davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

p N the spring of 1865 the total
length of the lines of the Army
of the James before Richmond
(under Gen Godfrey Weitzel,
commanding the 25th Corps). was
about eleven miles, not counting the
cavalry front. and extended from the
Appomattox river to the north side of
the James The varina and New Mar
ket turnpikes passed directly through
the lines into the city, which was the
center of all our efforts.
At about o'clock on the morning
of April bright fires were seen in
the direction of Richmond. Shortly
after while we were looking at these
fires, we heard explosions, and soon a
prisoner was sent in by Gen Kautz.
The prisoner was a colored teamster.
and he informed us that Immediately
after dark the enemy had begun max
ing preparations to leave, and that
they were sending all of the teams to
the rear forward movement of our
entire picket line corroborated this
report.
As soon as it was light Gen. Weitzel
ordered Col r. T. Graves, senior aid
de-camp and Maj. Atherton H. Stevens.
ir, provost to take detach-
ment of forty men from the two com
chusetts Cavalry and make recon
noissance. Slowly this little band of
scouts picked their way in. Soon after
we moved up the New Market road at
a slow pace.
As we approached the inner line of
defenses we saw in the distance divi-
sions Of our troops, many Of them
upon the double-quick, aiming to be
the first in the city. A white and col
ored division were having regular
race. the white troops on the turn
pike and the co1ored in the fields. As
we neared the city the fires seemed to
increase in number and size, and a,
intervals loud explosions We're heard
On entering we found Capitol Square
covered with people who had fed there
to escape the fire and were utterly
worn out with fatigue and fright De
tails were at once made to scour the
city and press into service every able
bodied man, white or black. and make
them assist in extinguishing thu
flames
Gen. Devens' division marched int,
the city, stacked arms and went tt
work Parsons engineer company as
sisted by blowing up houses to checl
it's advance, as about every engine wa:
destroyed or rendered useless by the
mob In this manner the fire was ex
tinguished and perfect order restored
in an incredibly short time after we oc
cupied the city.
As one of our aids was ridine
through the streets, engaged in gath
ering together the able-bodied men tt
assist in extinguishing the fire. he wa:
hailed by a servant in front of HOUSE
toward which the fire seemed to bt
moving The servant told him that hi!
mistress wished to speak to him.
He dismounted and entered the house
and was met by lady who stated tina
her mother was an invalid, confined tt
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

country; to observers in the eastern
states the moon will set while the eclipse
is going on And finally, October 10,
second total eclipse of the sun will occur,
the shadow striking the earth in the Pa
cific ocean, northwest of South America,
sweeping entirely across that contlpent
and across the south Atlantic ocean, and
leaving the earth at a point about LOO
miles south of the Cape of Good Hope.
In Florida and at other points IN the
extreme southeast of our country TINS
will be seen as a very small, pdrtldl
eclipse, beginning just after sunrise: else
where throughout the United states 1t
will be wholly invisible.
Throughout the evenings OF January
Mars and Saturn shine high in the sky in
the south, while the even brighter planets.
Venus and Jupiter. are both morning
stars But as the months go on and our
sun is apparently seen to move steadily
eastward among the stars along Its path,
AVB, figure 1, the aspect of the heavens
will be changed. Thus, when, March
20. the sun reaches the point called the
vernaI equinox which is at V. it is evil
dent that Pisces will set Immediately
after sunset, and that all of the stars in
this part Of the sky will be invisible in
the twilight glow. The planet saturn,
which is now In Aries in the position
shown in figure 1, will at this time be
found a very little farther eastward
among the stars than now, but as this
very distant world requires twenty-nine
and one-half years to pass once around
the sky 1t Is evident that it's position will
have changed but little. Consequently,
when the sun arrives at V, it will have so
nearly overtaken Saturn that the planet
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

smaller than the sun: at these times If
our satellite happens to pass in front OF
the sun it will not hide the bright disk
completely because it is not large enough
to do SO. A bright ring of the suns edge
will then be seen all around the edge Of
the moon. In the eclipse of April II the
apex Of the moons shadow will first
strike our turning earth at a point in
Guiana in northern South America. From
here it will sweep across the Atlantic
ocean. through central Europe, and will
finally leave the earth in Siberia. about
forty minutes after the beginning. Dur
ing nearly all of this time the moon will
be so far from the earth that it cannot
entirely hide the sun but for space of
only forty seconds, while the shadow is
sweeping across the northwestern corner
of Spain. the moon will be nearer and
the sun will be completely hidden. Before
entering France the eclipse will change
to a ring eclipse as 1t was at first In
the eastern United States we will see the
sun rise partially eclipsed on the morn
ing of this day; to observers west of the
Mississippi river the whole eclipse will be
invisible.
September 26 the moon will pass a little
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
Contented Fisherman.

HTHE late Bishop Mackay-Smith,"
said Philadelphia, was the life
Of many a dinner party-a man as jolly
as he was good.
THE bishop. at a dinner in Rittenhouse
Square one night, was describing an old
fisherman he met in Gloucester.
Are YOU contentedT the bishop asked
the old fellow.
And the fisherman, taking his pipe
from his mouth, piously replied:
CT am contented through and through,
sir, when 1 think of the glorious immor-
tality to come"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
Smiths Fifty Resolutions.

MISS MARY SCOTT LAWSON Of the
1NA National Woman Suffrage Associ~
alton denied at a luncheon in New York
that suffrage in the west was tending
to destroy the home
mo, no." she said Look at tho suf-
frage states. how close together they
lie. Well, do you think the men OF
Colorado would have given their women
the vote IL the votes effect in Wyo-
ming had been ruinous?
Wrong will out, you know. Wyo.
ming. If she had trouble, couldn't con-
ceal IT. II we do wrong we are sure,
despite our efforts, to be discovered
and punished 1t is like the case oc
Smith.
Smith. one New Year day. spent the
time from luncheon to 6inner In think.
ing up and entering In his new diary
a set of resolutions. He made soue-
thing like fifty resolutions. What a
rosy year lay before him If he only
observed them all-and he knew he
would!
But Brown called after dinner to
take Smith to the club. and from the
club poor, weak. unstable Smith didn't
return till-think OF it'll O'Clock
in the morningl
faded and stale he took off his boots
on the icy marble doorstep, he let
himself in softly, and he stole in silence
upstairs to bed.
His wife slept He began to undress.
But in unbuttoning his collar he made
a cracking sound, and she stirred. and
looking at him IN the dim light. she
said:
why, what are you doing, Georger
He remembered the pride she had
shown in his fifty resolutions; he hadn't
the heart to reveal the truth to her, so
he said:
I'm getting up
".But what are you getting up 80
early forr
Tired az he was, he assumed q tone
OF CHEEKY energy.
Don't you remember my resolu-
ttonsr he cried. One Of them is to
get up early every morning and earn IS
before breakfast
And he buttonsd his collar again,
drew on his coat and waistcoat and
boots, and went forth with reluctant
steps into the gray light Of the cold
and dreary winter morning.
But his wife, nestled in her warm
bed, laughed a little cruelty before she
went or to sleep again.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
Born Strong, But

I OTHER III. GULICk. head Of the
- department of child hygiene OF the
Russell Sage Foundation, was talking
to a new York reporter about the need
for getting at the child young--for CIV
ing ii. from its birth, the benefit of
hygiene.
Children" he said, may be made or
marred in their first year. They are
then so frail and delicate"
He smiled and added:
"a good resolution. you know, is the
only thing in the world that is stronger
at birth than at any other moment or
it's existence"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

want of transportation. The depot doors
were forced open and demoniacal strug-
gle for the countless barrels of hams,
bacon. whisky, flour. sugar, coffee. etc.
hungry mob. The cutters ran whisky,
and it was Tapped as 1t flowed down the
streets, while all fought for share OF
the plumber. The flames came nearer
and nearer, and at last caught In the
commiSSariat itself.
At daylight the approach of the
Union forces could be plainly dis
cerned After little came the clatter
of horses hoofs galloping up Main
street. My infantry guard stood to
arms, the picket across the canal was
withdrawn. and the engineer officer
lighted a torch of fat pine. BY d.
rection of the engineer department
barrels of tar, surrounded by pine
knots, had been placed at intervals on
the bridge, with kerosene at hand, ana
a lieutenant of engineers had reported
for the duty of firing them at my
order.
The noisy train proved to be Gary S
ambulances, sent forward preparatory
to his final rush for the bridge. The
muleteers galloped their animals about
halfway down. when they were stopped
by the dense mass of human
beings. Rapidly communicating to
Capt Mayo my instructions from Gen:
Eweu / ordered that officer to stand
firm at his post until Gary got up. |
rode forward into the mob and cleared
a lane The ambulances were galloped
down to the bridge. l retired to my
post and the mob closed in after me
and resumed it's wild struggle for
plumber.
few minutes later a long line of
cavalry in gray turned into 14th street.
and, sword in hand, galloped straight
down to the river; Gary had come.
The mob scattered right and left be-
fore the armed horsemen, who refined
up at the canal.
Presently a single company of cav
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
I homas Thatcher Graves
Story Of Occupation

her bed. and as the fire seemed to be
approaching she asked for assistance.
The subsequent conversation devel-
oped the fact that the invalid was no
other than the wife of Gen. r. E. Lee
and the lady who addressed the aid
was her daughter. Miss Lee. An am
bulance was furnished by Col L. H.
Ripley of the 9Th Vermont, and a cor
all danger was past.
There was absolutely no plunderfng
upon the part of our soldiers: orders
were issued forbidding anything to be
plants were made Of infringement OF
these orders.
Gen. G. F. Shepley was placed on duty
as military governor. He had occupied
its capture in 1852. and was eminently
fitted for It by education and experience.
AS We entered the suburbs the general
ordered me to take half dozen cavalry
men and go to Libby prison, for our
thoughts were upon the wretched men
whom we supposed were still confined
within its walls. 1t was very early i'm
the morning, and We were the first Union
troops to arrive before Libby. Not a
guard, not an inmate remained: the doors
We're wide open and only few negroes
greeted US With, "Dey's all gone, massa!
The next day after our entry into the
city, on passing out from Clay street,
from Jefferson Davis house, / saw a
crowd coming. headed by President Lin
coin, who was walking with his usual
long, careless stride. and looking about
with an interested air and taking in
everything. Upon my saluting he said
rs it far to President Davis house?" I
accompanied him to the house, which was
occupied by Gen. Weitzel as headquarters.
The President had arrived about 2
o'clock, at the landing called Rockets,
upon Admiral Porter's flagship, the Nal
vern, and as soon as the boat was made
fast, without ceremony he walked on
shore and started up town. AS soon as
Admiral Porter was Informed OF IL he
ordered a guard of marines to follow as
escort; but in the walk Of about two miles
they never saw Mr.. Lincoln and he was
directed by negroes.
At the Davis house the President was
shown into the reception room with the
remark that the housekeeper had said
that that room was President Davis
office AS he seated himself he remarked
This must have been President Davis
chair" and, crossing his legs, he looked
far off with a serious. dreamy expression
X
At length he asked me il the house
keeper was in the house. Upon learning
that she had left he jumped up and said
with a boysh manner. Come. let's look
at the house, We went pretty much
over it; l retailed all that the house
keeper had told me and he seemed inter.
ested in everything.
AS we came down the staircase Gen
Weitzel came in breathless haste, and
at once President Lincoln's face lost its
boyish expression as he realized that duty
must be resumed. Soon afterward Judge
Campbell. Gen. Anderson (Confederatesl
and others called and asked for an in
terview with the President. It was grant
ed and took place in the parlor with
closed doors.
1 accompanied President Lincoln and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

airy appeared in sight, and rode at
headlong speed to the bridge. ''My
rear guard" explained Gary Touch
ing his hat to me he called out. "All
over, goodbye; blow her to HILL" and
trotted over the bridge. That was the
hrst and last I ever saw of Gen. Gary
of South Carolina.
In less than sixty seconds Capt.
Mayo was in column Of march, and as
he reached the little island. about half
way across the bridge, the single. piece
of artillery, loaded with grapeshot.
that had occupied that spot arrived IN
the Manchester side of the river. The
engineer officer. Dr. Lyons, and
walked leisurely to the island. setting
fire to the provided combustfble matter
as we passed along. and leaving the
north section of Mayo's bridge wrapped
in flame and smoke.
AT the island we stopped to take a
view of the situation north of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

manning foot bridge over the canal leao-
ing to 1t, until Gen. Gary Of South Caro-
lima should arrive. / hurried 10 my
command, and fifteen minutes later &C
street, and made military dispositions
to protect it to the last extremity.
This done, 1 had nothing to do but
listen for sounds and gaze on the ter
rible splendor of the scene. And such
a scene probably the world has seldom
witnessed.
Either incendiaries. or more probably
fragments of bombs from the arsenals,
had fired various buildings, and the two
cities, Richmond and Manchester, We're
like blaze of day amid the surround
ing darkness. Three high arched bridges
were in flames; beneath them the waters
sparkled and dashed and rushed on by
the burning city.
Every now and then, as a magazine
exploded. a column of white smoke rose
up as high as the eye could reac1 in
simultaneously followed by deafening
sound. The earth seemed to rock and
tremble as with the shock of an earth
quake, and Immediately afterward nun
dreds of shells would explode in air and
send their iron spray down far below
the bridge.
As the immense magazines Of cartridges
ignited, the rattle of thousands of
muske,ry would follow. and then all
was still for moment, except the dull
roar and crackle of the disappearing
fires. At dawn we heard terrific ex-
blossoms about 1.-The Rockets" from the
unfinished ironclads down the river.
BY daylight on the Sd a mob of men,
women and children, to the number Of
several thousands, had gathered at the
corner of 18th and Cary streets and other
outlets, in front of the bridge. attracted
by the vast commissary depot at that
point for it must be remembered that
in 1865 Richmond was a half-starved
city, and the Confederate government
had that morning removed its guards
and abandoned the removal of the pro-
visions, which was impossible for the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

river, and saw line Of bluecoated
horsemen galloping in furious haste
up Main street. Across 14th street
they stopped, and then dashed down
14th street to the flaming bridge. They
fired a few random shots at us three
on the island, and we retreated to
Manchester
1 ordered my command forward. the
lieutenant Of engineers saluted and
went about his business, and myself
and my companion sat on our horses
for nearly a half hour. watching the
occupation of Richmond. We saw an
other string Of horsemen in blue pass
up Main street, then we saw a dense
column of infantry march by. seeming
ly without end; we heard the very
welkin ring with cheers as the United
States forces reached Capitol Square.
and then we turned and slowly rode
on our way.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

was in full retreat on DanVllle: thdt Tue
troops covering the city of Chafln ano
Drewry's bluffs were on the point Of be-
ing withdrawn. and that the city was
forthwith to be abandoned. singular
security had been felt by the citizens OF
Richmond. so the news fell like bomb
shell in a peaceful camp, and dlsmay
reigned supreme.
All that Sabbath day the trains came
and went, wagons, vehicles and horse
men rumbled and dashed to and fro, and,
in the evening, ominous groups OF ru1-
fians-more or less in liquor-began to
make their appearance on the principal
thoroughfares Of the city.
AS night came on pillage and rioting
and robbing took place. The police and
few soldiers were at hand, and after the
arrest of few ringleaderS and the more
riotous of their followers fair degree
of order was restored. But Richmond
saw few sleeping eyes during the PAN
demonium of that night
The division of Maj. Gen. G. w. G.
Lee Of Lieut.. Gen. r. S. Ewelrs corps,
at that time rested in the trenches eight
miles below Richmond, with its right on
the James river, covering Chafhns bluff.
I was at the time it's assistant adjutant
general, and was in the city on some
detached duty connected with the local
brigade belonging to the divisional
force composed of the soldiers of the
army, detailed on account of their me-
chanical skill to work In the arsenais,
etc. and of clerks and other employees
of the war treasury, quartermaSter and
other departments.
Upon receipt of the news from Peters
burg / reported to Gen. Ewel tthen in
RichmondD for instructions, and was or
dered to assemble ana command the
local brigade, cause it to be well sup
piled with ammunition and provisions,
and await further orders. All that day
and night / was engaged in this duty, but
with small result, as the battalions
ed mainly under orders from the heads
Of departments who needed all their en-
pIoyes in the transportation and guard
ing OF the archives, etc, but partly, no
doubt from assertions. When morning
dawned fewer than 300 men remained
under command o. Capt. Edward Mayo.
Shortly before day Gen. Ewell rode in
person 20 my headquarters and informed
me that Gen. G. W. c. Lee was then
James river at .)rewrys; that he would
destroy il and Pr ss on to join the main
army; that all lie bridges over the river
had been destroy except MayoS, be-
tween Richmond and Manchester, and
that the wagon bridge over the canal in
front of Mayo's had already been burned
by Union eniSSarieS.
My command was to hasten to Mayo
bridge and protect It, and the one re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

THE Evacuation Of the
/ Confederate Capital De-
scribed by Capt. Clement
Sulivane, the Last Confeder-
ate Officer to Leave-The
Occupation Described by
Thomas Thatcher Graves,
Aid-de-Camp on the Staff of
Gen. Godfrey Weitzel, Whose
Troops Occupied the Fallen
Confederate Stronghold.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

will be no single night of the entire year
when there will not be at least two
bright planets in a favorable position
for observation, and during more than
half the year the three brightest worlds
of all will be seen shining in the evening
sky. The observer who will watch these
bright wanderers as they move over the
heavens among the consultations, pass
ing and repassing one another as they
go, will find the study of the highest in
terest.
During the present year there Will be
no less than four eclipses-two OF the
sun and two of the moon-the first one
Of which will, however, be wholly invisi-
BILE to observers in North America. The
second eclipse occurs April II, and is an
eclipse of the sun of a most peculiar
kind. The apparent size Of our moon
as we see it In the sky is almost exactly
the same as that of the sun; the two
bodies appear to us as almost equal,
round disks. Sometimes the moon is q
little farther from the earth than usual.
and then it seems to be q very little
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

HE year 1912 will be a most in
teresting one to those who take
pleasure in watching the face
of the sky. The beautiful
considerations, ever changing as
the months pass away, are always with
us, and these alone afford an inexhausti-
BILE field for study and exploration to one
who is so fortunate as to possess small
telescope But besides the stars and
nebulas, the clusters and star-clOuds, there
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

BOUT 1870 am.
Sunday, April 2,
1866, q strange
agitation was per-
ceptible on the
streets Of Rich
nond, and within
half an hour 1t
was known on all
sides that Lees
lines had been
broken below Pc
tersburg; that he
go Al -
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

at sunset will then be seen not far from
the ground in the western sky. Thus,
this planet will be seen farther and far
Their west each evening, and finally May
ii our sun will pass to the east OF 1t,
and it will become morning star.
With Mars the case is somewhat dfner-
ent. This world is itself running so rapid
~ eastward among the stars that the sun
cannot quickly overtake 1t. In fact. the
Red Planet will have run through the star
groups Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo and
Libra-almost entirely across the summer
sky-before 1t Is lost in the rays of its
pursuing sun. Mars will, therefore, re-
main in our evening sky until November
4, though 1T will grow continually fainter
because its distance from us is constantly
increasing.
At about the time when Saturn Is dis
appearing, and long before Mars ceases
to shine brightly in the west. the most
brilliant Jupiter will enter our evening
sky in the east to remain with us until
it, in its turn, becomes lost in the suns
rays in November. And July 5 the planet
Venus changes from a morning to an
evening star, so that from this date until
November 4 all three Of the planets,
Mars, Venus and Jupiter, will be with
us.
The evening sky is now a magnificent
brilliant Dog Stars high in the south, the
bright Capella almost exactly overhead,
and the beautiful groups, Gemini and Leo.
far above the ground in the east. The
lower end of the Northern Cross has sunk
from view in the northwest, while. be-
ginning at this point, the beautiful Milky
Way forms a golden arch that now passes
over the heavens exactly through the
zenith. The large nebulas at H and F,
and the star clusters at z and K, figure ],
are all most interesting objects for exam
nation with a small telescope.
This month, too, the wonderful variable
star at . will be eclipsed in the early
evening no less than Ave times Although
this star is usually almost as bright as
the nearby stars at L, yet at a constant
interval of about two days and twenty
one hours darker star posses In front Of
the bright one, and cuts of hve-sixths Of
its light. 1t has recently been discovered
that the bright star and its darker COM
panion are each about as large as our
own sun, and that the darker star re-
wolves so near the brighter one that the
side of it which Is turned toward the
central body is raised to incandescence
by the enormous heat which 1t receives.
The star at D will be seen to become
faint January at 10 pm, January ct
Z pm. January % At II Pm, January 70
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

STAT IN
COM
HEATED FACE OF
THE