File:Four years of fighting - a volume of personal observation with the army and navy, from the first battle of Bull Run to the fall of Richmond (1866) (14576032008).jpg

Identifier: fouryearsoffight00coff (find matches)
Title: Four years of fighting : a volume of personal observation with the army and navy, from the first battle of Bull Run to the fall of Richmond
Year: 1866 (1860s)
Authors: Coffin, Charles Carleton, 1823-1896
Subjects: Coffin, Charles Carleton, 1823-1896 United States -- History Civil War, 1861-1865 Campaigns United States -- History Civil War, 1861-1865 Personal narratives
Publisher: Boston, Ticknor and Fields
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
plation. It was past midnight when the Mayor learned that Ewellhad issued orders for firing the government buildings and thetobacco warehouses. He sent a deputation of prominent citi-zens to remonstrate. They were referred to Major Melton, whowas to apply the torch. It is a cowardly pretext on the part of the citizens, trumpedup to save their property for the Yankees, said he. The committee endeavored to dissuade him from the act. I shall execute my orders, said he. They went to General Ewell, who with an oath informedthem that the torch would be applied at daylight. Brecken-ridge was there, who said that it would be a disgrace to theConfederate government to endanger the destruction of theentire city. He was Secretary of War, and could have coun-termanded the order. Will not history hold him accountable? To prevent the United States from obtaining possession of afew thousand hogsheads of tobacco, a thousand houses weredestroyed by fire, the heart of the city burnt out, — all of the
Text Appearing After Image:
1865.) RICHMOND. 505 business portion, all the banks and insurance-offices, half ofthe newspapers, with mills, depots, bridges, founderies, work-shops, dwellings, churches, — thirty squares in all, swept cleanby the devouring flames. It was the final work of the Confed-erate government. Inauguratedin heat and passion, carriedon by hate and prejudice, its end was but in keeping with itscareer, — the total disregard of the rights of person and prop-erty. In the outskirts of the city, on the Mechanicsville road, wasthe almshouse, rilled with the lame, the blind, the halt, poor,sick, bed-ridden creatures. Ten rods distant was a magazinecontaining fifteen or twenty kegs of powder, which might havebeen rolled into the creek near at hand, and was of little valueto a victorious army with full supplies of ammunition ; but theorder of Jeff Davis to blow up the magazines was peremptoryand must be executed. We give you fifteen minutes to get out of the way, wasthe sole notice to that crowd of

Note About Images