Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-28
RICHMOND BUILDS FROM
ASHES IN FIFTY YEARS
of Evacuation Comes on
Friday of This
Week.
LEES THIN LINES GIVE WAY
Con:ederates Withdraw, Leaving
City in Flames to Vast Army of In
vnders-President Davis Notified
While in ST. Paul's Church.

While in st. Paul'S Church.
Fifty years ago. on next Friday, April
2. Richmond awoka to vague feeling
of coming disaster, and people thronged
to the churches with prayer on their
lips, that the impending fear might no
removed from their hearts. and Lees
little army again be able to hold In
check the vast hordcs beating upon tho
city's outer Notifications. That hope
was never to be realized.
President jefferson Davis. OF the Con-
federate States OF America, with NOM
bers of his family, was seated In his
accustomed pew in ST. Paurs Episcopal
Church, Ninth and Grace Streets, listen
ing to the earnest and praycrful dis
course OF Rev. Charles Minnigcrode
when an usher strobe down the aisle
and whispered n message that brought
quick pallor to his checks. 1t was Il
message from General Lee. saying that
tho Confederate forces had been over
'whelmcd at Petersburg, and that the
thiniy stretched Southern lines had
been broken, necessitating the immedi-
ate evacuation OF Richmond. Tho un-
easiness OF the usher was conveyed to
the congregation. and President Davis
was followed out OF the church.
CALM OF SABBATH BROKEN
ny SOUND OF MARCHING
Friends followed him home. and III
was soon learned and bruited abroad
that the hour of R.chmonds fall had
come: that there was no further hope
of staying the heavy hand OF the enemy
IT was not long before. the whole city
had heard the fearful news. and the
calm OF the Sabbath day was broken
by the tramp OF men gathering upon
the street corners and the sound of
women weeping In their doorways III
was a strange and saddcning sight
Children who knew only the indirect
grief Of war. Its hunger and It's sorrow
and 10 whom primary causes meant
only a vague dinfrtuce aS TO right and
. wrong, which they could not under
stand, chung TO their mothers skirts,
and made more difficult tho task which
I. confronted the people.
! Time was short, and shrift must be
: shorter. Mayor Joseph Mayo called n
special meeting OF the City Council at
4 o'clock In the afternoon. and Cover
nor Smith was invited 10 be present to
give advice. The Council was Informed
that the city must be surrendered, and
means to care for tho population left
eu'4S "ofe
'"Ho"'
ALL CONFEDERATE
PICKETS WE'RE WITHDRAWN
\ committee was appointed To each
ward and ordered 70 DESTROY all in
,oxicsung liquors in the city. Another
meeting was held later. and the Score
vary .! war '"io'"le' me Iouhcii that
.ne I'm e'i,' a'e p'che's "o"'o %" with
nin" !" 'ns MOI H'ns al O'CLOCK ana
i"s'' ue'eu ''e "d!'s 10 surrender the
ivy GO e"' ~ as posS'"ie on inc loiiow-
'nb uas nc '"E oi Nor'herh VIZ
s"'e '"" zen i"''eo 20 give way ne
ore '"e -. nN'"s ""sts' ana hichmono
VAC ~ nc ''' 20 h'' iate' IL was such
iate as Ho o'ir coui" ioresce' and 1t
came WIN deaa'F suFehess and upon
me appointed honr. Judges Meredith
; anu ~! o'i9 '"" SeNorai members or the
Wy Co"''c'i "tre appointed TO accom-
pn"s ""s' nay . az inc ''the ne should
sNe Wy '"e ''H mo amen hands.
WIN wy peop'. sl'Frea 10 hysteria.
. "o t"' "'e NJ II was woe
~ ,daa - a.. ~ hAu pu' .he