National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-16
BEHIND THE LINES.
REBEIJI0Ns CLOSING DAYS AT RICHMOND
AND PETERSBURG.
Tho Desperate Straits 10 which Gen. lee and
His Army We're Reduced-scenes and Incl.
dents Not Given In Histories Movements Of
Troops-Thcy Played High Those Days.
Spccidl Letter.

n1ltcth iNutT.
The last six or eight months Of tho
life Of the oonfederacy was full Of dra-
matte incident and Of startling surprises
TO the confedorstes OF least, but to none
did these come home moro wildly than
TO those who, behind the fighting line In
Richmond and Petersburg, breathlessly
watched tho rapid course of events.
There was absolutely nothing upon which
to build hope of future success, for rs
tho federal anaconda frightened Its coils,
defeat after defeat and loss of position
after position was sustained, and yet tho
bulk Of the people and the troops either
would not or could not believe that tho
game was up, and still looked for some
impossible Joshua to knock down tho
walls Of the federal Jericho, rs IL were,
in their behalf. The admiration for and
faith In the resources of Gen. Lee we're
unbounded, and In spite of the fact that
tcould be easily seen that the slender
numbers Of the army Of northern
Virginia were being enormously depleted
by sickness and desortion, and that no
recruits were coming in, the people fatu-
ously believed that Lee at tho critical
moment, by some rapid massing of his
troops, would In ono grand assault shatter
tho federal lines before the beleagurod
cities. Again tho report was industriously
kept going by the authorities that England
and Franco would surely break the block
ade at an early date and again that the
able-bodied slaves were to be organized
and oihcered by whites and placed behind
the Notifications. thus releasing the
white troops, who would act on
tho offensive. There were a thousand
and one wild rumors daily anoat, which
were eagerly accepted, because we easily
believe that which we wish to believe. 1t
may BIO that such insane infatuation has
before peryaded the populsce Of bosioged
cities, but at any rate 1t is curious phase
OF the workings of human nature under
certain surrounding conditions, for the
leaven worked not only in tho minds of
the Ignorant but elso in those Of tho
best and most intelligent class. Mean
time Gen. Grant was slowly but surely
hammering down tho barriers which OPP
posed his victorious advance
The writer, as an officer of tho "Trish
battalion" list Virginia battalion of in
fantry), had exceptional opportunity to
note all that was going on behind the
lines in Petersburg and Richmond in the
closing days Of tho war. This battalion
was Differed by young virginians, the
majority of whom were graduates of the
Virginia Military institute, and who were
appointed by the governor of the state.
The men, just after the secession of the
state, were enlisted for five years az
regular troops. The battalion had done
good service under Jackson in the Valley
and at Cedar Mountain, after which IL
was detached by Gen. Lee and made tho
provost guard of the army. When Gen.
Grant sat down before Petersburg tho
battalion was moved to that city to do
.nI,N H..
of 1t by Provost Marshal ID.
Is. BRIDGEPORT. The writer's company
lE) was in few days thereafter ordered
to proceed to camp at Halfway station on
the Richmond and Petersburg road, with
view that its three lieutenants should
act as officers Of tho train guards between
the two cities. From the first this duty
was laborious and responsible. At tho
commencement of the siege the trains
started from tho depot, near Pocahontas
bridge, over tho Appomattox, but one
morning before daylight as the train was
slowly moving out of the station, with
lights all extinguished, as was the GUS
tom, battery. which had no doubt been
planted and trained the evening before,
burst loose on the heights, and before
full speed could be obtained several
cars were knocked to pieces and
a number Of passengers badly wounded
by the splinters. Almost tremendously
no ono was killed. After that tho depot
was made TWO miles out of town, under
the shelter Of the hills. 1t was the order
mt this time that the passes Of major gen.
erals should be respected by the train
officers, and rs q consequence tho two
cities were filled with officers and mon
whose presence was needed in the lines,
:. and the provost guards had all their time
employed in quelling drunken brawls.
Many OF the residents of Richmond and
Petersburg were very hospitable and
liberal to the soldiers ut this
period with their apple brandy--at So
the wineglassfull. The faro banks were
in full blast too, and II was not an I'M
common thing for post quartermaster
or commissary on leave of absence, fol-
lowed by q negro boy bearing a valise
packed with confederate twenties and
tens, to drop into Monteiro's and sneak
out at cock crow with 100000 to tho
bad. Richmond was filed with Jews
exempts, blockade runners, and human
sharks Of every hue and description, all
engaged In struggle of preying on the
government, the troops, and, for that
matter, on each other. The city was in
Booth pandemonium on q small scale.
But Gen. Lee soon issued an order
which kept the troops out of the city, at
least 1t was to the effect that no pass
port to officers or mon should be recog-
niZed on the trains unless it bore his sig
nature. Before that lieutenant generals,
major generals, and brigadiers passed in
on their face and shape SO to speak. 1t 80
happened that on the day tho order went
into OBJECT the writer ran the train from
Petersburg to Richmond and he had q
lovely circus. in anticipation Of which the
guard had been doubled. At some of the
mn hriO ia.
splendent in stars and gold braid, would
attempt to mount the platform of one of
the cars, and on being gently repealed by
the interposed rifle of tho guard would
step back, his face purple with indignant
establishment, "Why, d-n you, | am
General So.and.so." Cant help it, gem
oral, you must present proper pass. As
a rule, tho generals, after clustering and
swearing, would ride off, threatening the
train officer with dire vengeance and
ruthless court martial; but on two occa-
sions the writer was compelled to put
brigadier generals, who had managed to
slip by the guards without passes, under
arrest and at the end of tho route to
march them through the streets of Rich
mOnd aud turn them over to l. @. Car
rington, the provost marshal Gen.
Malone once flanked tho writer, how
ever. One dark and stormy morning,
before daybroak, US the writer was
going through the train examining pass
ports he found the general curled up in
the back of scat apparently asleep. with
his aid-de-camp beside him, Tho latter
was asked for his passport, and replied
that the general was worn out and sick
and had the pass in his pocket. 1t would
be heartless to awaken him before tho
arrival at Richmond. Now | didn't bo
lieye word about the pass, but had tho
greatest admiration for Gen. Malone,
and determined to pass him "for
just this once" although tho