Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-08
EVACUATION FIRE.
REsPoSsiBpLIry FOR THE FIRING
OF THE TOBACCO WAREHOUSES;.
A Conversation with General Eweii
ON the sub;ecs-Records of the
Graemc Case Benring Upon This
Po'nt--origin of the order Traced.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. VA

| FUEDEHlCkSBtRG. VA.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
In your Queries and Answers column
In las, Sundays Dispatch correspon-
dent signing the initials z. b. S. asks
this question:
"Will you please give me. through your
Query column, the names OF the owners
of the four principal tobacco-fsetories
that General Ewell ordered to be burned
the night before Richmond was evaeua-
| ted?'
In answering this question you say;
There were no factories fred though
many were burned Several warehouses
were fred on the morning of the evacua-
| ton" etc.
In this question General Ewell IL
charged with ordering the houses burned.
and by your silence on that point you
! admit II to be a fact.
! was among the last troops that left
Richmond on that ver-to-be-remembered
| morning. The fire was then raging on
| Cary street, IN buildings stored with
| quarteymasters supplies. which we're be-
inc thrown out into the street and
| carried away by the retiring soldiers
| and by citizens OF Richmond and Man
| chester. and ] know IL was then claimed
| by parties, that General Eweu ordered
| the supplies burned to keep them from
| falling into the hands Of the enemy. But
| from what | subsequently heard from
| General Ewell himself on the subject |
! was satisfied that those who made the
4 charge did so upon mere suppOsition. and
not upon any knowledge they had Of the
| facts. and | suppose your correspondent
| speaks from what was then charged.
| / had never seen or heard of Il being
| publicly charged. by speech or print. that
| General Ewell ordered Richmond fired
| until l saw IL in last Sundays Dispatch.
and therefore never thought II necessary
/ TO report a conversation of his | heard
| on that subject until now that il IL
| publicly made.
| Richmond was evacuated on the morn
| ing of the Sd of April, and the army
! started In the direction of Lynchburg.
| the troops about Richmond taking the
| line OF the Richmond and Danvlle rail-
| road. Leaving BurkevIlle Junction 10 the
| left. we marched across the country, and
| on the evening of the 9Th reached Sailors
| Creek. where the troops commanded by
! General Ewell-most Of them OF Long
| streets cOrps-were halted TO check the
| rapid march Of General Grants my
| and hold II in check until the wagon
| trains and artillery could get out OF the
| way. In the engagement that followed,
| General Ewell and most OF his command
were surrounded and captured.
| We remained near the battlefield that
| night, and next day-the 7th-were taken
| 10 Burkeylie Junction. While on the
| way to the Junction, | was walking at
4 General Ewelrs side-he being on horse
| back when the Federal officer In COM
| mand Of the prisoneres. whose name
| did not learn, rode up on the other side
| of the General and commenced con-
versation with him. The burning Of
| Richmond was soon alluded to. and both
| expressed regret at the great damage
| done the city. and the loss of property
on the part of the citizens. when the
| Federal officer, somewhat surprised at the
| Generals regrets, remarked: why, Gene
| raj YOU ordered the city set on ire!
| To this charge General Ewell Indignantly
1 replied that he never gave any such
order. and had never said anything that
| could be construed or distorted into an
order to fire the city. He was then asked
| by the officer how he thought the hre
| originated. 10 which the General replied
| that he did not know. but supposed II
was either accidental or incendary.
very plausible one. The government wac
all night moving out OF Richmond, carry
| ing everything possible that belonged 10
it, The soldiers and many OF the citizens
were leaving, and IL was time OF intense
excitement and distress. Everybody was
looking up his valuables-what Few ne
had-to get them out Of the doomed city,
or TO secure them from the approaching
Union army. This search was in the
lie off N
provide themselves with such lights as
| they could get with which 10 make the
search. Gas, lamps, candles, torches,
everything that would afford light was
resorted TO- Now under such trying,
distressing circumstances. Is II thing
unreasonable to suppose that the fire was
accidental? On the contrary, 1t is strange
| that there were not more fires and
greater loss Of property.
Then again. many Of the people OF
Richmond and Manchester were very
poor and destitute. having but little,
| If any. food or raiment. Some OF them
seemed driven almost TO desperation.
| Bread riots had occurred. and the gov
ernment-city, State, and national-had
| been appealed 10 without meeting In fun
| the needs Of the suffering. Now In this
| condition of things, and under these
| crcumstances-onc army evacuatins
| city, and an opposing one about to occupy
| tilt was not difficult thing 10 ind
| a leader in a robbery or riot, and IL WAS
not difficult to induce these suffering
people TO follow such leaders, when they
held out the promise that their wants
would be supplied Here was an OppOrtu-
nifty 10 supply their wants. and the occa-
sion favored the effort. The government
was supposed to have large supplies OF
| food and clothing stored In those ware
houses which could not be taken away.
| The Federal army was soon 10 occupy the
| city, and they knew II would take posses
| sion OF all the property belonging TO the
Confederate Government, and the ques-
| ton was likely debated as to whether
| the suffering poor were not more entitled
| to- this governments property than the
Federal army, which question was de-
cided in the affirmative.
Now the question is decided, how shall
| they get possession OF the property?
| Is not the torch the next thing? Would
| II not be natural for some bold bad man
| or men TO set the buildings on fire and
| open up the way 10 the goods, and then
claim that the authorities ordered the
torch applied? Everybody is crazy with
exctment and no one would think of
stspping to investigate. and could not
| II he would. This appears plausible TO
me- At any rate, there will be but few,
II any. who will hold General Ewell re-
sponsble for burning Richmond when 1t
| is known that he denied II Indignantly
| only four days after 1t occurred, unless
| IL can be proven by the production of the
order. and I feel confident IL he had ever
issued such an order or given Il verbally
he never would have stated TO the con-
| trary.
In conclusion, wish TO say that other
prisoners besides myself. heard this con-
versation between the Federal officer ana
| General Ewell. for there were several
| In hearing, but thirty years having
passed by they may not be living, or
| they may have been otherwise engaged
and did not hear 1t. l heard IL and II
| impressed me. ] know that General Gus
| tbs Lee was with General Ewell much
| Of the time on our way to the Junction;
| but do not know that he was with him
| or in hearing at the time this converse
| ton occurred, IL he was I hope he will
| give us his version and impression. And
! IL there are others living who heard this
| denial. or heard the General deny II on
any other occasion. IL IL due to the memo
| nv OF this brave Confederate officer
| that they make IL public. We loved our
| leaders when they were living We revere
| and guard their memories when they die;
therefore we ought not willingly, to let