The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-13
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
AN PRECAUTIONARY REPORT
hA"ae' from an Oficiai Letter OF General
Ewell Setting Forth Facts a. 90 the Burn
Ina or Richmond.

HA"nct from an 0ftcinI Letter OF Genern
Eweil set'ine Forth Facts ne 90 the Barn
Ina OF Richmond.
The Dispatch has received the follow
ing:
~ NASHVILLE, TENN, April 10, 1884.
on recent visit TO Richmond learned
..a. ,here was an impression on the minds
o. some persons that my late kinsman ant
FORMER commander, General r. s. Ewell
caused The burning Of the city at the time
Oh It's evacuation In April. 1865.
- FROM his official report--which. / be.
neFe, has not heretofore been published
make the enclosed extract, and beg for II
place In your columns. In vindicaiion OF
the memory OF one OF the truest sons OF
Virginia, one OF the most thorough sol
diers, and one OF the noblest, kindest, and
most unselfish men that our great civil war
brought into notice. The portions OF his
report which have italicized show plainly
what was his action. and what the spirit
which animated him. | can positively
state, rs matter within my own know
iedge, That from the moment of receiving
the orders transmitted to bin by General
Lee, but issued In peremptory terms by the
Confederate Congress, his efforts were adj
dressed 10 having them 30 modified rs to
leave HIM some liberty Of action. As appears
by his report, he assumed the RESPONSE
Dllity OF largely exercising this discretion.
and number OF buildings containing pub
he stores were spared by his orders some
to escape the torch entirely. others to be
destroyed by The mob.
The militia referred to by General
EwelI as having dispersed was the First
Regiment OF Virginia Militia, which, by the
terms OF its organization, could only be re-
quired TO defend the city or TO do duty
within its limits.
General EwclI once heard that he was
accused OF burning Richmond. and felt the
charge very keenlv. But he never on any
occasion, during or since the war. though
more than once uniustly censured, under
took his own vindicaiion. At the time 10
which refer one OF his friends procured
OF him and published the substance Of the
accompanying statement, and il was sup
posed by General Ewell and myself that
the Misrepresentation was then removed.
Ny impression is that the story OF the pre-
servation Of the rredegar Works was told
to General Ewell Icy General Anderson
himself, but Of this I am not certain. 1t
was on authority which appeared to him
unquestiona5le.
was a member OF General Eweil'S staff
from July, 1861, to April, 1865, and with
short intervals an inmate OF .his home I'M
i'll his death, in 1872. OF all the men |
have known he appeared to ne to have the
most accomplishing, Unhesitating dcvo-
ton to duty, and under a somewhat rugged
exterior aud rough manner he hid a. ten
der and warm heart rs ever beat. The
last days Of his command in Richmond
were among the most painful OF his life,
and | never knew him to approach any
other duty so unwlllingly as that OF de-
stroying the public stores and preparing
for the evacuation. His report shows that
he foreslw the scenes Of disorder and vio-
lence which ensued, and that he did all in
his power TO avert them. II would be pc
culiar injustice 10 hold him responsible for
their occurrence. CAMPBELL BROWN.
Spring HiH, Tenn, March IS, 1884.