The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-12
RICHMOND IN
DAYS OF 81
Confederate Soldier Describes
Appearance Of City When
War Began.

Richmond, historic richmond OF ante
bellum days. What memories como
trooping Ger me. what visions of an
era. that is forever gone. 70 the Viz
ginIan 1t was the Mecca Of his pilgrl-
mage To the stranger from afar. and
especially from the South. IN those early
and attract At thu depots the rolnble
colorcd portcrs proclaimed in measured
tones the names q ''chanpa and Bal
lard" or the "spotswood," or the
hostelries. where the needs and comfort
OF their guests were looked after by mine
host, the hospitable Bonifaccs Of that
Main street. paved with round cobble-
stones. and traversed By rafting vans,
from the charcoal tumble cart. Of DARBY
street wagon, Was both seen and hoard.
Omnibus lines also ran from the Spots
wood corner Of Eighth and Main, t2 tne
turn at Libby Hull ant what shall say
racing wagons. when the signal gun an
nounced the arrival OF ANOTHER vessel at
| the wharf at Rockets THIS vas BEFORE
the days or the. Belgian block and the
| smooth asbestos brick; before the days of
the tramway and the mule car; before
the days Of the telephone ana the eIec,
| trio road. Then there was the dock, filled
| with boats. from the bugeye to the full-
| rugged bark. and flying the flags OF many
lands; and last, but not least, the e. boot
| jack and the freight boat from the rag
| Ing James River canal with It's sad
eyed, pensive mule, gazing in silent con.
temptation from her stall in the bow OF
The pacSet-boat, with passengers.
pulled BY three horses, driven tandem.
left regularly at E; NJ on i.i aye
distance Of Jag miles in about thirty Ssss
| hours.
There were "unveilngs'' in those days,
| too. The magnificent equestrian statue
of Tho Father OF His Country. on
February %, 1858. and tho one. OF Henry
Clay, who had rather be right than
j ] came to town.'a verltablc croesus. with
i n quarter of dollar in my pocket, and.
Ieminglng with the great crowd on tne
red Lemonade and ginger. cakes s., Rich +,
citizens clothes. and were terror to
eyil-doe Yet they were sometimes MN nn,
4 them. well remember on q winter nlsht
during the early days of the war, as !
rode down Main street to my country Try
form OF a PROSTATE man, whom ne had
). throttled. Yet they We're faithful men,
and did their duty as best they could.
i With the incoming OF the year 1S6!
ominous events began to take place. an: and
Older heads, began to SHOW anxiety. Con,
vention followed legislature notes OF
warning were uttered signs OF prepara,,
4 militant hosts, and soon the sounds OF
bugle, fife and drum We're heard upon
every hand. and we were aware that
from a state Of profound peace we naa
Events crowded rapidly upon each other;
Virginia had seeded from the Union
and had taken her place in the Confed-
J eracy; the Union had declared war upon on
her, and her sister States Of the south
were rushing troops to her aid.
Among the first to arrive. as nov
:. Sloan, OF South Carolina. Visits to tho
, camps OF the various bodies Of soldiers;
, were now in order. Soon Richmond d ana a,
The washington Light Artillery, Of New
Orleans, was at Towards Grove; tho
Georgians 1T Chimborazo. the Texans on
Fiori'dians near by General Dick Tay;;
Tor and his brigade of Louisaninns passed
through on their way to Manassas. though
TTv1s 92 late for thf ba Of n5n
Tigers, had preceded him. and made their
name famous in the subsequent reports
e OF the same. Colonel Iorncy and his Ala-
!, baminns. General Heth and his North
: Cnrolnians. the Nicksburg Southrons and
: other Mississlppians. Tennessceans, zen
tuckians, men from Arkansas and ~, o h,s1
: in her defense. Soon reports 2 q great
} victory ut Manassas We're followed by 9
. We're uuartered in the tobacco factories
! OF the city, ana our people had an OPP.
: portnity, TO SEQ what q live Yankee"
I Many Quaint questions We're asked
. about them. 7 recollect a negro man.
: who was hauling for Mr.. John N. Van
) Lew, asked mo what q Yankee was
!, like, and when told him those pris-
oners in the tobacco factories were
: Yankees, he said: "l3ut they are men"
III will mention in closing, that /
: sometimes passed through Richmond
s with my regiment when moving In
Y different directions to meet the raiders.
: ana We often saw the men of I3arton's
J and Hunters Infantry, brIgadess who
: in the spring or 1864 were held In
!, readiness near the city to move Mt any
d ''fime for the protection of the city IN
S any direction; many of whom died IN
y her defense ut Drewry's Bluff. Cold
I Harbor and elsewhere. The survivors
!. of those gallant brigades. 1t will be
I great pleasure to meet again at our ap-
I. preaching reunion. Hastily summoned
: from our camp on the Nine-Mile Road.
! at New Bridge Church. in the last days
: OF March, 1865. to Genera! Lees right
), ut Five Forks, Fitz Lees mer
= passed through Richmond for the last
: time. and the curtain was rung down
!. on the bloodiest and saddest drama OF
!, modern times.
q Formerly Of the Fiftl., virginia
: Cavalry. 81.