Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-09-28

the streets, all were astir at head
quarters of the government, prepar-
ing for the exodus, throwing out Of
fetal papers and records to be burned.
Despair was upon the people; visions
of riot and plumber by the invading
army filed their hearts with dread.
The stores were thrown open by the
merchants, and CRY goods, shoes and
provisions were pitched out into the
streets to be eagerly snatched up by
a wild crowd OF hungry and needy
ones. In Stockoe So, in the lower
part of the town, large stock of to-
bacco held by the Governor was or
dered to be burned and as we passed,
men were bringing out material for
the bonfire, and chairs, tables and
desks were broken up and piled high
in front of the ware houses. A fatal
fire it proved, for the flames once
started, bid defiance to all control
and swept on, destroying all the bust
ness portion of the city. The en-
trance of the Federal 1rn1y early next
morning was all tha5 aved the city
from total destruction,a and right man
fully did they work earning their
welcome.
The last r. r. train left the city at
midnight, bearing Pres. Davis south
ward. The long covered bridge
across the James to Manchester was
on fire as the last of the army wagons
pulled out. What night was that!
Caught in the long train with the ar
tillery cutting up the road before us,
we pushed on, lodging from side to
side to escape being crushed by heavy
teams, in the thick darkness could
not see the form Of my husband as he
walked at the horses head or lifted a
wheel out Of the ruts. Our only light
came now and then as the bursting of
a cannon threw it's glare upon the
scene. Then the great explosions
began. All the magazines, the Rich
mond arsenal, the great Tredegar
iron works and the guns of the forts
were ablaze. The air was rent, the
ground shook beneath us, the sky
was lifted up by the burning city be-
hind us, and finally came the grand
deafening roar which told us the
great guns of the Notifications at
Drury's Bluff had joined the mad rev.
ell. All through that awful night, we
drove on through binding flashes,
sometimes run into, sometimes
crowding against horse whose shrill
neigh, and perhaps an objurgatian
from the rider, gave warning that
something was there. When at last
day dawned on that long, long nights
travel, it found US just four miles out
from Richmond.
All day we plodded on hungry, for
the little we could gather up as we
started, was consumed, and we look
ed back with longing NOT to the
flesh pots of Egypt-for the flesh
pot had long been a stranger in Rich
mond, but to the crusts of corn bread
we had left behind in our side board
Now how sweet they seemed to our
hungry souls. At nightfall we stopped
at a hospitable Virginia home, met
hearty welcome, and good meal for
our refreshment, and had just retired
'or nights rest when the cry came,
Orders to move on, the enemy is
close behind!"
There was no resource but to start
again on our travels if we would not
De left outside the protection of the
army train. All, how we longed for
'est, but on we must go. The road
vas heavy, cut into deep ruts by the
ahead of us. Our load was
100 much for one horse to pull, SO my
''footed it'' all night
again. It was easy enough to "keep
lark" that night and nobody guessed
who sat within, tugging at the reins
Is the horse plunged into mud holes
Or struggled out of them, while the
ighU weighted driver was uncere-
noniously jerked from side to side or
thrown, Of sudden, in a heap against
he dash board in the desperate eff
ort to keep inside. AS to fatigue or
soreness, there was no time to think
If that. Firing comments passed |
llong, now and then among the sol |
liers as they discerned the outline of
'ur onehorse vehicle, which was con-
shorter than the regulation
ambulance size, and we had a good /
augh as we heard one fellow 'twonder
what that bee gum is doing here!"
At daylight we came to ford of the |
river, and here, while a
)art of the train made a short halt,
many eyes watched the bee gum as
t boldly plunged in for the difficult
passage. for bad as the ford was it was I