Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-28

Time $50 7. NJ. EDqRTs or A. n. yA,l
April End 1855. !
IT, CENT b. S. EircH. Commanding, &C.:
At day break tomorrow morning commence TO
withdraw the troops under your command. de-
stroying all government stores and bridges.
Cross the James on MayOs bridge. Genl James
Longstreet will cross on pontoOn at Drewreys
Bluf and Join you at the Intersection OF the Pc
tersburg turnpike with the riyer-roaj. Mar,h
along the rlver-road, crossing the App0maItox
river at Gcntto and join me at Am.lia court
house. IL T. lih'
Sergeant Cosby says the entire tele-
graphic correspondence of the morning
was in cipher. and only the address and
signature could ba understood by tho
sender and receiver. The cipher telegram
gwen above was sent TO the Davis Mansion
by one of the office courlers. and Sergeant
Cosby is under the impression that 1t was
there translated before being conveyed TO
the President.
General Lees orders TO General Ewell
will recall vividly the horrors OF eyacua-
tion-day and the eventful march 70 Apo
mattox As bearing upon the terrible con-
faCration which resulted from the execu-
ton of the order To destroy all stores the
following from the testimony of Colonel
Ewsll. OF General Ewelfs staff. given IN
suit in the City Circuit Court November
5, 1873, will prove interesting.
shortly after the capture of Savannah
a law was passed by the Confederate Con-
gress requiring military commanders To
destroy all articles of value within their
commands rather than let them fall into
the hands OF the hostile forces. A month
or two before the evacuation or Richmond
General Lee called the attention OF Gene-
raj Ewell to this order, with directions that
steps be taken to carry 1T out should 1t be
| necessary TO give up the city. 1t was sug-
gested that TO prevent risks as far as pos
sibe OF II general confiagration the city
authorities be at once consulted, and the
articles to be destroyed tobacco,
of which there was large guam
tity III the city. and which could
only be destroyed at short notice by firing,
was especially mentioned) stored IN lso-
lated buildings General Ewell had fire.
quent consultations with the Mayor
and other city authorities. and with the
holders Of tobacco. which'resulted in the
selection OF certain warehouses from
which the flames, 1t was thought. would
not spread should 1t be necessary TO apply
| the torch for the purpose OF destroying
| the tobacco they contained"
Every step was taken by General
Ewell to prevent disastrous results on the
| event of executing the order. 1t was
matter which gave him much anxiety and
| 10 which he gave much time and atten-
| ton. The fire spread rapidly.
= Soon the wind from the southeast
| became brlsker and the entire clty-the
| flames began at the southeast--was IN
imminent danger of falling prey TO the
| advancing coniiagratlon. IL was checked
principally by the eXertiOns OF the DIVISION
| of the United States army that belonged
| to the command of General NetzeI."
1 1he last OF the Confederate forces WITH
| drew from Richmond Monday morning,
| April Sd, amid the roar of flames. tue
| bursting of shells at the arsenal. and the
| explosion OF magazines. and knowing not
| what might be the terrible fate tnat
| awaited the defenceless women and chill
| dren and aged and inrirm men they had
| left behind. The revelations made by the
| killing of Dahlgren were sufficient To
cause the most terrible apprehenslons. but
| fortunately these were not realized.
THE PRESIDENTS DEPARTURE.
President Davis babe farewell to Rich
mond on the night of April 2d. Continuing
| his narrative of the evacuation, he says:
Il went to my Office and assembled the
heads of departments and bureaus. as Tar
| as thev could be found on day when all
| the offices were closed, and gave the need
| full instructions for oui removal that
| night Simultaneously with General Lees
| from Petersburg. The event was foreseen.
| and some preparations had been made Tor
1
| pected, there was yet much to be cone.
| The executive papers were arranged for
| removal.
This occupied myself and staff until
| late lu the afternoon. by this time the
| report that Richmond was to be evacuated
| had spread through the town, and many
| who saw me walking towards my residence
| left their houses TO inquire whether the
report was true. Upon my admission OF
1 T,,lf Oh -
| expression of my hope that we should un-
| der better auspices again return. they all,
| the ladies' especially, with generous SYM
| pathv and patriotic impulse responded,
| If the success of the cause require you TO
| give up RIchmond.we are content.
| The affection and confidence OF this
| noble people in the hour OF disaster was
more distressing 10 me than complaisant
! and unjust censure would have been.
| Being alone in Richmond Mrs. Davis
and the rest OF the household had pre-
yIously gone to Charlotte) few arrange
| ments needfu for my personal wants were
| soon made after reaching home.
| waited until notified Of the time would
| depart. and going TO the station starte'. FOR
DanvilIe. whittier. | supposed. General
ZEE would proceed with the army"
| When the Confederate Government
| left Richmond it was well understood
that 1t was General Lees pur-
pose to fall back on Danyille. But
| in this he was thwarted because
somebody blundered in failing to accu-
| nulate rations at Araella Courthouse.
which, AZ the telegram 10 General twell
| shows. was to be the concentrating point.
"The delay" says Rev. DR.. j. William
Jones in his DAVIS memorial volume, IN
tie vain effort TO collect retlons from the
surrounding country enabled Grant to
| reach Burkevllle in time TO cut Lee OIL
from his contemplated movement on DAN
! vIiie.'
On reaching Danvllle President Davis
established his headquarters there az the
residence OF Major w. t. Sutherl;n.
Though Others may have seen the shadows
| of Appomattox falling, he was still hope
tll. still confident. From Danville as late
| as April jth he Issued q proclamation
| which was instinct with faithin the uiti-
mate triumph of the cause. and I'D every
line breathed the indomtable spirit that
had characterized him all through the
| struggle.
After explaining the necessity of the
| evacuation of Richmond the proclamation
| reads
I've have now entered upon a new
| phase of the struggle. Relieved from the
necessity of guarding particular points our
army will be free to move from point TO
point TO strike the enemy In detail far from
his base. Let us but will it aud we are
free"
Animated by that confidence In your
spirit and fortitude which never yet failed
me, iannouuce to you. my fellow-country-
men, that il is my purpose TO MAINTAIN
your cause with my whole heart and soul:
that Will never consent to abandon TO
the enemy one foot Of the soil OF any OF the
States of the Confederacy; that Virginia
noble Siate--whose ancient renown has
been eclipsed by her still more glorious re-
cent history. whose bosom has been barred
to receive the main shock of this war.
whose sons and daughters have exhibited
beroism so sublime as to render her Illus
| trious in all time TO come--that virginia
with the help of the people and by the
blessing OF Providence shall be held and
defended and no peace ever be made With
the invaders or her territory.
If by the stress Of numbers we shall DO
compelled TO temporary withdrawal from
her limits or those OF other border States
We will return until tho bsfiled and ex-
hausted enemy shall abandon In despair
his endless and impossible task OF making
slaves OF people resolved to be free.
let us then not despond. my country
men. but, relving on God. meet the foo
with fresh defiance and with unconquered