The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-17
THE LAST DAY In RICHMOND.
jeff Davis, at Church, Hears the News-Fifty
People Said to Have Died of Fright

People Said to Have Died of Fright
Murray in Washington Republican.
During January, February and March, 1868,
the people of Richmond, who had erst been so
defiant In their bearing and SO perfect IN their
confidence Of the inability of General Grant to
capture the CITY, began to partake Of the unde-
fined apprehension of evil which certainly per
vaded the ranks of General Lees army Toward
the end of March, when it was evident from the
good condition of the roads and certain ominous
movements in the Federal lines that general
assault was imminent on General Lees lines
the feeling of apprehension was intensified to
absolute dismay Whatever braggadocio may
have been indnlged in reasonable man be-
lieved Tor "a moment that General Lee could
withstand the determined assault of his power
full adversary. The condition of the Confederate
army, its disparity OF force. its lack of supplies,
its deficiency in cavalry 1.-THE bulk of the cavalry
was with Wade Hampton opposing General
Sherman's cdvance) were patent to all.
A few days ago the writer met with young
lady-the daughter of one of the auditors of the
State-now stately matron and mother OF
children, who gave me some points as to the
state of affairs in I:fnera :rrrr Ii1c receipt of
the news of General Sheridans victory at Five
Forks.
That Saturday night all Richmond went to
bed feeling gloomily, assured that the end had
come. The next morning all the churches were
crowded with people, who prayed fervently, if
they never prayed before. st. Paul's Church
was packed and damned, for this was the
church attended by President Davis and his
family. He and his family were promptly in
their pew at the usual hour. While the congce-
CATION were entering the church the roar OF
battle then going around Petersburg was dis
tincty audible. When the pastor Rev. Mr..
Minnegerede, arose to begin the services, he
scarcely commanded the attention of his audi
ence. All eyes were upon Mr.. Davis's pew.
where he sat, somewhat paler than usual
but apparently calm and collected AT
every opening of the door of the church
the congregation nervously turned in
their seats to view the newcomer Every
countenanee was strained and anxious
Before the services had proceeded far the sexton
was seen coming down the aisle, and his ceunte
nance and gait portrayed the excitement under
which he was laboring, and which he was yainly
endeayoring to conceal. He approached Mr..
Davis, touched him on the shoulder, and whis-
pered few words in his ear. 1T should be ex-
planned here that the officer with General Lees
dispatch was waiting at the door. Mr. Davis
turned TO his wife, spoke to her briefly, and, MS
ing, walked firmly down the aisle and out of the
door. Mrs Davis and her children remaining ia
their seats When Mr. Davis went out, the
congregation, gazing fearfully at each other,
mutely inquired: What does it meant What
has happened The pastor. although evidently
nervous himself. proceeded with the ser
vices, but when Mr. William III. McFar-
land, president of one of the banks,
was called out by the sexton, the tension On the
minds of the audience WAS too great to be borne
gan to drop ont in spite OF the assurance of the
pastor that there was no cause for alarm. The
services were then abruptly closed and those
who remained dismissed.
Now, it had been ordered that In case of Sc
rious alarm the alarm bell in the capital grounds
should be jingled rapidly and continuously.
With characteristic speed Madam Rumor had
spread the news from st. Pauls Church. soon
after the President left, and somebody sounded
the alarm on the bell, and soon the entire pepu-
lafion Of the city was On the streets, seeking
news from the front That was a long, weary
Sunday OF mental torture for the inha bitants of
Richmond on the James, for nothing but dis
couraging rumors came from the front,
where the little army OF General Lee was
standing up gamely in fight which there was
no hope of winning. During the day there was
no signs of an evacuation, the President, his
Cabinet and the other Confederate and State
authorities being at their posts; but toward sun
down astrong force of provost guards were dis
trihuted throughout the central portion of the
city, and, beginning with the government depots
and ending with the restaurants. they proceeded
to drag out to the sidewalks, knock in the heads,
and pour into the cutters the contents of every
barred of brandy or whisky they could lay their
hands on. This was for the purpose of pre-
venting the troops retreating through the city
from getting drunk and mayhap saeking the
stores.
On Main street. the principal BUSINESS thor
oughfare, the confiscated liquor ran down the
cutters in torrents, and men and women of both
c0lors rushed forward with all manner of uten-
sils to scoop mp the eniiHening but dirty fluid.
Some used their followed hands, others their
hats to get a supply of the fiery stuff, and in a
half hour the streets were filed with a
maudlin mass of drunken humanity.
The pouring ont of the liquor was sure sign
to the affrghted citizens that the city was to be
evacuated and they led TO their homes and
drew bolt and bar, and sat down in dumb misery
TO meet their fate-tney knew not what-but
feared the worst There were few people who
undressed and Went to bed that night. These
people suffered torment that SUNDAY night sueh
as the people of no city in the country have been
forced to undergo since the landing of Captain
guhn Smith.
Shortly after midnight the military authori-
ties blew mp the gunboats and steamboats, lying
Just below the City. and the terrific explosions
seemed to the terrified people as the crack of
doom. / have been credibly informed by an
old resident of Richmond that about fifty peo-
pie, chiefly ailing women, died that night of
sheer fright. Then the tobacco factories, near
Radketts, were set on fire, and soon the whole
heavens appeared to be in a blaze.
Before this time, however, at about ii O'Clock,
Jefferson Davis, mis- Cabinet, and other Cenfed-
crate officials left the city on train, which, it
has been charged General Lee had ordered to be
filled with provisions to be transported
to Amelia Court house, on the line
of his intended retreat, and the want
of which caused an earlier disintegration of his
army than would otherwise have occurred. The
party took with them all the gold in the banks
andin the Confederate treasury. About the
same honr the State government authorities,
including the legislative solons, adjourned TO q
pscket4boat on the canal, aud they prudently
had stitched on double force of mules in order
to get away faster down to Lpnchburg town.
Governor Extra Billy Smith, however, and a
few others distrusted the raging canawr loco
motion. and went on horseback down tho tow
path in the same direction.
1t il needless TO relate how after the Confed-
ia hail. tod oh
houses caught fire from the blazing tobacco
factories. There being no organized attempt to
check the fire. and the flames
being spread by incendiaries intent
upon robbery, the whole business portion of the
city WAS soon literal sea of fire. The people
anxiously awaited the advent of the Federal
troops, expecting that the utter destruction of
the city would then ensue and when the head Of
O column of a negro regiment of cavalry, with
drawn sabers, came moving up toward the cap