburg dep0lS, Amc-
rican and Columbian Hotels, Dispatch
and EnQuirer and Examiner Offices. Mlyo's
Shockoe. Public, and some other waIC-
houses; Mayo'S, Dlnvillc, and Petersburg
bridges; GallcgO Mills. and the State Ar
mory. Some warehouses on Cary street be-
tween Twentieth and Twenty-sccond were
also fired and burnt, rs were the Confederate
navy-yards on both sides OF the river 1T
Rockets and tobacco factories by the
dozen.
History OF the Evacuation Fire.
The best history Of the firing and burn
ine OF Richmond j. in the following tcsti-
mony taken in 1870 by that thorough and
able lawyer. John Howard, Esq, in suits
pending between Greene and NiaIS, cX-
cculors. and the Mutual Assurance Society
Of Virginia. in which the liability OF the
Society for certain buildings then destroy
cd wa. tried. The depo,itions here given
therefrom are those OF Colonel Ewell, OF
the staff Of General Ewcll: Hon. John \.
Meredith. Judge Of the Circuit Court:
James \. scott. Esq, Of the City Council,
and Dr. Davidson. dentist. and Major !. II.
Darlington, Provost Marshal, and are as
follows:
COLONEL BENJAMIN s. EwELL.
Shortly after the capture Of Savannah by
General sherman q law was passed by the
Confederate Congress requiring military
commanders 10 destroy all articles of value
within their command, rather than let them
iall into the hands OF the hostile forces.
\ month or two before the evacuation Of
Richmond General Lee sent a notice to
General Ewcll OF tins law, with directions
that steps be taken to carry it out should it
become necessary TO give up the city.
II was suggested that 10 prevent risk Is
lar q, possible OF general contlagration the
city authorities be at once consulted, and
the articles TO lie Observation-Disclosures. Of
which there was 4 large quantity in the
city, and which could only be destroyed at
short notice by firing, was especially men,
tioncd-storcd in isolated buildings.
General Ewell had frequent consultations
with The Mayor and other city authorities,
and with the holders Of the tobacco. which
resulted in the selection OF certain ware
houses from which the flames would not
| it was hoped spread. should il become nc
cos,ary to apply the torch Tor the purpose
/ Of destroying the tobacco they contained
/ Every step was taken 10y General EwelI
/ 10 prevent disastrous results in thecycnt OF
executing this order n was matter that
gave him much anxiety, and to which he
gave much time and attention.
/ The final orders were given on the night
/ of the eyacutiOn Of the city by the Con-
/ icdcrate forces 10y General EWell. lac act
| ing under the commands OF bis military SUI
periors. 20 apply the torch, and it was done
about dlybrcak on Monday morning.
The fire .pread rapidly. Even the wind
from The southeast became bri>llcr. and the
entire city-the flames began at the south
elst-wls i'm imminent danger OF falling q
prey to the advancing conflagration.
II was checked about | O'Clock u. VI. OF
Monday. principally by the cxertions OF
the division Of the United States army that
/ belonged the command OF General Wet
eel. and which first entered the city.
70 the credit Of this officer, it ought TO
be known that when his command, con-
sisting of two diviSions-One white, the
other colorcd troops, the Latter being in
front-approached the city he changed the
order Of his march. and put the white sol
diers i'm front when he saw the IRE, a,
beine less likely TO commit eXce>ses, and
being more skilled and experienced IN eN-
tinguishing fires.
This Is the substance OF my knowledge
of the burning OF the city.
JUDGE JOHN A. MEREDITH.
| was residing in the city on the I'd and
Sd of April, 1860, and was requested on
the evening OF the ID OF April by the City
Council to accompany the Mayor, Judge
Lyons, and portion OF the Council to
meet the Federal troops and surrender the
city, and ask for protection to persons and
property. \ letter to that effect was pre-
pared that night, and the next morning de-
iiyered by the Mayor to the officer com
manding the first detachment OF troops that
entered the city.
We LETT the city about half-past . o'clock
in the morning Of the Sd, and reached the
outer line of fortifcations before day
break, and before sunrise the last detach'
ment OF Confederate cavalry, under Gene