Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-30

pa-s" as each surviving veteran will oo-
serve on Main street this morning
Probably all the gray clothes used IN lH7
Army OF Northern Virginia during 'h"'
hitter struggle did not require as many
vor1s Of cloth as there are ya'os VI
bunting upon the houses OF kichinoiu
az ,b,s moment This IS a most eXtraor-
binary occasion, ana the people Oh H'ci.-
roond have gone into 81 heart and soul
4 SIGNAL OF THE END.
n, bright morning in the latter part
~. rebruarv. 1865. column OF disarmeu
=, .eral troops entered Richmond as prs
or.,. of war escorted by a small guaiu
Of half-clad. half-staryed Confederate
soldiers The measured tramp OF Vne
marching men brought the citzehS 10
their doors md windows. The hearls oi
IN the people swelled with pride al
erin ca eoodly a host captured from 'he
enemy. but there was 10 eXultatloh'
solamn silence pervaded the street. save
orl. the monotone Of the march. Inc
,,,,sorers themselves showed no emotion
no signs Of regret They seemed more III
terested when upon reaching the Top Oh
tbe hin near tie Washington monument
.bo,, eau, the horse and his majestic rlc-r'
nv were on their r'y 10 DE
enrolled at the prov st-ofice on Broac
street. As they turned the corner nov
/ ever and noticed .or the first time TIE
/ Confederate flag flying from the top OF the
capitol as If by a single impulse, the
captiye host sent up a shout Of strange
/ sounds. There was something sing1laiIy
| startling I'm this tumultuous outburst OF
voices. foreign IN tone. il was neither the
/ note Of defiance. non the cry Of despair
but 10 those who had ears 20 hear IFS
meaning could have no Misunderstanding
These men knew what others would not
beleye-that the end Of the Confederacy
! was at hand and that they had sounded
| It's death-lnen in those strange shouts
| which had just fallen upon unacct toned
ears in the streets Of Richmond.
BEGAN AT COLD HARBOR.
The siege of Richmond began with
the second battle at Cold Harbor, June
g. IAsL--a ended with the evacuation.
1
armies stretched from Richmond 10 Pc
tersburg, and also covered the flaIhs OF
both cities. The Federal raiders both
cut our railroads and broke our commu-
nication in many directions. Food and
| clothing grew scarcer Gay by day. Re
cruits for the army were not TO be had.
| When we lost a man his place in the
| trenches remained vacant; but not 50
with the enemy. AS the or'ederacy
| grew weak the opposition grew strong.
| The South's despair save Grant hope.
At last Grant made a movement which
! threatened to break General Lees com
| munlc.uon with Lynchburg, and Lee had
no other alternative than TO withdraw
| from Petersburg and Richmond. The re-
|, treat ended in the surrender at Appomat-
tox Courthouse. April sth, SIX days after
the location.
BURNED THEIR SPOILS.
The Confederatos. being unwilling that
the victorious army should have theis
spons OF war. the tobaccos stored In the
| government warehouses, set them on fire.
They also fired the bridges across the
|
passed over them. The wind spread these
flames far and wide. and thus. rough
~ stated. space was burned out OF
Richmond's business centre which ex-
tended northward TO Bank street. south
ward to the river, eastward 10 Fourteen
street. and westward 10 Eigf N street.
Richmond's cup OF misery was now
overlooking She had 10 appeal 10 the
enemy to stay the flames, and this they
did. with the Confedsracy Ter cur.
rency went up in smoke; bridges. banks
depots. warehouses. etc, were all gone
Worse than all, the flower Of her youth
had been sacrificed upon the battie-ields
and those whom the fortunes Of wal
spared returned 10 civil life TO face a new
condition OF things. and 10 struggle under
the load Of old debts. And yet, "a vine
yard has ripened vintage above these
cinders," anc clusters were found grow
Ing on the lava OF ill-luck."
AROUND OUR BATTLE-FIELDs.
Every road out from Richmond leads to
battle-felds. The whole region around
The city was the arena OF conflicts Of
every kind. from the skirmishes OF raid
ing or scouting parties to the encounters
OF pitched battle. IN which more than
10000 men We're Engaged. The most i'm
portant Of these battie-felds are keven
Pines. where was fought the first battle
before the city. May 81, 1852; Mechanics
Vile. Elersons NH. Gaines's MIL, Cold
Harbor, Savage's station, FrazleTs Farm.
Malvern Hin, the scenes OF combat in
the seven-days' battles Of June and July.
1862, when McCiellan's army was driven
from its lines OF investment; Yellow
Tavern, where Stuart IN in repu'sing
sherldan's raid. May II. 1864; Cold Harbor.
second battle. June 3, 1854, when Grants
army suffered tho most disastrous repulse
OF the war. losing 1900 men in less than
an hour; Fort Harrison. which Was cap