1865.] DEATH OF A. P. HILL. 521 their bodies. The fighting along other parts of the line was stopped while the men of both sides anxiously watched the gallant struggle. At last a more determined effort was made, and the sound of cheers rising from the cloud of smoke which hid the fort told that it had been won. Of the two hundred and fifty men who had taken part in the defence, but thirty remained, while five hundred Union men lay before the works. With this capture the Confederate army was cut in two. General Lee had to hasten to arrange his men to meet the new state of affairs. All he could now do was to gain a little time to try to save what was left of his army. While consulting with Generals A. P. Hill and Mahone in the city, the sounds of firing seemed to come nearer and nearer. "How is this, General?" he said to Hill; "your men are giving way." General Hill at once mounted his horse, and, accompanied by a single orderly, rode to the front. While going down a ravine he suddenly came upon a party of Union soldiers. Hill, who had on a citizen's coat with only the stars of a colonel A. P. HILL. on the collar, seeing his danger, rode at them and ordered them. to surrender. The audacity of the demand took them by surprise, but they recovered themselves in a moment and shot him dead. Thus fell A. P. Hill, one of Lee's most trusted officers, who had fought at Bull Run as a colonel of infantry, and had won all the ranks in the Confederate army up to that of Lieutenant-General. At eleven o'clock General Lee sent a telegram to the War Department in Richmond, advising that the authorities should make ready to leave the city at eight o'clock in the evening. At daylight the next morning the Union men were alert and ready to renew the fight. The skirmishers advanced, but all was silent before them. They crept over the open space between the works, and up the parapet opposite, until they could peep over. No enemy was to be seen, and the ground was strewn with evidences of hasty flight. The news spread from mouth to mouth, the Union troops advanced through the deserted works, and the flag of the Union was soon flying over Petersburg. CHAPTER XLII. RICHMOND. SUNDAY IN RICHMOND.-RUMORS OF VICTORY.-GAYETY OF THE CITY.-PRAYER-MEETINGS.— DAVIS RECEIVES LEE'S TELEGRAM. THE NEWS KEPT SECRET.- EVACUATION.- CONFUSION. THE CITY IN THE HANDS OF THE MOB.-PILLAGING THE STORES.-THE TOBACCO WAREHOUSES FIRED.-RAMS BLOWN UP.- BRIDGES BURNED.-THE FIRE SPREADS.-A DREADFUL SCENE.-CAPITOL SQUARE.-THE YANKEES! THE YANKEES!-BURNING RICHMOND SEEN FROM THE SIGNAL-TOWER.-GENERAL WEITZEL ENTERS THE CITY. THE FLAG ON THE CAPITOL.-AN AFRICAN CITY.-BRESS DE LORD! NO MO' WORK!-BLACK CAVALRY. --MARTIAL LAW.-THE RUINS. THE DREAM ENDED. (UNDAY morning of April 2d, 1865, was bright and beauSUNDA Uulin Richmond. The business streets were silent, and few sounds were heard save the solemn tones of the church bells. All the places of worship were open and were filled at the usual hour with their congregations. A Confederate writer tells us that none of the people knew of the terrible battles which had taken place at Petersburg, only twenty-two miles away, in the previous three days. The news had been kept so secret that not even the newspaper offices had received any account of it. Indeed, a rumor prevailed that General Lee had made a night attack on Grant and won a great victory which insured the independence of the Confederacy. It was also reported that Johnston was marching to join Lee, who would be able, with such a reinforcement, to drive Grant from before Petersburg. Though the war bore heavy on the hearts of the people and a few had even begun to lose hope in the success of the cause, there never had been much fear that Richmond would be taken by the enemy. The thunder of McClellan's guns had been heard almost at their doors, yet he had been driven away, and the general feeling was that so long as Lee and his army remained they were safe from all the forces Grant could bring against them. So most of the people kept up their spirits, and the favorite singer at the theatre sang nightly "Farewell to the Star-Spangled Banner" to as enthusiastic audiences as had greeted it when it was first performed. Alas! they did not * See Appendix, page 570. know to what straits their gallant defender had been driven, nor even the number of his half-fed soldiers. The city was never gayer than in the winter before its fall: balls, parties, private theatricals, and other amusements were abundant— so much so that the clergymen felt it their duty to preach against it as unseemly with bloodshed and death so near them. Religious people did all they could to aid the ministers, and so it happened that the churches were generally well filled, not only on Sundays, but also on other days, when prayer-meetings were held in them. President Davis himself was a devout attendant at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, of which he was a member. Mr. Davis was seated in his pew on that pleasant Sunday morning, when, shortly after eleven o'clock, an officer entered, and walking quietly up the aisle handed him a slip of paper. It was General Lee's telegram to the War Department advising that preparations should be made at once for the evacuation of the city. Mr. Davis arose and went silently out of the church. The congregation wondered what could have happened, and there was a brief pause, but no intimation was given of the news. After the services the rector announced that General Ewell, then the commander in Richmond, desired the homeguard to assemble at three o'clock in the afternoon. Even after the churches were dismissed the news was still kept from the people, only the officials and public men being let into the secret. Many a family ate their dinner in peace that day, wholly unconscious that another twenty-four hours would see their loved city in ruins and a hostile army in its streets. In the course of the afternoon the ill tidings passed from lip to lip, and even those who had expressed the strongest belief in the impregnability of the fortifications and of the ability of General Lee became convinced that the government was about to leave the city. As no one can paint so truly the scenes of that day as an eye-witness, we will give the account in the words of Mr. Pollard, the historian, who was one of the editors of the Richmond Examiner at the time: "It was late in the afternoon when the signs of evacuation became apparent to the incredulous. Wagons on the streets were being hastily loaded at the departments with boxes, trunks, etc., and driven to the Danville depot. .. Vehicles |