The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-28

Almost Atty years ago today Rich
mond was ''weltering in sea OF hre"
as a writer In the old Richmond Wing
described the scene OF the morning or
April 3. 1868. Today she is prosperous
and moving forward toward her mani
fest destiny. Then she was In the
depths OF despair: today she faces the
future with confidence and hope.
On the morning OF April 1. 1865.
the people of Richmond awakened to
And the hopes of the Confederacy
blasted, the city evacuated by the
brave troops who had followed the
immortal Lee for four long years. a
nation writhing In death agonies and
their homes and places OF business
''one waste Of smoking ruins. black
ened wallis and broken chimnies."
Extent of the Ruins.
The blackened area bounded east and
west by Fifteenth and Seventh Streets.
and north and south by Main Street
land the James River, Is today hive
of Industry and will soon be gaily
decorated TO welcome the return or
the soldiers in gray who on that morn
ing fifty years ago marched out of the
city. burning Mayos Bridge behind
them. on the ruins OF many two-story
banks and business houses. skyscrapers
now proudly rear their heads to the
skies; where a small postoffice stopped
! the sweep of the flames magnificent
building costing near million dol
lars now stands and is even now too
small. The Wall Street of the South"
today covers the desert OF waste"
Look first on that picture and then
on this and say, Here Is a city
The beginning OF the end came Atty
/ u fndaV March IN ihGJ,
General Grant. in front of Petersburg.
gave the order for general attack.
The battle OF Five Forks began March
80 and continued through the follow :
ing DAY with a check for the enemy
as the result. But the respite was OF
/ brief duration, for on saturday. April
4 /, Pickett suffered a serious reverse.
and on Sunday morning, while Presl~
dent Davis was at services in st Paul. s
Episcopal Church, at the corner of
Grace and Ninth Streets. the fatal word
came from Lee The ely must be eva
cuate6. The order. dated April ?, was
sent ny General Lee 20 General Ewell.
in charge OF the army about Rich
rnond He was ordered 10 proceed with
his army to Amelia Courthouse. 'he
movement TO begin at o'clock Sunday
night.
Sounds Richmond. Dom.
Richmond; two days later cav the en-
tire business center destroyed and
what was left OF the capital of the
Confederacy In th~ hands OF General
| weitzei. and his triumphant troops
in blue. General Lee and his army
was on tho retreat to Appomattox.
In the meantime confusion relgned
IN Richmond The evacuation was COM
plete By Monday morning and all dur
Mn 81
tho streets OF Richmond were crowded
with people attempting 10 remove the
house hold goods ana other articles OF
value 10 places OF safety. The public
storehouses were thrown open and all
the contents obtainabIe within the short
time allowed were carried away by
General Ewelrs army Tho rest was
left TO the mercy OF the mob. The
/! following description OF the scene dur
| ing the nigh, OF April :, from the
time the authorities began the destruc-
ton of liquor until 6 o'clock the fol-
lowing morning (Monday) is taken
| from pr. Asbury Christians Rich
mond. Her Past and Present.
The Confederate trops were rapidly
moving to the south. AT midnight the
committees appointed by the Council
to destroy the liquor in the city began
their work to keep II from stragglers
ami soldiers, ftunuTeus ana EuHuFcu-
1 of barrels of whiskey were rolled into
the streets ard their heads knocked
out until the cutters roared with
the freshet of whiskey. Many cases
| OF fine liquors were thrown into the
/ street and smashed. In some cases
there Was a scramble and some of the
bottles were carried away. At ~ NJ.
| 1t became known that under the law
OF the Confederate Congress General
Eweli had been ordered to burn the
tobacco and cotton In the city TO keep
! It out of the hands of the enemy. The
mayor sent "A committee, headed by
James A. Scott, TO demonstrate against
burning the warehouses, but without
avail After 3 A. N. the torch was APP
piled to Shockoe. Public, Mayos, and
| Dibrelrs Warehouses;.
/ A Devourinx Demon.
! The fire ragged like a devouring
demon and soon leAped from the ware
houses to the adjoining buildings. and
ion and on until it was beyond human
central, People in the .district-sdragged
their goods into the streets only to be
trampled or burned there. 81
"Then came the most terrific locting.