"My dear:—I am not at all sure you will ever receive this letter, but I shall risk it. First, I join you in humble1 thanks to God for the great mercy accorded both of us. Your General lives. My Colonel lives. What words can express our gratitude2? What is the loss of home and goods compared with the loss of our own flesh and blood? Alas4! Alas! for those who have lost all!
"I am sure you will have heard the grewsome story of Richmond's evacuation. I was at St. Paul's Sunday, April 1, when a note was handed to President Davis. He rose instantly, and walked down the aisle—his face set, so we could read nothing. Dr. Minnegerode gave notice that General Ewell desired the forces to assemble at 3 p.m., and also that there would be no further service that day. I had seen no one speak to the doctor, and I wonder at the acuteness of his perception of the state of affairs. As soon as I reached the hotel I wrote a note to the proprietor5, asking for news. He answered that grave tidings had come from Petersburg, and for himself he was by no means sure we could hold Richmond. He requested me to keep quiet and not encourage a tendency to excitement or panic. At first I thought I would read my services in the quiet of my little sky parlor6 at the Spotswood, but I was literally7 in a fever of anxiety. I descended8 to 355 the parlor. Nobody was there except two or three children with their nurses. Later in the afternoon I walked out and met Mr. James Lyons. He said there was no use in further evading9 the truth. The lines were broken at Petersburg and that town and Richmond would be surrendered late at night—he was going out himself with the mayor and Judge Meredith with a flag of truce10 and surrender the city. Trains were already fired to carry the archives and bank officials. The President and his Cabinet would probably leave at the same time.
"'And you, Judge?'
"'I shall stand my ground. I have a sick family, and we must take our chances together.'
"'Then seriously—really and truly—Richmond is to be given up, after all, to the enemy.'
"'Nothing less! And we are going to have a rough time, I imagine.'
"I could not be satisfied until I had seen Judge Campbell, upon whom we so much relied for good, calm sense. I found him with his hands full of papers, which he waved deprecatingly as I entered.
"'Just a minute, Judge! I am alone at the Spotswood and—'
"'Stay there, my dear lady! You will be perfectly11 safe. I advise all families to remain in their own houses. Keep quiet. I am glad to know the Colonel is safe. He may be with you soon now.'
"With this advice I returned and mightily12 reassured13 and comforted the proprietor of the Spotswood. He immediately caused notice to be issued to his guests. I resolved to convey my news to the families I knew best. The Pegrams were in such deep affliction there was no room there for anxious fears about such small matters as the evacuation of cities, but I could see my dear Mrs. Paul, and Mrs. Maben, and say a comforting word at the 356 Allan home—closed to all the world since poor John fell at Gettysburg. Mrs. Davis was gone and out of harm's way. The Lees were sacred from intrusion. Four members of that household—the General, 'Rooney,' Custis, and Robert—were all at the post of danger. Late in the afternoon three hundred or more prisoners were marched down the street; the negroes began to stand about, quietly observant but courteous14, making no demonstration15 whatever. The day, you remember, was one of those glorious days we have in April, and millions on millions of stars watched at night, looking down on the watchers below. I expected to sit by my window all night as you always do in a troubled time, but sleep overtook me. I had slept, but not undressed, when a loud explosion shook the house—then another. There were crashing sounds of falling glass from the concussion16. I found the sun had risen. All was commotion17 in the streets, and agitation18 in the hotel. The city government had dragged hogsheads of liquor from the shops, knocked in the heads, and poured the spirits into the gutters19. They ran with brandy, whiskey, and rum, and men, women, and boys rushed out with buckets, pails, pitchers20, and in the lower streets, hats and boots, to be filled. Before eight o'clock many public buildings were in flames, and a great conflagration21 was evidently imminent22. The flames swept up Main Street, where the stores were quickly burned, and then roared down the side streets almost to Franklin.
"The doors of all the government bakeries were thrown open and food was given to all who asked it. Women and children walked in and helped themselves. At ten o'clock the enemy arrived,—ten thousand negro troops, going on and on, cheered by the negroes on the streets.
"So the morning passed—a morning of horror, of terror! Drunken men shouted and reeled through the 357 streets, a black cloud from the burning city hung like a pall23 over us, a black sea of faces filled the street below, shells burst continuously in the ashes of the burning armory24. About four in the afternoon a salute25 of thirty-four guns was fired. A company of mounted dragoons advanced up the street, escorting an open carriage drawn26 by four horses in which sat Mr. Lincoln and a naval27 officer, followed by an escort of cavalry28. They drove straight to Mr. Davis's house, cheered all the way by negroes, and returned the way they came. I had a good look at Mr. Lincoln. He seemed tired and old—and I must say, with due respect to the President of the United States, I thought him the ugliest man I had ever seen. He was fairly elected the first time, I acknowledge,—but was he the last? A good many of the 'free and equal' were not allowed a vote then.
"The next day I persuaded one of the lads in the hotel to take a walk with me early in the morning, and I passed General Lee's house. A Yankee guard was pacing to and fro before it—at which I felt an impulse of indignation,—but presently the door opened, the guard took his seat on the steps and proceeded to investigate the contents of a very neatly29 furnished tray, which Mrs. Lee in the kindness of her heart had sent out to him.
"I am obliged to acknowledge that there is really no hope now of our ultimate success. Everybody says so. My heart is too full for words. General Johnson says we may comfort ourselves by the fact that war may decide a policy, but never a principle. I imagine our principle is all that remains30 to us of hope or comfort.
"Agnes."
From my friend Admiral Porter I learned that he landed with President Lincoln, and that through 358 some contretemps no equipage was in waiting to conduct them through the streets of Richmond. They set out to walk, escorted by twelve of the boat's crew with bayonets fixed32 on their rifles. The day was warm, and the streets dusty, "owing to the immense gathering33 of the crowd, kicking up the dirt." Mr. Lincoln took off his hat and fanned his face, from which the perspiration34 was pouring, and looked as if he would give his presidency35 for a glass of water.
The admiral, par3 parenthèse, told many negro anecdotes36 in negro dialect, but, like all Northern imitators of that inimitable lingo37, he "slipped up" on many words. The negro does not say "Massa"—his word is "Marster"; he does not say "Bress de Lawd,"—"Thank Gawd A'mighty" being his pious38 preference.
The triumphing party was overtaken by an equipage and a military escort, and proceeded, according to the admiral, "to the mansion39 of Mr. Davis.[23] It was quite a small affair compared with the White House, and modest in all its appointments, showing that while President Davis was engaged heart and soul in endeavoring to effect the division of the states, he was not, at least, surrounding himself with regal style, but was living in a modest, comfortable way, like any other citizen. Amid all his surroundings the refined taste of his wife was apparent, and marked everything about the apartments." Admiral Porter thought that the Confederate government 359 had departed in an ignoble40 manner, "that it should have remained at the capital and surrendered in a dignified41 way, making terms for the citizens of the place, guarding their rights, and acknowledging they had lost the game. There was nothing to be ashamed of in such a surrender to a vastly superior force; their armies had fought as people never fought before. They had 'robbed the cradle and the grave' to sustain themselves, and all that was wanted to make them glorious was the submission42 of their leaders and troops in a dignified way," etc.
This was also the feeling of many of our own best men—of General Lee and scores of his officers, of Judge Campbell, of the private citizens of Richmond. Mr. Davis differed from these men. General Lee's opinion was known to his officers. General Gordon once said to him:—
"Have you expressed an opinion, as to the propriety43 of making terms, to the President or to Congress?"[24]
His reply was: "General Gordon, I am a soldier. It is my duty to obey orders.... It is enough to turn a man's hair gray to spend one day in that Congress. The members are patriotic44 and earnest, but they will neither take the responsibility of acting45 nor will they clothe me with authority to act. As for Mr. Davis, he is unwilling46 to do anything short of independence, and feels that it is useless to try to treat on that basis." This conversation immediately 360 preceded the terrible battle at Petersburg, and the consequent loss of that city and Richmond. Much could have been saved in blood and in treasure had the final battles never taken place. "Whom the gods destroy they first infatuate."
Intelligence of the death of President Lincoln reached Petersburg on the 17th of April. As he had been with us but a few days before, manifestly in perfect health and in all the glow and gladness of the triumph of the Federal arms, the community was unspeakably shocked by the catastrophe47. That he fell by the hand of an assassin, and that the deed was done by a Confederate and avowedly48 in the interest of the Confederate cause, were circumstances which distressed49 us with an apprehension50 that the entire South would be held responsible for the atrocious occurrence. The day after the tragic51 news reached us the people of Petersburg in public meeting adopted resolutions deploring52 the President's death and denouncing his assassination,—resolutions which gave expression to the earnest and universal sentiment of Virginia. I question if, in any quarter of the country, the virtues53 of Abraham Lincoln—as exhibited in his spirit of forgiveness and forbearance—are more revered54 than in the very section which was the battle-ground of the fight for independence of his rule. It is certainly our conviction that had he lived the South would never have suffered the shame and sorrow of the carpet-bag régime.
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1
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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4
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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8
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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9
evading
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| 逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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10
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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11
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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13
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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14
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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16
concussion
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| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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18
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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19
gutters
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| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
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20
pitchers
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| 大水罐( pitcher的名词复数 ) | |
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conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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22
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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24
armory
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| n.纹章，兵工厂，军械库 | |
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25
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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26
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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27
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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28
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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29
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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30
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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31
devotedly
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| 专心地； 恩爱地； 忠实地； 一心一意地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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33
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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35
presidency
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| n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期) | |
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36
anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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lingo
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| n.语言不知所云，外国话，隐语 | |
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38
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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39
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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40
ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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41
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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42
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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43
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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44
patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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45
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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46
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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47
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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48
avowedly
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| adv.公然地 | |
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49
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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50
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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51
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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52
deploring
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的现在分词 ) | |
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53
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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54
revered
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| v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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