Description

PUBLICATION DETAILS: Two 6 ½” h x 20 ½” w panels to be joined forming one long panoramic view.  On a double sheet of newsprint.  Published on pages 380-381 in The Illustrated London News Vol. 47, No. 1339, October 21, 1865. The accompanying text verso on page 382 is titled “Panorama of Richmond, Virginia, after the Conflagration”.
 
DESCRIPTION OF FIRE: Shows Richmond after the disastrous fires set by the retreating Confederate troops just before the end of the war.  Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell, Richmond’s military commander, was under orders to destroy the city’s tobacco, cotton, and foodstuffs to prevent the Federal Forces from using them. He ordered the Confederate troops to set fire to the four of the principal warehouses of the city: the public warehouse near the Petersburg railroad depot, situated near the center of the city, side by side with the Gallego flour-mills; Mayo’s warehouse; and Dibrell’s warehouse near Libby prison. (Libby prison was unharmed.) 
 
FEDERAL FORCES: The Federal forces entered the city and assisted to local firemen in extinguishing the fire, but not until it had burned out the very heart of Richmond to include its great warehouses, the post-offices, banks, etc.  A third of the city was destroyed.  For the distance of half a mile from the north side of Main Street to the James River, and between 8th and 15th streets, encompassing some 54 city blocks, lay a waste of smoking ruins, blackened walls and broken chimneys. Fortunately, the Capitol was not destroyed; Richmond had served as the capital of The Confederate States of America since 1861.
 
On April 3^rd, Union General Godfrey Weitzel sent a telegram to General Grant stating:
 
“We took Richmond at 8:15 this morning. I captured many guns. The enemy left in great haste. The city is on fire in two places. Am making every effort to put it out. The people received us with enthusiastic expressions of joy.”
 
CONDITION: Lightly toned. Folded at center. Very good.
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Civil War Trust, The Fall of Richmond, Virginia.
 
SP022A