National Republican., 1885-09-05
A CITY WITHOUT LAW.
lEsINISCENCES OF RICHMOND IN A
STATE OF SIEGE.

Hbe Devotion of the southern Women
During the Wars Sacrificing Every
A Adornment and Comfort for tho Good
of the Cause.
In my article Of last week In The RE
XUBIICAN | said that the points therein
bade, stated in my own language, were the
esult of conversation with Mai. Elias
riswold, who was for three or more years
le provost marshal Of Richmond. Gen.
Ninder was In command Of that portion of
he confederate army In and around Rich
Aoud In military point OF view Maj.
dswold as an officer, reported to him,
it Winder In no manner interfcred with
!. gave orders to Mai. Griswold while pro
Dst marshal, and this was IN accordance
ith what Secretary Of War Randolph
ated to Mai. Griswold. | find that one
two statements of minor importance
ere not given to me by Maj, Griswold as
s experience, but they were stated from
v own experience.
In the following narration | will en-
Inavor to tell something Of the inside of
Richmond while II was under martial law
hd afterward, although, strange TO say,
be rigor Of martial law was relaxed In the
dissolution, when II had been despotically
aintained IN the earlier years Of the con-
ST.
If the histories correctly state matters,
e citizens of Washington were very
ltive under the rigid enforcement OF mar
law In their midst. with its arbitrary
fests, its ruthless invasion Of domiciles,
c., at the tinkling of Secretary Stewards
little BILL" 1t may he said that there was
strong rebellious element In Washington,
ID that the restivcness under salu-
nv restraint was chiefly confined
that class of the population. But there
las the same class of people dissatisfied
ith the confcderacy In Richmond, and
hile they sometimes gave the authorities
uch trouble In riOting, &c, yet the great
Tx of the citizens recognized the ncces-
" of a strong municipal government to
jeck the vagaries and criminnlitics OF the
lge imported population, and they heartily
comed the PRONUNCIATION of martial law:
ey not only approved OF IT, privately ana
xlividually, but they met together In mass
Getting in support Of the confederate gov
nment's policy in abolishing their munich
II government and courts in their entirety,
I'd consenting to put their lives, their for
mes, and their property In the hands Of
ne man-the provost marshal-as absolute
a. ltocrat.
rur NItrpxxtt-u np MARITAL. RIFLE.
Az consonuonce the citv wns never
,ieter or better Governed, or the citizens
tier satisfied, than when 1t was under
rict martial law. But this state of affairs
Il not exist during the last year or so,
Ihen the frequent and disastrous defeats of
southern armies in the west had pro
iced feeling of despondency throughout
confederacy, and nowhere in backer
..lg, pl.nNN Int Ia, tIlt ltnn N al
,elf, | was I'm a position to know a good
~ al about these matters, and think that
ter the removal of Gen. joseph Il.
X,hnston from the western army, the
ortlye attempt of his successor Gen,
Il. Hood. TO raise the siege of At.
Inta. his disastrous Nashville campaign
ID the success Of Gen. Sherman's march
the sea, the feeling among the soldiers
d the people at large, and especially
nonr the citizens of Richmond, was ont
utter discouragemcnt. The dsatTcctiOi
hich existed among the mass of the peopl,
the later stages of the war over the rigid
might say ruthless, execution of the con
kipt act, the arbitrary collection of tax II
md by insolvent X-gatherers, and NOR,
Ian ali the suspension of the habeas corpu
the case of those who fell under the mill
Nv law for ofTenses perhaps trtlmpcd NJ
spiteful officials, caused serious consid
f,tion TO the authorities.
eo,,r u,coSrpSrs tr,vr
ns I have eoid ,,o noonle NJ pichmo,,
mpothized in This feeling of dissatisfac
m and those who had means Withdrew
ernselyes as far as possible from publ
fairs or public notice, and made all prep
ations within their power to prepare TO
he wrath to come
But there was brighter side TO all this
lon't believe that In the history of wal
Re there was ever n more generous or sell
nvinp populatiOn than that of RchmOn,
Cto tle last three months prior to tn
al COLLAPSE of the confedcracy. Durin
Il last period / am almost sure that hop
4s left behind, and then only was eS
Gifted that selnslncss innate In human ma
re when great danger is imminent.
THE poor made generally more none
an the rich by catering to the yictualn
the vast crowds who were daily passin
and fro through the city on their wa
rth or south. But there we're many case
H distress. and whenever these were r,
rted TO the provost marshal he sert me
see whether the tales of distress wer
~ 10 or fictitious, and then he would appl
the Weather class for help, and It va
~ YER refused, The chief citizens alwaN
I We cheerfully and literally TO help othcl
IN M were moor. There seemed To lie nm ul
L. n
if-sacriflce among all classes of citizens
~ mrs nryor,ox ov rup wo>,rx
t ,, '- ~ nAro'' ,,,, w, r,,,, , ,' .'., T..
rerhaps III the olu lc,iuai uaSs suell u
lhGes us Wh9re lhG Mull 1i NnrnSoss
'ou pahopl9u IN man upon .he IaiuPhrt,
where, III uollanu uhuer lhe ploouy u,
oI 'ne DUKE OIL ava, the Women eal
OH lheir h,lspahus on lleir backs
,lr ,lost priceleSs posseSsi| !is, 'nGre nav m
en- drawer ueeus SHOWN ny lhe il,rcr So
l question Whclner more Patlent emu .i'
20 ahu bravery was ever cN,iD,tc'l VA
SHOWN ny the women Oh hchiiionu !
perlous uuring lNo trying .il,ies 3l u.
gei anu fiGlilhonu was Nir'uiiiy ulMns
state 9i sieSc, lor u Was 'he opIeG''N
inI Oh al ,ne arli'ics oi Lnc cast, anu
turned ouI very PsoPcty So ior Whe
nc '"ohu 'neh icii VIZ gohiencrut,
aI Guy VS. tne sthhe Ill inc S'S"h'
Nc ne llal was penlg piayeu;
mere was great ueai ol rcu tnpc II