That morning President Davis was sitting in church at Richmond when
a dispatch from Lee was brought to him. "My lines are broken," it
said; "Richmond must be evacuated this evening."
Quickly and silently Jefferson Davis left the church. His day of
power was over, and, with his Cabinet and officials, he fled from
Richmond.
Soon the news spread throughout the Southern capital, and panic
seized upon the people. Warehouses, filled with tobacco and cotton,
were set in flames. All that was evil in the city broke loose, the
prison was emptied, rogues and robbers worked their will. Soon the
streets were filled with a struggling mob of people, some bent on
plunder, others on fleeing from the place of terror and turmoil.
The night passed in confusion and horror past description. Then
the next day the Federals took possession of the distracted city,
and in a few hours the tumult was hushed, the flames subdued, and
something like order restored.
Meanwhile, without entering the city, Grant was hotly pursuing Lee
and his army. The chase was no long one. Lee's army was worn out,
ragged, barefoot and starving. Grant, with an army nearly three
times as large, and well equipped besides, soon completely surrounded
him north, south, east and west. Escape there was none.
"There is nothing left me but to go and see General Grant," said
Lee, "and I would rather die a thousand deaths.
Pages:
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678