The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-04-01
RtEMINISCENSES
of the
CIVIL WAR


CN'''
The scenes in Richmond during the
lay Of April > were difficult 10 dcI.;ct.
TIL" business portion of the city WIS
being destroyed by a conllagratiun. while
10 organized effort was apparently be
ing made to stay the destruction. Men
and women principally c'lorpd were to
be seen going in every direction luidrd
down with store gDpiI of every kind
Whisky had been cmptird into the gut
tens along the streets. and salt mixed
with it. i'm order T. cndrHvor IT, prevent
the disorders always incident to a de-
hauch. such were the scenes Witnessed
when W" first entered the city. bun in Il
short time our officers had placed 4 cor
G"H of guards around the burning d,.'-
trict and had also taken steps IT, stop
the c0uilagrHt;un. All soldiers caught
looting were arrested and punished. As
my regiment had net yet cHtrrc. the city
| was II sort of Il ircr ,lncc that day
and went over to see the fire seeing II
lady IN 4 doorway in apparently deep
distress and thinking probably some Of
her family were unable to reach Il place
II safety | approached and asked her
if | could render any assistance. She
aid her trouble WAS due to the fact that
her household goods would soon be con
summed by the fire. soon gathered III,
ten or twelve negroes and had her best
furniture taken to Il place of safety.
Having performed like service for an
other lady Il few doors away, she asked
me III to see her husband, who was an
invalid. although their surroundings
showed that they had been in comfort
able circumstances | found her husband
sitting by II stove upon which WAS Il
grddc containing piece of bacon. the
fat from which WAS frying same corn
cakes. while expressing regret that it
WAS the best they could offer me they
invited me 10 palt"kr of their frugal
meal. an invitation which | declined.
there being too much excitement in the
city of Richmond that day to- waste time
in eating.
WAS then invited to try Il little Nir-
CHINA Apple lack 1t was he first APP
pie Jack had ever tasted. 1t did not
l@uk strong. but it wis very diSapIHDnt-
ing III that respect.
Going back to the Capital found my
regiment had arrived and after Il short
stop we were marched ont in the sub
urhS t. I'm old magazine where we went
into camp. The COnfcdrMtrS in their
retreat frGm the city burned tn" bridge
spanning the James river between Rich
mond and Manchester, this resulted. as
it WIS. intended to do. in combining the
Army of the James to Richmond. and
preventing ii from joining in the chase
after lie by the time p0ntoGnS had
been thrown across it was too Late. AS
already the mailed hand of Grant. a
| hand both strong and true. was lifted
| high to smitc him. whore the apple
| blossoms blew.
We crossed the James and lay near
Manchester Il few days after which the
| regiment wH> divided up and sent to
| different points for duty. Company
was sent to n point outside Richmond
called Old Church. there our company
| Command LIST Lieut.. George X. Graham
was provost marshal. paroling Confcder-
| atcS who were not with Lees army at
the time Of surrender. administering the
| oath of allegiance to the few who would
take it and collecting government prop
erty Of which that section of the country
was well supplied as the ground had
been fought over II number of times dur.
ing the time the unpleasantness lasted
But little property was gathered in as