112 AFI’ENPIX. though I have sonic reason to doubt whether it was the primary object or expectation of “Stonewall” Jackson in his dashing Potomac campaign to effect this result. But it was not believed Possible in Richmond for some days after it had demonstrably occurred. The cannon of Fitz-John Porter in the battle at Hanover Court House had sounded the knell of Richmond in the ears of those who knew the relative positions of the two federal armies. I was at that time living in a house on the extreme verge of Shockoe Hill, overlooking the line of the Virginia Central Railway, and on the 27th of May I received a visit from an European officer of distinction, then in Richmond, who brought me the news of what was going on, and said to me, “You will have the first view of the Yankees —they will march in on yonder lines;” pointing to the roads which wound awsy from beyond the crest to our left in the direction of Hanover Court House and Ashland. At that time the foreign consuls in Richmond had made all necessary arrangements for protecting the property’ of their fellow subjects; and almost every body -who owned any tobacco or Hour was eager to shift it, in one. way or another, to the account of foreign owners. The fall of the city was considered inevitable. Note I.—l’agc 72. FA Hi O\KS. Tim Prince's account of the condition of the confederates on the morning of June 1st, rather under than overstates the case. They were in a perfect chaos of brigades and regiments. The roads into Richmond were literally’ crowded with stragglers, some throwing away their guns, some breaking them on the trees—all with the same story, that their regiments had be«n Mcnt to pieces ”—that the “ Yankees were swarming on the Chickahominy like bees,’’ and “ lighting like devils.” In two d..ys of the succeeding week the provost-marshal’s guard
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