The National tribune., 1896-10-01

GERS comprising our party and the stat
officers before mentioned being the one!
who were present and introduced.
The three-seated open carriage o
Gen. Weitzel, drawn by four horses, was
in waiting, in which Tad had been
seated for sometime on the back seat
the center of attraction of the mass Of
colored people, old and young. of both
sexes, who, with a sprinkling Of white
people, filled the street from curb tc
curb, many of whom pressed around the
carriage, clamoring to shake his hand
and when the President appeared Tad
was holding an informal reception oi
his own.
The appearance of the President wa:
the signal for such burst of enthusiasm
as is seldom witnessed. Almost frantic
with joy at beholding the man who had
given them their freedom, the colored
people expressed their delight in every
conceivable manner Hats, handker.
chiefs and bonnets were waved and
thrown high in the air, while the cheer
ing and cries of "God bress Massa Lin
kum," "God bress Massa Abram,"
" Praise de good Lawd 70 dis day." and
like expressions were almost deafening.
The President raised his hat in ac-
acknowledgement of the compliment paid
him, and stepping into the carriage, at
tended by Gems. Weitzel, Devens, and
Shepley, and Admiral Porter, sur
rounded by the crowd, started on his
ride around the city. A squadron of
colored cavalry rode in advance, and
our party, with several other officers who
had learned of the presence of the
President in the city, fell in Immediately
in the rear of the carriage, and accom-
panied the distinguished party on their
ride.
Our road to the Capitol took us past
St Paul's 7. Z. Church, situated on
Ninth street near Broad, remarkable
for its symmetrical spire and for being
the church in which Mr.. Davis and the
elite of the city were worshiping two
days before, when he was notified by
telegram from Gen. Lee that the city
must be evacuated. In this neighbor-
hood, and on the streets adjacent to the
Capitol Park, were situated Richmond's 3
WEALTHY AND FASHIONABLE HOMES;
but as We rode slowly by there were no
signs of life within them, the blinds be-
ing closed or the shades drawn down,
and not lady's face was to be seen.
Upon reaching the Capitol, from whose
flagstaff waved the Stars and Stripes in
place of the stars and bars, the party
halted for a few minutes to enjoy the
panorama spread before them, and also
to admire the Washington Group" of
statuary in the park, the chief figure
being Crawford's equestrian statue of
Washington, surrounded at the base by
figures in bronze of Patrick Henry,
George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, Gov.
Thomas Nelson, jr., Andrew Lewis, and
Chief Justice John Marshall.
AT our feet lay the park, Uttered with
the furniture of many families who had
been made homeless by the fire, and
who had been unable to end shelter
elsewhere; eastward the blackened walls
and smoking ruins of the business por-
ton of the city, extending to the river,
which, glistening in the sunlight, threads
its way eastward until lost to sight be-
hind the battle-crowned nights at Drew
ry's Bluff, and in the distance the bat.
tlefelds of Fair Oaks, Mechanicsyille,
ETC.
While halting here gray-haired dar-
ky, bent with age and dressed ia rags,
approached me, and taking off his cap,
and holding up some Confederate money,
said:
"Massa, tell me wot dis yer money is
wof now."