National Republican., 1885-03-28

dent, his cabinet and the other confed-
crate and state authorities being at their
posts; but toward sundown q strong force
of provost guards were distributed
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 side
walks knock in the heads, and pour into
the cutters the contents of every barrel
of brandy or whisky they could lay their
hands on. This was for the purpose of
preventing the troops retreating through
the city from getting drunk and mayhap
sAcKING THE STORES.
On Main street. the principal business
thoroughfare, the conflscated liquor ran
down the cutters in torrents, and men and
women, of both colors, rushed forward
with all manner of utensils to scoop up the
enliyening bat dirty fluid. Some used
their followed hands. others their hats to
get a supply of the fiery stuff, and in
half hour or so the streets were filled with
maudlin mass of drunken humanity.
The pouring out of the liquor was a
sure sign to tho atirighted citizens that
the city was to be evacuated, and they
fed to their homes, and drew bolt and
bar, and sat down in dumb misery to
meet their fate-they knew not what
hut feared the worst. There were few
people who undressed aud went to bed
that night. These people suffered tor
ment that Sunday night, such as the
people of no city of the country have
been forced to undergo
SINCE THE LANDING OF CAPT. JOHN
SMITH.
Shortly after midnight the military
authorities blew up the gunboats and
steamboats, lying just below the city, and
the terrific explosions seemed to the ter
rified people as the crack OF doom. have
been credibly informed by an old resident
of Richmond that about Fifty people,
chiefly ailing women, died that night Of
sheer fright. Then the tobacco factories,
near Rockett's, were set on fire and soon
the whole heavens appeared to be in
blaze.
Before this time. however, at about IL
o'clock, Jefferson Davis, his cabinet, and
other confederate officials left the city
on q train, which, it has been charged,
Gen. Lee had ordered to be filed 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 have otherwise occurred. The
party took with them all the gold in the
banks and in the confederate treasury.
About the same hour tho state govern
ment authorities, including the legisla-
tive SOlons, adjourned to packet boat
on the canal, and they prudently had
hitched on a double force of mules in
order to get away
FASTER "DowN TO LYNcHBURG TOWN."
Gov. Extra Billy Smith, however, and
few others distrusted the raging
canawp locomotion, aud went on horse
back down the tOwpath in the same di-
rection. These authorities probably ex-
pected to be imprisoned or even hung If
caught, and doubtless they would have
been If it had not been for the man who
now lies dying from an inCurable disease,
and for whose recovery, hoping against
hope, 80 many in the nation are praying,
Yes had it not been that Gen. Grant SO
determinedly set down his foot whom
Andy johnson ordered the arrest of Gen.
II. Il. Lee, who can say to what extent
prescriptions and arrests, followed by
cruel punishments, might not have boen
carried by president who was nothing
If not vindictive at that period Of his ad-
minlstration
1t is needless to relate how after the
confederate troops had retreated through
the city other houses caught fire from the
blazing tobacco factories. There being
no organized attempt to check the FIRE,
and the flames being spread by incendi-
arios intent upon robbery, the whole
business portion of tho city was
SOON A LITERAL SEA OF FIRE
The people anxiously awaited tho ad-
vent of the federal troops. expecting that
tho utter destruction of tho city would
then epspe, apd when the head Of coli
umn Of 4 negro regiment OF cav