The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-24
RICHMOND IN 1865.
"REMINISCENCES OF AN EyE-WT
NESS.
Race for the CITY Between Negro and
White Troops-Exempisry Conduct of
the slave Popuiation-Appalling Sea of
Fire After the Capture.

the slave Popuiation-Appallin Sea a
F,re-Aner the Capture.
The fear that Richmond might b.
fret reached by the negro regiment,
was not confined TO the people of ,hal
city. THIS apprehension was as) en-
t-rtsined by the white troops of the
Federal army. II what was sub. quent.
y told to the writer BY officer, Of q
Pennsylvania regiment and osheis wss
the fact. Ii was quile Daturai tina the
latter should cOset the honor OF being
the first to enter the fallen capital Of
the CODfedetscv. IL was still NOR,
reasonable TO suppose that they Jii no,
wish this honor 10 be accredited to theii
,able allies. Be this as it may to their
credit b. it said the real reason WI,
the whites dill not wish lha blacks to
arnye at Richmond first was chat they
felt that no amount OF DISC pine would
DC able To restrain the passions OF The
negroes should they be SLOWED unre.
strained entrance TO the streets q
dwellings OF tue town. The latter
made every effort In this direction, and
II was with the greatest difficulty that
they we're at last out.strIpped BY the
whites when the advance Degan. o..
CT lcumstance worth menti onlBg here mad
much to do With securing this result.
During the long and stubborn resistance
made by the COnfederates on the line
north OF james RIVER. it mad been found
m ce-sary u resort to every possible de-
vice for protection against the over
wne lining masses of the enemy. To
en- .yaux de-frlsn had been aided pits,
III the bottom of wnich were set Sin rp-
ened stakes. aud then suuken torpedo, \
were placed III front of their works.
line effect of these had already been
made manifest upou the enemy as
-aults, and were now calculated To IN
duce certain degree Oh cautIOu when
ne should advance even uOOn earth
works already deserted by tnelr defeud
ers. This fortunately proved TO be par
tlcullTly the c So with the negro troops
II their native tlmiddy was aJdei the
remembrance Of how they had suffered
IN their attacks upon tie COUfed
crate positions and they now had
no ambition to be blown up by tue-e
mysIerlously disposed engines of war
40 the very end II their TRIALS aud ~
tne hour OF our triumph. They were
on lhl, occasion so long m cling through
the Intricacles Of the Confederate llnes
that the more aCtige and intelligent
whites passed on to tDelr front. With
al TINS toe latter had TO hasten their
adgence to a rapid dou ble-qnick step to
an al M. pasA al
thus II WAS that Richmond was saved
the perils Of &C ledsta temporary assault
at the hands OF fierce anJ brutal foe.
In tne meantime. the cOLduct of the
slave population. up 10 within q snort
time OF the occupation of Richmond
by the Federal troops. had been siugu-
larry exemplary. Tney we're entirely
aware of what was 10 take p ace. The
rumors afiJat out of doors ha peue.
trateJ the dwellings OF their masters
and mIstresses. and they mad heard al
The disc IssioDs aud talk resulting there
from. Although they knew that IN "A
few hours tney would have allies BY
the thousand and the power OF a vic.
torlOUs amy 10 second any move
they might choose TO make. -
their everlasting credit be il re-
corded that not hand was /
raised by one of tile m against those 10 /
whom they had for generations been /
''hewrTs OF wood AMI drawers OF /
water. More than iris. those among /
hem whose duty II had been to care
for the younger members of the whlle /
family and those whJ mad grown 40
with the e der. aid what they cOuln To
'alm their agitation aud dlsp their
Tears. IL Is tue many of these people
bad some how lmbIbed q dislike 10
nose who. Tor various reasons. had
been called Yankees. 'ant mad learned
- regard with Considerable dIstTust "a
people who for four years bad not
,eased 10 annoy, pluuder. and kill, a.
hey described them. our folks. Bat
win all Tins. Il Is q just tribute 10 the
ihellty OF this dOclie aud amiable race {
o say that IN the annals of ciyIl or any
'ther war. no such example OF fOrbear ,
nee under the like circumstances can [
possibly BE- found Aud even when the
uem,. their friend, mad entered the {
lty, they committed no act of yloeuce. 4
nd were even gulltless of even dOmes- /
lc lDsurbOrd nauOn.
THIS remarkable behavior on their q
art has been attributed by some L. 6
car, and by Others 10 the habits Of su. /
10 ~hicn the negroes had
cen subjected as slaves for more than a
wo hundred years. TIE explain .tlOn =
not 10 be found here. They had 10 I
ppi ehensiOns 10 b. INDUCED. They 2
new They would be protected by their &
DeratOrs and that their safety was /
by tue same power that had u
Inde them free b
Ii was not surprisins, however, that 81
hen he town was burning a1d "A gen -
al ~ stem OF pluDdeTlDg had been IN e.
Igurated many Of them were active c
MI 1pants IN these scenes. In this re o
}, Gu the example had be N already Sc s
lem by the swarms OF low whites. alb y
Jndeis. dtserters, aud Adventures, [;
n in the midst Of the llreful cata p
ism OF fire and anaicny had emerge ed Il
ON their recent hldlOg place. 10 pluu- o.
r. the place they had not the courage "
the heart to defend. u
Coon liter the departure OF the Mayor D.
oops, as .scribed ia the last paper. "
oiOun0 quiet settled down upon the #
y, except where railroad trains were se
III lingering 10 receive their bu deDs. ia
ii Confederate officers were hurrylDg IL
their Commands. With others. d'
Undertook To seek the fe,t m
ide nee ssary by the excite ments and "
IIgue vi the past day. From th,s re-
easy slumuers was suddenly pr
'akeued about daybresk by a snock ne
AZ De- need % shake the earth and the te
ayens. and whose vibration. disturb. OF
The equilibrium OF the whole ear l. or
D part of the civ. Ii was the OK su
'sion of the powder kept in the maya "a
les On the northern side of the town. m.
ar the almsnUuse. This was soon fol- m.
we'd by Others OF .ess degree. accom-. mi
lied b. an uudertone Of trouble. as m
unusual was going on at pr
Istalce. and in another quarter OF git
cIty. Upon going out. the expla- str
lou WAS before me. Clouds of smOge loo
re ascending from out a sea Of lu Id sta
mes IN the direction of the river AMI Al
Dcheste IL was the roar Of the lie inl
L