the
disaster served in a measure to mitigate its evil results. The burning
of seven hundred buildings, comprising the entire business portion of
Richmond warehouses, manufactories, mills, depots, and stores, all
within the brief space of a day, was a visitation so sudden, so
unexpected, so stupefying, as to overawe and terrorize even wrong-doers,
and made the harvest of plunder so abundant as to serve to scatter the
mob and satisfy its rapacity to quick repletion.

Before a new hunger could arise, assistance was at hand. General
Weitzel, to whom the city was surrendered, taking up his headquarters in
the house lately occupied by Jefferson Davis, promptly set about the
work of relief; organizing efficient resistance to the fire, which, up
to this time, seems scarcely to have been attempted; issuing rations to
the poor, who had been relentlessly exposed to starvation by the action
of the rebel Congress; and restoring order and personal authority. That
a regiment of black soldiers assisted in this noble work must have
seemed to the white inhabitants of Richmond the final drop in their cup
of misery.

Into the capital, thus stricken and laid waste, came President Lincoln
on the morning of April 4. Never in the history of the world did the
head of a mighty nation and the conqueror of a great rebellion enter the
captured chief city of the insurgents in such humbleness and simplicity.
He had gone two weeks before to City Point for a visit to General Grant,
and to his son, Captain Robert Lincoln, who was serving on Grant's
staff. Making his home on the steamer which brought him, and enjoying
what was probably the most satisfactory relaxation in which he had been
able to indulge during his whole presidential service, he had visited
the various camps of the great army in company with the general, cheered
everywhere by the loving greetings of the soldiers. He had met Sherman
when that commander hurried up fresh from his victorious march, and
after Grant started on his final pursuit of Lee the President still
lingered; and it was at City Point that he received the news of the fall
of Richmond.

Between the receipt of this news and the following forenoon, but before
any information of the great fire had reached them, a visit was arranged
for the President and Rear-Admiral Porter. Ample precautions were taken
at the start. The President went in his own steamer, the _River Queen_,
with her escort, the _Bat_, and a tug used at City