the United States on that building. A regiment of colored cavalry was in the advance of the coming column of troops.

Capitol Square was full of furniture and valuables, a wreck rescued from the flames. Women and children, sitting upon their goods, were trying to screen themselves from the stifling heat. On the north side of the square a regiment of black cavalry was posted. At this moment it seemed as if the whole city would be consumed.

The first thing for the United States troops to do was to control the fire. The fire-engines had been disabled; it was long before they could be brought into action. Providentially, however, the direction of the wind changed, and the flames were arrested.

Commendable con

al troops.

General Shepley, who had been put in command of New Orleans when it was captured, was put in duct of the nation- Command of Richmond. He at once issued orders forbidding officers and soldiers entering or searching any private dwelling, or removing any kind of property therefrom, under pain of immediate and summary punishment; the soldiers were to abstain from any offensive or insulting words or gestures toward the citizens, and the citizens were ordered not to use treasonable or offensive expressions insulting to the flag, the cause, or the armies of the Union. Subsequently it was declared by citizens, "Very agreeable was the disappointment at the conduct of the victorious army. The fact was that, with few exceptions, the troops behaved astonishingly well, and were remarkably courteous and respectful."

Richmond was burnt by the order, not of national, but of Confederate generals; it was sacked, not by its conquerors, but by its own rabble. For a time one third of its population were fed from the United States stores. The United States Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission, bearing in mind their noble duty, dispensed in the hospitals whatever was wanted by the sick and wounded Confederates.

With Richmond were taken 1000 prisoners, 5000 sick and wounded in the hospitals, 500 cannon, 30 locomotives,

300 cars.

Petersburg was evacuated simultaneously with Rich

Evacuation of
Petersburg.

mond. Its municipal authorities came out and surrendered it. It was taken possession of quietly, and the United States flag hoisted on the courthouse at 4.30 A.M.

CHAPTER XCI.

THE SURRENDER OF LEE.

After the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg, General Lee attempted so to conduct his retreat as to join the army of Johnston in North Carolina. His march was intercepted by Sheridan. He then endeavored to escape to Lynchburg. His army endured the most dreadful privations. Its retreat was finally cut off near Appomattox Court-house.

An interview took place between Generals Grant and Lee at Appomattox Courthouse, and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to the national army.

The retreat of Lee

and Richmond.

THE night was moonless and dark as Lee withdrew the wreck of his army from Petersburg and Richfrom Petersburg mond. He had given orders for the shattered troops to unite at Chesterfield Court-house, a point about midway between the two cities. Ostensibly it was his intention to march toward Danville, and join the army of Johnston; but doubtless he realized, in the horrible confusion and disorder of the fleeing host, that the power of the Confederacy was not only broken, but forever gone. No order was published against straggling. The soldiers deserted almost at will, particularly the Virginia troops, who dropped off to their homes at almost ev ery step of the route. The 40,000 men with whom the retreat commenced had dwindled greatly in numbers when it closed.

Nevertheless, for him there was but one honorable course, whatever his private conviction of the issue might be: he must energetically attempt to make good his retreat, and not surrender his army until its surrender became an undeniable military necessity.

It was Lee's intention to make as quickly as he could It is toward Burkes for Burkesville, the junction of the Southside and Danville Railroads, 52 miles west of Pe tersburg. If he could reach that point and destroy the

ville Junction.

bridges behind him, there was a hope that his pursuers might be so delayed that he could make good his escape, and, uniting with Johnston, exact favorable terms. Twice, under like circumstances, he had been fortunate: he had made his way across the Potomac after Antietam, and again after Gettysburg.

Grant's pursuit.

Of Grant's army, the 5th Corps was at Sutherland's, nine miles west of Petersburg. Sheridan, with his cavalry, was ten miles still farther west. All the rest of his forces, except Weitzel, were south or southwest of Petersburg. Grant's object was to reach Burkesville in advance of Lee, so as to intercept him there. The lines of march of the two armies, the pursued and the pursuing, converged to that point. The troops of the Army of the James, under Ord, moved by the Southside Railroad; Sheridan and the 5th, 2d, and 6th Corps of the Army of the Potomac more to the north.

The roads, which are here of a stiff red clay, were very much broken, and rendered almost impassable by the re'cent rains. The bridges over the creeks had to be renewed, and much corduroying done. But the roads over which Lee had to pass were in a better condition than those of his antagonist's line of march.

Lee, with all speed, made his way due west, crossing the Appomattox River, and reaching Amelia Court-house on Tuesday, the 4th. But there was no lingering on the part of his ever-watchful antagonist.

Lee is constrained to halt at Amelia Court-house.

At Amelia Court-house Lee struck the Danville Railroad. He had ordered supplies for his army to meet him at that point-a quarter of a million of rations. His men had started on the march provided only for a single day. With dismay he learned that the train which had duly brought these supplies had been ordered on to Richmond by the authorities there the previous Sunday to carry away the fugitive officials. It had gone without unloading the supplies. In