WEITZEL RIDES INTO RICHMOND. riations and iterations of 'Hail Columbia,' 'Yankee Doodle,' and 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' in utter disregard of Shakspeare's dictum averring a natural antagonism between Treason and Melody. No one on our side seems to have suspected that the Rebel soldiery were even then stealthily withdrawing from their works in our front, preparatory to hastening after their comrades who had already filed hurriedly and dolefully out of the opposite portals of Richmond. 20 At length, our musicians having played the soldiers to sleep, had themselves sunk also to rest, when, about 2 A. M., Weitzel, still alert, was startled by the sound of explosions. They were fewer, nearer, and heavier, than the dull, continuous booming of cannon in the south, which had been audible throughout the previous morning; and they evidently claimed instant attention. Lt. J. L. Depeyster, of his staff, having ascended the signal tower, 70 feet high, at headquarters, reported, on his return, that he had seen a great light in the direction of Richmond, but could not determine whether that city was or was not on fire. Efforts were now made to capture a Rebel picket; and, about 3 A. M., one was clutched; who, in response to inquiries, said he belonged to the 37th Virginia artillery, but could tell neither where his regiment nor its commander then was. Gen. G. F. Shepley, Weitzel's chief of staff, at once inferred that the Rebels were evacuating Richmond-a conjecture which was verified at 31, by the report of a deserter; and at 4, a negro drove into our lines in a buggy, who confirmed the statement. Yet the Rebel works VOL. II.-47 20 737 in front were so intricate, and the ground was known to be so studded with torpedoes, that it was not till after broad daylight that our soldiers went forward-Draper's Black brigade in advance-over a road strewn with all manner of abandoned munitions and amid a perpetual roar of bursting shells. But the position of each of the abundant torpedoes planted by the Rebels was indicated, for their own safety, by a little red flag, which, in the hurry of their departure, they had failed to remove: so there were few, if any, casualties. The Rebel defenses appeared to have been, while manned, almost impregnable. Two separate lines of abatis, three lines of rifle-pits and earth-works-the first and second connected by regular lines of redans with a fort or very strong earthwork on every elevation—such were a part of the impediments which had so long kept our soldiers out of Richmond. If one of these lines had been carried, it was completely commanded by that next behind it; so that our loss while holding it must have been ten to one; while to advance and storm the next barrier must, for the moment, have involved still greater prodigality of life. Yet these works our troops had lain down the previous night expecting to assail at daybreak in the morning. At 6 A. M., Gen. Weitzel and staff, having already cleared the exterior defenses, riding rapidly past our still advancing column, entered the immediate suburbs of the burning city, amid a constant roar of exploding shells and falling walls, and were received with shouts of welcome and exultation from thousands of (mainly) "Monday, April 3. negro throats. The last of the Rebel | sible; but not till it had burned out soldiers had departed, or were just going. Majs. A. H. Stevens, 4th Mass., and E. Graves, of Weitzel's staff, had already hoisted two cavalry guidons over the imposing Capitol of Virginia, wherein the Confederate Congress had, since July, 1861, held its sittings; but these, being scarcely visible from beneath, were now supplanted by a real American flag, formerly belonging to the 12th Maine, which had floated over the St. Charles, at New Orleans, when that hotel was Gen. Butler's headquarters. Gen. Shepley had long since expressed a hope that it might yet wave over Richmond; whereupon, Lt. Depeyster had asked and obtained permission to raise it there, should opportunity be afforded; and now, having brought it hither on purpose, it was run up on a flag-staff rising from the Capitol, and saluted with enthusiastic huzzas from the excited thousands below. Jefferson Davis had left at 10 P. M. of Sunday. Nearly all the Rebel officials, including their members of Congress, had also taken their leave; as had William Smith, Rebel Governor of Virginia, and most of his satellites. There was no shadow of resistance offered to our occupation; and there is no room for doubt that a large majority of all who remained in Richmond heartily welcomed our army as deliverers. Probably some cheered and shouted who would have done it with more heart and a better grace if our soldiers had been brought in as prisoners of war. The city was of course placed under military rule: Gen. G. F. Shepley being appointed Governor; Lt.Col. Manning, Provost-Marshal. The fire was extinguished so soon as pos the very heart of Richmond, including its great warehouses, the postoffice, the treasury, the principal banks, newspaper offices, &c. The losses of private property by the conflagration must have amounted to many millions of dollars, since a full third of the city was destroyed. Libby prison, Castle Thunder, and the Tredegar Iron-works, were unharmed. Though most of the Confederate stores had been burned, the spoils were considerable. They included 1,000 prisoners, beside 5,000 sick and wounded left in the hospitals, over 500 guns, at least 5,000 small arms, 30 locomotives, 300 cars, &c., &c. Lack of time or of fuel doubtless prevented the loading of these cars with munitions and provisions, and taking them along with the fugitive host. Before noon of that day, the news of Richmond's fall had been flashed across the loyal States, and it was soon confirmed by telegrams from President Lincoln, then at City Point, and from the Secretary of War at Washington. At once, all public offices were closed, all business suspended by that great majority who profoundly rejoiced in the National triumph, so long, so anxiously awaited which had seemed so often just at hand, and the next moment farther off than ever-so intensely longed for by the Millions who had for years been constrained to endure the taunts of Northern sympathizers with the Rebels, and the heart-sickness of hope deferred.' These instantly and undoubtingly comprehended that the fall of Richmond was a death-blow to the Rebellion, and rejoiced over it accordingly. In New York, an im PETERSBURG EVACUATED-GRANT'S STRATEGY. 739 troops, at daybreak, proudly marched promptu gathering of many thou- | here marked the flight of the Rebels; un Hours ere this, the Rebel government, with its belongings, had passed down the railroad several miles north of Petersburg to Danville,, where it halted, and whither Lee hoped to follow it with the remnant of his army; thence forming a junction with Johnston, and thus collecting a force which, if too weak to protract the contest, would at least be strong enough to command favorable terms. But now the purpose and value of Grant's tenacious, persistent extensions of his left became palpable to the most obstinate of the multitudinous decriers of his military capacity. To have beaten Lee by a fair front That joyful Monday was the An- possibly to Lynchburg or Danville: beating him by turning and crushing his right might prove his utter destruction. For, now that his shattered array could no longer cling to its formidable intrenchments around Richmond and Petersburg, and must retreat hurriedly westward or southPetersburg was of course evacua- ward, the position of the 5th (Grifted simultaneously with Richmond; fin's) corps at Sutherland's, 10 miles and so noiselessly that our pickets, west of Petersburg, with Sheridan's scarcely a stone's throw from the cavalry at Ford's, 10 miles farther abandoned lines, knew not that the west, barring his way up the south enemy were moving till morning bank of the Appomattox, with nearly showed that they were gone-no ex- all the residue of Grant's forces but plosions and no conflagration having Weitzel's command south or south"1 Governor-Buckingham (Repub.), 42,374; O. S. Seymour (Dem.), 31,339. west of Petersburg, so narrowed and | 5th corps. Concentrating at Jetersdistorted his possible lines of retreat | ville, Sheridan had here planted himas to render the capture or dispersion self across the railroad, intrenched of his entire army at least possible. And, with Grant and Sheridan as his antagonists, it was morally certain that all would be made of their advantages that could be. his infantry, and, supported by his cavalry, prepared to stop Lee's entire force, until Grant and Meade, pur suing, should be able to overtake and crush him. Meade, with the 2d and 6th corps, came up late on the 5th, while Lee was still at Amelia C. H. Thus the provisions which the Confederates at Lynchburg and Danville had collected and prepared to send to Lee were intercepted, and all hope of succor to his sore beset army cut off. Lee left Amelia C. H. at nightfall of the 5th; moving around the left of Meade and Sheridan's position at Jetersville, striking for Farmville, in order to recross there the Appomattox, and, if possible, thus escape his pursuers. The Army of Virginia-now reduced by desertions and its recent heavy losses, mainly in prisoners, to 35,000 men-was concentrated, from Richmond on the north to Petersburg on the south, at Chesterfield C. H.; thence moving rapidly westward to Amelia C. H., where Lee had ordered supplies to meet him by cars from Danville; but where he found none-an order from Richmond having summoned " the train to that city to aid in bearing away the fugitives; and it was taken without unloading: so that the overmatched, worsted, retreating, and fainting Rebel soldiery, while endeavoring to evade the fierce pursuit of Sheridan's troopers, must snatch their subsistence from the impoverished, exhausted country. And, while Lee halted here, throughout the 4th and 5th, trying to gather from any and every quarter the means of feeding his famished men, Sheridan, moving rapidly westward by roads considerably south of Amelia C. H., had struck the Danville railroad at Jetersville, while his advance had swept down that road nearly to Burkesville, scattering by the way such portions of the Rebel cavalry as had fled west-manding the cavalry only. ward from their discomfiture at Five Crook, now holding Sheridan's left Forks. At Deep creek, a considera- (facing eastward), advanced to Deable force of infantry was encoun-tonsville, where Lee's whole army tered," and ultimately driven by the was seen moving rapidly westward. "April 6. 23 April 2. But this was not to be. Already, Gen. Davies, making a strong reconnoissance to our left and front, had struck, at Paine's cross-roads, Lee's train, moving in advance of his infantry, and destroyed 180 wagons; capturing 5 guns and many prisoners. Lee's soldiers, not far behind, attempted to envelop and crush our cavalry, now swelled by Gregg's and Smith's brigades, sent to support Davies; and a spirited fight ensued; but Davies was extricated; falling back on Jetersville; where nearly our whole army was next morning" concentrated, and the pursuit vigorously resumed: Sheridan returning the 5th corps to Meade, and henceforth com 23 April 3. 24 |