Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-31
THE CITY IN FLAMES.
Account Of the Evacuation Fire Given
by an Eye Witness
EVERYTHING WAS BEING BURNED.
Seemed the Order of the Day to De-
stroy Everything That Affected the
Goxerument-Excit Scenes AZ
Troops Were Leaving Richmond.

On the LIST Of April. 1s65. Grant, with
his immense and wel-equipped army hao
succeeded In turning Lees flank at re-
tersburg. and on the I'd our entire army
or rather the broken remnants OF H. De-
gan TO fall back westward, leaving tnat
city and Richmond at the mercy or the
enemy. II had become impossible Tor
General Lee. with his doubly decimated
forces, any longer to hold his lines anu
keep the enemy in check. Both the men
and the means were lacking.
My company. the Surry Light Artillery
Lightfoots Battalion, was still occupying
it's winter quarters near the Nine-Aile
road. on the east of Richmond. on sun
day, the "a instant, orders reached US 10
retire toward Richmond very early the
next day. This was a sad Sabbath-day to
the men, for they had heard OF the disas-
ter near Petersburg, and We passed the
day in constant expectation OF an attack
from the enemy. But none came.
Early on the morning OF the Sd OF April
my company and all other commands
near US hastily packed the wagons and
abandoned our quarters, leaving behind
us such things as were not absolutely es-
sential to take along. We moved of
slowly and quietly, not knowing as yet
where we were to go. and expecting an
attack from the enemy at any moment.
As the soldiers left their barracks. or
the officers their quarters. fires began TO
be lighted on every side, the glare or
which cast around a weird glamor, hlling
the mind with horror. In many cases 1t
hot hainR
thus destroyed. Now and anon other
fires would burst forth both right and
left. till the lurid light from scores or
burning camps and buildings cast glow
| of most unearthly gloom over the rising
| day.
Frequent halts were made for other
| commands to come up or pass US, or 10
await further orders, and we had ample
| time and opportunity for taking full
and calm view Of the state of things
| around US.
| COLUMNS OF SMOKE.
| As we came in sight of the city great
| columns Of black smoke were seen rising
here and there all over the southern and
| eastern portion OF the town. The gov
eminent shops and works had been hred'
1t seemed the order OF the day TO burn
| everything that had any relation to the
| government. Soon fires were raging all
about the city and spreading with fury
through the devoted town.
Presently, on Union Hin, vivid fash
Of light shot out. and great mass OF
white smoke burst suddenly forth. anc
the Confederate powder mills. that had
furnished so much propelling force &c
send shell and bullet TO Yankee hearts
was no more. Next. deafening explo'
sion down on the James told that ar
ironclad, on which so much labor and
means had been expended, had been hurl
ed skyward, torn into thousand shape
less fragments.
Explosion after explosion were now
succeeding one another rapidly all along
the huge line Of flame that skirted th'
river from Rockets TO the Basin and be
You'd Rapidly onward, from Cary tc
Main, the flames were sweeping, leapins
from tenement to tenement and from
store TO store. like angry fiends from tbs
internal regions.
Pandemonium reigned supreme within
the doomed capital OF the Confederacy
J that We had loved SO well and had hope