Year: 1865







- the Lower BRIDGE had evidently been the last used by
the rebels and was but just fred Prssuming upon my
recognised authority onhcsr Of high degree, ssns
the negroes on after the engines and very soon had
st class nre brigade improvsed and At work exngush
ing the flames Transferring my authority to q white
man, who represented himself TO be Q fireman and
seemed willngi to work. left the 70 make other
observations.


BRIDGE FOR GOTTEN


Just below this point another railroad BRIDGE
temporary affair, built by the military authorities for our
own odation-but the track II oommu-
nicatss with all the railroads centering Petersburg Il
Is an important structure for This bridge the rebels
had forgotten neglected to destroy Il just as
good as ever 1t was


THE CAMPBELL BRIDGE
crossing the river at the upper end Of the town. was
wholly destroyed.


DISTRACTION OF RAILROAD PROPERTY
Most Of the railroad property In the city destroyed
The depots were not fred, but the rolling stock THAI
could not be got away was burned How much de-
strucon this entailsd in the limited time allotted
! could not ascertain


TOBACCO BURNED.


From many citizens Of tho town learned that tho
dense volumes Of smoke that have hung the city
since yesterday morning caused by the destruction
Of tobacco stored here It is estimated that 1--WE thou
sand hogsheads Of the weed have consumed There
are STILL however, large quantities remaining uninured


CoMKEsAKY


told that thcro immense stores Of all kinds
Of provisions for the army in the city. These
stored In buildings in the heart Of the city, the destruc
ton of which would have entaed the probable total de-
structon of the town. that on the protest Of The
citizens they left unconsumed.


THE WORK OF OUR SHELLS


had much curiosity TO the effect Of the numerous
shengs to which tho town had been subjected and rode
through that portion Of the city most exposed was
certainly wonderful that little damage had been done
Nearly every other building in some localities had been
struck; but with the exception Of and then Chin
ney knocked down. hole through the building that
few dollars would repair the injuries were scarcely per
ceptibe. / found the people living in the exposed
localities and told that they had been there through
all the seige But few people either had been killed
by the cannonading in the town. Some sad were
cited, but they numbered in all loss than score.





BY six O'Clock the town was quite awake and alive
Troops pouring in from all directions shouting,
singing and cheering but otherwise preserving the most
orderly and commendablc bearing There was no strag
Cling pillaging, destruction Of property or intru
sion Of private residences Guards stationed hcky
in all directions with imperative orders to keep the sol
ders Of all buildings public private and protect
all property from destruction. The citizens show
ing themselves in large numbers upon the door steps IN
the doors and at the windows Of the houses Indicating
that but few II any, had away, while most Of them
manifested in the expression Of their faces gadness al
our arrival Wherever conversed with any Of them
found the first thought be for something cat They
seemed be out While there was plenty Of food
for the army It had been carefully boarded and the
resident population left to shift for themselves best
they could Doubtless II this account than
any other that tn were so pleased 10 and 70
ready to abandon the rebel cause
THE STREETS.


On tho main business streets there every appear
rance Of thrift Though the stores we're not generally
opened at early hour tho morning. noticed here
and there where shutters down. considerable stocks
Of goods while all the business portion Of the town had
| = commercial look.


General Lee in Petersburg up Inst night super
intending the withdrawal OF his troops but careful
| not TO ray in what direction he going When asked
by citizens II they had better 60 to Richmond, he
| told them that that would do good, Richmond
also being evacuated He acknowledged his inathtD
u hold Virginia any longer, and seemed very much
depressed


FUNERAL or GxyxRAL A. r. HILL


The funeral Of neral A. p. Hin. whose death havc
mentioned, attended with military honors just pre-
vious the evacuation General Lee aud other dIsn-
guished officers being present He was burned in the
City Cemetery the day Of his DEATH the circumstances
not permitting the retention Of his remains longer
| DESTRUCTION or REnEL vIssEtS


All the vessels In the river here, and some on the
ways said to have been intended for gunboas or
destroyed before the evacuation AT very early
hour this morning. just before advanced on the
city, startled by several distinct explosions,
volcnt fairly 10 shake the ground These explosions
were supposed to be in Petersburg; but have Juxs
learned that they caused by the blowing Of tho
rcbe vessels in the James, below Richmond Everything,
therefore, destroyed, TO the rebellion Lass Dec.
The end Is near a. hand , am on for City Point and
must close hastily,