Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-12
WAR RECOLLECTIONS
Story Of the Evacuation Of Petersburg
by an EYEWITNESS.
4 SAD AND SOLEMN SABBATH.
with a Flag Of Trucc-A shout Of Victory
swarIning With Troops-safeguards
and Protection.

Dear Sir.-AS requested, bNc ~" '
recollections of the evacuation OF Pe'erS-
burg by the Confederate and It's occupa-
ton by the Federal forces in the cary
days OF April. 1865. for publication In your
second volume Of "War Talks Of Coniede-
rate Veterans"
on Saturday, the 1st OF April ls'o'
rumors were in general circulation
throughout the city OF Petersburg mat
General Lee would soon cvacuate the CITY
On Sunday, the I'd, these runors cryS-
talized into full assurance that the eVac-
uatlon was Imminent; the fact that inc
military authorities were engaged IN the
destruction (by burning) OF tobacco ana
other articles within the city limits IN
the early hours Of that day being inc
basis of this assurance.
a snecial meeting Of the Common Coun-
ell was convened. and. after consultation,
81 was determined that the best, and, IN
deed. the only thing that could be zone
was 10 appolnt a committee TO be charged
with the duty of waiting on Iehtrdi
Lee In person. and ascertaining whether
or not his purpose was to eVacua'e 'nt
city. and a committee was accordiilsS
appointed charged with this duty me
committee was further deputed, IN the
gent Of the evacuation Of the city. TO
ask the protection of our people AT the
hands of the Federal army. The resoiu-
ton adopted by the Council was oHeI'u
by Mr.. DARCY Paul, and. as SHOWN ny
the records OF the Council, was as loi-
lows: .,s,,.,,
Of the Mayor and two members, be APP
,,ointed 10 wait on General Lee. ana re
quest that he inform said committee AT
such time as he may deem necessary
whether lie contemplates evacuatlng 'he
city; and that If an evacuation Is con
templated said committee be instructor
Ia surrender the city TO the commander
of the Federal army. and request pro-
lection OF the citizens and thelr pro-
perry ..,...,l,,...,,
GENERAL LEE RETlCENT.
The committee, which consisted Of the
Mayor dion. W. W. TownesJ, James
Bois-cau Gas well as / can remcmberl'
and myscls-the records of the C0unch 90
not show who the committee w"re-"all-
Cd on General Lee at his headquarters at
the Dupuy House NOW the suburban
residence of John McGiu Esq. Of this
ciVl situated about a mile west or the
city on the Dupuy road, in the county OF
Dinwiddie. General Lee was not AT Ms
hcad1uarters when the committee ar
rived but rode up short time there>
after. and promptly gave audience 10 the
committee. our mission was made known.
Tho General was apparently calm ana
collected. but very reticent, only replying
10 tho committee that he would commnn-
cat, Win us at the residence of Mr.. PauL
in the city OF Petersburg. that Sunday
night at 10 o'clock. This place was suS-
gc.tcd. as Major Giles Il. Cook who was
q member Of General Lees staff was a
L,qsman or connection Of Mr.. Pauls and
q frequent visitor at his house.
Tn sadness and solcmnity of that SAB
bath d,y can never be forgotten. The
hours uaseCd slowly. but night finally
came Th. hour Of 10 was tolled by IN"
clock. and "A few minutes thereafter the
bearer of General Lces message CMajor
C.li0 arrived. Not only the committee
but all the oounclmen. were now at MIR.
Paurs house. SO great was the interest
fclt m whatever was 10 b done. / re-
msynnsr also as present the Rev. Or.
William H. Plau, then rector or st.
Pauls church. assisting with suggestions.
ALb WITHDRAWN
The ncsaa-c Of General Lee was TO the
oH.ct that the military would all b.
withdrawn 10y l. O'Clock that night and
tho city lett IN charge of the civil au-
tloriucs The Council. informally a's"In-
bled at Mr.. Paals. then agreed to jividc
up into squads Of two or more HnI 10
meet again al O'Clock In" next morning
the city to meet and surrender the city
u the Federal forces. Mayor ToWnes
ana myself were TO take the direction of
COS rond and the pLpuy road. and 60
pass through what was then Known a.
the Model Farm" the open ala immc-
Ciatelyt west Of the corporation me
through w6ich ,he Petersburg dl1 Asy-
lu;n railway now runs. After lowing AIR.
Iarrs residence the Mayor ana mvsclf
night. and as We walked Lees soldiers. i'm
lviee bodies. in squads and singly. passed
along through the s're-,s towards the
h'id.,s over the Appomattox leading into
Chesterfield county. All " them haI
vcli-nish passed before lay5rclk IT Mon
Gay morning, but now AMI then would
b. seen a disabled man narlng his way
a the direction Of the bridges acro4s the
APPROXIMATION, declaring. VIVA cautioned
~ as tina; he would 10 ,AptIr,i. that
H. would take the risE. The dawn Of
Gdy finally came and fcJnd the NayJr
ana myself. pursuant 10 the plan agreed
upon, on our way To meet the Fcderals
expected 10 come in from the west. At
daybrCak we had reached the Model
Farm ard were Flooding cautiously
through 1t westwardly with our dag Of
truce nying-a white handkerchief
fastened on a walking-cane. For some
seeing a soldier, and, as we thought.
without being ourselves seen.
a SHOUT OF VICTORY.
We had indeed. reached the line OF
brcastworks. into which the Confederates
had fallen back the previous morning.
just east Of Old Town creek. when a sig
nal gun was fred on our left, apparently
in the nefghborhood of Fort Gregg. and
simultaneously there sprang forth, as
from the bowels of the earth, IL seemed
to me. a mighty host of Federal soldiers,
and then followed such a shout of vic
tory as seemed to shake the very ground
on which We stood. This large body of
Federals. with whose great numbers !
was so much impressed. were In the
Federal breastworks on the west side OF
Old Town creek, thrown up the previous
morning when the Federals had broken
through our lines and taken possession
of the territory To the west of this
stream; and they had been massed at
the point we saw preliminary to an as
sault on our works. AS these Federals
came forward towards us from the Fede-
raj earthworks from which they emerged
these works and the Confederate works
at this point being less than 200 yards
apart-Mayor TONNES and | attempted
to state our mission. but the officers
would not take time to stop to hear what
we ndO 10 SLY, tnc men IuSlnS dDedi
20 enter the city. but bade us come along
with them, they Uhe ofiicers) promising
to protect us and TO protect our people
When We returned TO the city some
other Federal troops had already entered
as. upon reaching the court-hou we
found the whole building steeple and all
festooncd with small Federal flags. Oui
mission, however. was now accomplished
PROTECTION AFFORDED.
Every effort was made by the Fedora
officers and troops to protect the persons
and property of our citizens. Safeguard.
were sent TO every house for which they
were asked. An officer. whose name
have forgotten. accompanied me 10 my
house, on Lombard street, and. after see
ing me safely arrived and declining al
invitation l gave him To breakfas
with me. left. promising a safeguard, whC
in "a short time reported and took up hi:
quarters at my residence, where he TO
manned for day or two. Everything wa,
at once systemized by the military, ans
comparative order and quiet regnea unde,