The National tribune., 1892-03-24

y
fell dead from his saddle to the road, pierced
by four bullets fired from the distance Of q
few paces and from flank and rear.
A few only of his men escaped in the pitch
darkness from the fatal ambush; the rest
were killed, wounded, or captured.
The rockets of the slain leader were at
once riGed and his watch, together with a
pocket-wallet, were taken by young home
guard named Littlepage, who handed them
tohis Lieutenant. Among the contents were
few cigars and some papers. The Lieuten-
ant returned the cigars 10 the boy, but kept
the papers.
1t was yet very dark, but the identity OF
Dahlgron was revealed by the lads mention
of the fact in the presence Of Confederate
officer iiust recaptured from the Federals,
with whom he had been a prisoner all day.
that the dead nan had an artificial leg,
whereupon the Confederate officer just re-
taken exclaimed:
Esy THUNDER! FoU HAVE KILLED COL.
DAHLGR2sS!"
ae false limb v-Hs rudeiy wres cnea from the
BODY. aud a finger on which the leader wore q
plain geld ;ng. tlie memorial of beloved and
dad sister, was '-US@ly hacke. OF Tor us
nrIZc
This sayaeerv was cor :, aed Wien the mutt
lated boiy o. .lfe deaG aad d-saGed be vs.
str ;pped Of nearly ali its Uthing, c3rted to
Richmond and for severa, 1ays lar an the open
part OF tie York River Rrircad Depot, exposed
fhs 'e' aud brutal jib 2f Al 'die mob
ea f...m the street c .Iers -...'3 0rothels
n s,oe.p,., fo- bsoy cniovei bv
the ..a er.I- rabbi til mangied remain
zyt .Ight q lonely spot 3ad
RI l.s. = r chosen partT.
.hle hese event wee happening the
,sallct .ad pa .,ers found DAB ms b. )
<sere elsewhere TayinE imr.l.,ant 7 ri IN
tl.ss .falua il 3or' CPS weI@ borne to Rich
rr9nd by a Lieut. Pollard, a,,a By him placed
.-ls .nGs {. = Richmond edit Through
what lands otisr thaa these -LOSe papers
passe6 .a- hu- ar re NAMED a ImpenttrHhie
secret am ng /! { actor
Bnt the one cent? and certain thug IS,
Shat tiGe his cry oE heir K piatatiGas embraces
a bold :orEc-; that ras des, gBei sh0ul' the
brand IF Z w0u Al assassin on TIE - 1 an
voicelcss DaHlqrun. anG show SOM ~Ared &
justification : the She hefU' dtil On and
SILT TO rs FEMAI
Che inhum a Treatment Of con. ed tificerz
and men aud most o; II f,r the nedltated 1
crownins infamy )f blowing uf Lib s Pr :,
ther packed with Union officers, psisGp IS Of
VIC!
The tiaings CT the approach of two suea
leaders as Fitzpatrick and Dahlgren with
column Of picked men, ard at time when
Richmond was stripped of its veteran troops,
and defended mostly by Home Guards, caused
the utmost dismay, and Mr.. Davis. his Cabinet,
and the city authorities were suddenly seized
with an epidemic of fright bordering on con-
vulsions. But fortuitOus circumstances, already
narrated, defeated the daring and noble pur-
pose of the expedition.
Dahlrrea was now dead, aud the match was
not applied to the Libby powder-mine. Some
cries Of shame!" arose from the honorable
Confederates and citizens al tie brutal spectacle
already witnessed in the city. Yet they did
not know all that had taken place
The danger passed, and with the return of
cooler reasoning power that the soothing sense
of safety restored to Mr.. Davis and his coad-
tutors, some sense of responsibility for the in
jquitous steps that had been taken in the haste
and fierce resentment that linked itself with
their fears, began to dawn upon them all, and
was quickeued in 20 small measure by the
LOW But SIGNIFICANT MUTTERINGs
that fell unGn their ears from the honorable
and geifrespecting people of the Southern
Capital, and the few disgusted veterans of Lee
then ia town.
4 rational survey of the situation made it
clear to even the hottest heads of the Rich
mond cahal that il wOGld now be necessary, in
order 10 prepare for contingency Of the fu-
tnre, TO set up something like justification
for tie atrocities committed already and the
greater ones meditated. This invention must
be Of a character that would satisfy the truly
chivalrogs people of the South when the storm
was Over: aud. what WAS OF vital importance
at that particular period, the justification must
be in TrCscntable form for use by the indus
frious al lbassad0rs of the South then hope
fuly-lIay. orfdently-seeking the recogui-
fiou ol the Coniederacy a England and France.
There Was slender hope that the truth
gardiug the savagery decided upon In those
hours 0. rage and fright could be long sup
pressed. The necessity was extreme, hint
from the masters was sufficient and tool was
Gound.
In Dahlgreu's wallet were found some un-
used sheeis Of paper bearing the printed letter
heading Ct The Union Cavalry Corps-a custom
with commanders-and enough written memo
rBada IN other unimportant papers to show
tie geuefal characteristics of his handwriting.
On one If these sheets the confidential pen
mau produced bogus "order." purporting TO
be addressed by Dahlgren 10 his command and
announcing the objects OF the expedition. One
Of these WAS TO release the prisoners at Libby
and Belle Isle, TO burn the hateful city, and
70 ser that Davis and his traitorous crew does
not escaEc."
By tkis Of course, it was TO be understood
that Mr. Davis and his Cabinet were 10 be
killed or carried off rs prisoners, and Richmond
given over TO piilage and all tnat was
DIRE AND DREADFUL.
To this production Dahlgren's name was
signed, and the forgery WIS speedily on its
mission OF justification through the news
papers and 10 the country.
Efforts desperate and cunning were now
made 10 hush up the truth as TO the mining Of
Libby and 70 spread the impression that the
whole thing WAS innocent and bloodless
Etratagenl Of war designed 10 intimdate the
prisoners Not until the fall of Richmond
more tian 4 year afterwari, and the capture Of
the Confederate archives, was the official ac-
knowlcGgm Of the Confederate Congress
siona Committee known 10 anyone outside of
Mr.. Davis and the cabal with him in the
powder plot.
"Your committee" concludes this remarka-
bic document, does not hesitate TO make
known the facts (tbc intended blowing up Of
1900 Union oticers) feeling assured that the
conscience Of an enlightened world aud the
law Of seif-prescrvation viii justify our coun-
try and her officers in all that has been done +"
The committee did not, IL appears, feel suf-
fcienty assured Of justification TO take the
enlightened world into its confidence until
the Light was turned Un by Union hands when
Richmond fell! Nor is it probable that the
enlightened world would ever have been any
the wiser regarding this inner history or that
the atrocty would have been regarded more
seriously than as an unauthenticated war