The National tribune., 1900-10-04

And thus the whirligig of time brings
round its sure revenges; and the brave fel
lows who had survived the abuses and
horrors OF. those same prison-pens OF
Richmond could then look back with the
eye of memory to the scenes and. suffer,
ings there experienced, and find a sensa-
ton of pleasure in the contemplate of
the thought that the ends of justice, in
their own individual cases, had at length
been subserved.
Another item worthy of historic record
In this connection was the following:
An immense number of Confederate
coupon bonds, with the coupons all regis
tered and signed, were thrown into the
streets Of Richmond during the recent
evacuation. They were picked up by
everybody who had any inclination to sub
ject themselves to that trouble, and can
be purchased from the boys for a very in
significant sum. If Mr.. Trenholm can
sustain Confederate credit under existing
circumstances he can turn wine into water
or perform some other miracle; but he
cannot do it.. -,- ~. - --.t,
. One of the most ludicrous episodes in
the whole history of the war was the issue
by Jeff. Davis, on April 4, at Danvile,
of proclamation declaring that the rebel
cause was not hopeless, and urging con-
tinued resistance to the Federal arms
Coming, as it did, from a man who had
occupied the lofty position of Chief Mag
istrate of the Confederacy, but who then,
from the force of circumstances was only
a fugitive from justice, fleeing for his life
before the victorious march of the Union
troops; while Lees demoraliZed army, his
main dependence, was on the very verge
of surrender-such counsel, L repeat, at
such a time and from such source, was
so perfectly ridiculous that the vagaries
of a mythic Don Quixote at once sound
probable in the light of the prominent
modern example thus afforded
A grand review of the Twenty-fourth
Corps took place on Saturday, April s.
The column moved through some of the
principal streets of the city, and the citi-
zens appeared to be very interested spec
tators of the pageant. On Sunday even
ing a telegram was received by Gen.
Weitzel stating that Gen. Lee had made
formal surrender of the Army of North
ern Virginia to Iieut.-Gen. Grant, the
capitulation having taken place the day
before. Gen. WeitZel accordingly ordered
salute of 100 guns to be fired in honor
of the event. Another salute was fired
early in the morning by our navy, down
the river, and still another, at 10 o'clock,
by n battery placed in position on the
Capitol Square. The war was then vir
tually at an end, although Gen. Johnston
had not yet surrendered; and smiling faces
were everywhere seen, even among the
citizens, who, although formerly in strong
sympathy with the sinking cause of seces-
sion, were then happy in the thought that
after four years of bloody conflict the day
Of peace was at hand.
During our stay in Richmond | paid a
visit to Hollywood Cemetery, a beautiful
place Of burial on the high bank of the
James River, overlooking Belle Island.
There l came across the monument of
Thomas Richie, the founder of the Rich
mond Enquirer, and for more than 40
years the controlling spirit of that journal,
on which was the following inscription:
st may be said of him with truth, in
his own words, He never turned his back
upon his country, was always devoted to
his friends, and never dreaded his enc
miles,
How pregnant with meaning is the
phrase HE never turned his back upon
his country" What striking moral for the
people late in rebellion, and especially for
the later managers of the Richmond En-
quirer is embraced in the few words here
quoted from the tombstone of that jour
nails founder: And yet-such is force of
popular enthusiasm-had Thomas Ritchie
lived to see the rebellion, inaugurated no
doubt he would have been quite as likely
to accept the secession dogma and to ad
vocate revolution as the majority of his
fellowmen of the Southern States. Then,
at his demise, no such epitaph could justly
have been placed on his tomhstone; now
the memory of Thomas Ritchie can we'll
be cherished as one who never turned
his back upon his country
The monument of one of the early Pres
idents OF the United States-James Mon
roe-was also noticed; and many Conied-
crate dead are there buried.
The troops Of the Corps d'Afrique, af
ter a sojourn of 10 days in Richmond.
took up their line of march southwark
early on the morning of April 13. Owing
to considerable delay il procuring an am-
bulance the writer and his office asso-
ciates did not get ready to start until
O'Clock in the afternoon. Crossing the
pontoons leading to Manchester, we took
the Petersburg turnpike, down which we
moved at regular funeral pace, bringing
up the rear of the long military process
sion, the head of which was several hours
in advance of us, and nearer our destina-
tion by several miles. Passing four diff
ferent lines of formidable earthworks COM
manding the approaches to Richmond on
the south side, moving past Fort Darling
and the fine old mansion of the Drewry
family, after whom the high bluff at that
point of the river had received its name,
we were overtaken by the somber shades
of evening just as we reached the Half
way House-hiStoric locality of some of
our operations the previous May and
June. Continuing our journey about two
miles farther it was quite dark when we
turned inte@ field not far from Cioyer
Hill junction and made preparations to
biFouac for the night. There were three
of US as passengers, and it became very
evident, after we had taken an attitude of
repose in our military vehicle, that there
was not much room to spare; but all
thoughts of our close packing were soon
dispelled by the drowsy influence of Som
nus, the mythical god OF sleep
AT an. early hour the following morn
ing were were on the road, and at noon
we had the satisfaction of passing through
the Cockade City, SO long a bone of con
tention between the Union forces and the
Confederates. Moving four miles down
the Weldon road we came to a halt at
Poplar Grove Church, the old headauar-
tiers of Gen. Meade, in the midst of
wilderness, as it were. of abandoned forti-
hcahons and deserted camps, the camps
being log quarters minus their canvas
roofs. The locality derived its name from
little rustic chapel situated in n grove
OF pines (which seemed to render il q mis-
nomer), and erected by the 5Oth N, Y
Eng. 1t was built entirely of pine tim
bers. even To the steeple, and was a fine
looking little piece of architecture, the
body being formed after the fashion of
stockade, with the timbcrs, nicely hewn
on the inside. As a monument of the on