The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-18
THAT LAST NIGHT
or THE SOUTHERN CONFEDER-
ACYINITS CAPITAL.

sceues of That Terrible Time Hcco"h'e"
by an Eye witness-It Came win The
snddernsss of Dcath-Incidcnts OF the
Darkness.
written for The Tines
II il strange. when one reflects, at
this distance Of time, how few per-
sons on the LIST of April, 1860, outside
the charmed circle Of the government
officials. suspected that the downfall oil
the southern Confederacy" was 50
near at hand, especially OF those living
in the rural districts.
The officials, hoping against hope
dreaded to inform the people OF Their
fears. lest the intelligence should daunt
their courage and paralyze their
strength.
Re This as it may. it is fact that sucn
Ignorance existed. and |, for one. Nv
inc within fifteen miles of the Capital,
and i'm almost weekly communlcatioh
with it. had no suspicion OF Its speedy
ending. aud, although it is true feared
that the coils OF the anacoLua Weie
Tightening around its victim, yet ! uia
not dream il would so soon be crushed
THE EvENTFUL EVE.
So. the eventfu yeof the 81 of April
arrived. and |, living IA quiet country
life had retired early TO my couch. ana
was fast losing all knowledge of my
surroundings in 1.-The sleep that knlts
ND the ravelIed sleeve OF care" when l
was aroused by loud Tapping at Inc
tront door. Jumping up and hastily
DOMINIC my "unmentlOnables," went
IN the door and asked who was that
SO loudly rapping?' "A friend,
was the reply. in what thought was a
disguised zone Of voice. No one can
enter here. without his name and bus
mess being known" l reJ)ined-ior the
troublous times did not admit OF the
HOSPITALITY Of oden doors deserters ana
other night providers being not inire..
ouent visitors, Changing his voice ana
giving his name, on recognition OF us
tone. the door was u ened, and tounu
it was my old friend Major IN. OF
The Commissary Department, Q. ,. A.,
with two or three Of bis subalterns'
Heartily greeting them, inquired
nerhaps rather uncOurteOusly, the rel-
son of their untimely visit,
HAD BETTER BE QUICK.
Ina few words the Major told me
that the game was up; that Richmond
was to be evacuated that night, aud
left TO the tender mercies Of our Toes,
and if there was anything in the city
that | wished TO save, | had better be
muck about it. and get there before
dav-break. as they expected the Fed
eral troops to be there about that time;
he also said he was on his way up inc
canal to Lynchburg, with boat loau
of commissioned supplies, and that all
thos. who had any fear OF Yankee
prisons were hastily leaving Richmond.
| Now it had most unfortunately happenesq1
that sometime before, fearins ,isi i
| from Sheridau's haaa-Dufners anu
800. -. sers. who bad come on raid
as far down James river as G0ochland
courthouse, and were supposed 20 De
making their way to the capital, had
sent by the canal to Richmond about
five hundred bushels Of corn, and some
household supplies which were IN the
then impoverished condition OF the
country, very valuable.
So wishing ITO pluck them IKE
brands from the burning, conslsn-
ed the Major and his companions to the
hospitality Of my wife. and ordering
my horse, mounted and hastily rode
down the t0w-path Of the canal; for at
that time it's waters were still flowing
siuggishly on.
Alter [ had preceded some distance
/ found my way impeded by the crowds
of soldiers and others who were fleeing
from the city, and from their haste
thew seemed not TO have stood upon the
order of their leaving, but 90 have left
at once. At last ] was halted by one
who was putting and blowing like a
porpoise. and questioned as to
INV reason for running into the
laws of the Yankees; he evidently
suspecting | was going full tilt TO aid
and comfort them. | soon found out It
was an old acquaintance-Colonel e.,
of Richmond-who, having visions OF q
Yankee prison before his eyes, had left
the comforts of his home, and was pad
ding up the tow-path with the speed Of
a dry-laud terrapin. COnfidiDg to him
that my mission. instead OF welcoming
those from whom he was so inhOspita
bly fleeing, had for its object the snatch
ing of NV corn from the craunching
grinders Of the Yankee horses. he babe
me God-speed on my loyal mission, re-
questing me, if
so FAR SAFE,
I saw any of his family TO tell them
he was so far. safe from the grip OF the
hated foe Promising TO do so. | rode
on as hastily as the crowds hurrying
westward would allow, and after L had
gone some distance. ] noticed iii tn
Southern horizon a faint cleaning,
ike distant lightning, accompanied by
low and sullen decorating sound.
At first thought storm was brewing,
but though dark. the Stars were shin
ing brightly. and then II flashed across
me that il was the munitions or war
and other stores that were being de-
stroyed by our troops at Petersburg,
and such ii proved 10 be. As !
approached the city, | found
the crowd diminishing ia num-
Der, and at last, only an occasion
al traveller was met with. About !
O'Clock the town was reached and rid
ing down Franklin street was struck
with the surrounding silence. The
houses wee wrapped in darkness and
there was naught to betoken that the
citizens were expecting dreaded enc
my. Although | was a frequent visitor
TO this city had never seen the streets
brooded over by such profound quiet
it was like the iull before the breaking
of the storm. Proceeding down Frank
lin street. turned into Grace street by
way of Fifth street, and it was not
until had arrived at st. Paul's Church
that was struck with anything I'M
usual.
DESTROYING INFORMATION.
There on Ninth street. before the st.
Clair Hotel, then used by the Conteder
ate Goverpment as one of its offices,
noticed large, smouldering bon-hres OF
paper. showing that the Federals had
been deprived OF some valuable infor-
nation. Riding onward. at last !
reached nv city home, and tieing my