The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-08-07

For the CECIL WING.
For four long years the Army of the
Potomac had tried every move known to
military tactics to break down the barrier
that surrounded Richmond, that terrible
stronghold Of secession. But for just that
long a time it had failed. Burnside,
Hooker, Pope and little Mac. had all led
thousands up to the very gates OF that
lurid hell, but still Richmond belonged
to the enemy until April, '65, the morn
ing that it fell into our hands. The valor-
GUS Grant was pushing Lee from between
Richmond and Petersburg with fury.
The writer not having recovered from
very severe wound, received the fall before,
was left in charge of the camp and had
good opportunity to see and hear tie battle
from the rear. The indomitable Grant
was pushing the mighty Lee step by step
to his Lees bitter end, Appomattox.
The terrible thunder OF the cannon and
rattle of muslletry resembled severe cleo
trical Storm But there was no intermis-
many hours until it died away in the dis
lance. Grant was advancing, poor old Lee
was retreating to his final doom, but con-
testing every inch OF the ground and leav-
ing the mangled bodies of many OF his
noble braves thereon. In the meantime
our r,,;;iment had gone with the division to
~, D,,I II tI
the city was in flames. Jefferson Davis and
his cohorts had fled But how mean the
attempt to burn the beautiful city to the
ground! But the hated Yanks saved the
pretty city, for having no Johnnies to fight,
they went to fighting the flames. Rich
mond had fallen at last The city on the
James was ours. After hundreds of thous
ands of precious lives had been sacrificed,
we marched peacefully in.
At sunset that evening | started for the
once rebel capital | walked very slowly
owing to my cnfeebed condition. l ar
rived at about 9 O'Clock at night. But at
the outskirts of the city what an awful
time had in getting through the abatis,
of which there were four lines all around
the Gibraltar. Now for the OBLIGATION Of
thosc Hho personally know nothing about
war | shall tell them what an ahatis is
They are simply large branches OF trees
cut and made pointed, the butts OF which
were planted firmly in the ground They
were so thick that it would take man ten
minutes to cut through one line even if he
had sharp axe. Now see, is there any
wonder that Richmond stood so long? Is
there any wonder that the pension hating
copperheads tell us, even today, that it
took three Yanks to lick one Johnnie?
They were all over the fields for miles
around the city.
Great tall pine trees had been cut fifty
and sixty feet long and after having been
hewed square, two inch holes were bored
at about six inch intervals through all four
sides. Then two inches thick and ten feet
long Stakes were driven ha way through
the log after which both ends were made
pointed when they would set up on these
No matter how we turncl thrm those
pickets were pointing in our faces. Is there
any wonder that the brave enemy stood us
off for four long years? Our troops having
passed through III the morning, OF course,
had cut great gaps through the ahatis. One
of these openings | at last got into, and
made my way To the city. found nay
company after a long search and what
happy lot Of boys they were. Richmond
was ours at last and the hest Of all was we
had passed harmlessly through her ahatis.
Richmond, the city more talked about from
'6i to 'GJ than any ten cities in the V orld.
Now ! venture that nearly all OF my
readers who were anxious to see q famous
city would rather take it in at peep o. day,
and so thought and the next morning at
the first crow Of little bantam rooster
rear by, got UP and went forth to view
the once dreaded city. | went down what
! afterwaTd learned was Seventh street as
far as the renown Libby Prison. l found
that it was nothing more nor less than an
insignificant brick structure formerly used
as u tobacco warehouse. Castle Thunder,
another famed prison, and Of the very same
makeup, having been used Tor the same
purpose before the war, stood OH the other
side Of the street, about half square far
ther down. But was this the terrible place
where so many Of our brave boys had been
starved to death? Was this where dear old
parson joseph Brown, OF Cecil county,
mid the weird hush Of death, had drawn
the names Of two Of our officers cut of
about rs, as the two who should die in re-