A Former Prisoner Revisits Richmond

In July, 1861, I came into this city lying upon the bottom of a freight car, making the journey from Manassas in thirty hours. I arrived here last evening in a Pullman, making the journey from Washington in less than five hours. I enjoyed the last ride much better than the first. Upon my arrival the first time I was loaded into a wagon and taken to the "Poor House." Yesterday I took a carriage for the Exchange Hotel, where I found better quarters, and more freedom than in the former place.

I have visited Richmond now, that I might see if anything remained of the prisons in which I was confined, and to see other places of interest to one who followed the Union army; and I have been much gratified with what I have seen.

We took a carriage, driven by a darkey who was in Richmond during the "wah," and who is thoroughly posted both as to the events of that time and the objects of present interest in Richmond. He was pretty full, but as he said: "I doan know what you gemmens is, but I's solid for Blaine and Logan," we overlooked his condition. We passed the house in which Mr. Davis lived during the war. It was a square, plain house, in a good location, surrounded by grounds of small area.

Nearly opposite was the residence of Alexander Stephens. This is a larger and better house than the Davis house, yet of moderate size. A short distance from him is the capital of Virginia. It is an old stone building of moderate dimensions, much smaller than the Vermont State Capitol, and was the Confederate capitol. It stands upon a commanding eminence in the centre of the city, and is surrounded by quite large and fine grounds. Near the building stands one of the finest monuments I ever saw. It was designed by the sculptor Crawford before the war, but was not completed until seven years after. It is of granite, hexagonal in shape; upon six pedestals around the base are bronze figures representing different periods in colonial and revolutionary history, the battles of Eutaw Springs, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, etc. Still higher up the monument, upon projections, stand heroic statues of the patriots and founders of the state, John Marshall, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Governor Nelson and Arthur Lewis. Upon the top is a fine equestrian statue of Washington.

Near by is a statue of "Stonewall Jackson" placed upon a modest pedestal, upon which was inscribed somewhat as follows: "This statue is presented by some English gentlemen as a tribute of admiration for Gen. T. J. Jackson as a patriot and a soldier, and gratefully accepted by the people of Virginia." I couldn't quite endorse the "patriot" part of it. Entering the Capitol we visited the Senate chamber, which was very small and insignificant, and the House of delegates also very small and plain. In the portrait gallery were many fine paintings of patriots and rebels, Washington, Munroe and others of the first class, Lee, Johnson, Floyd, Jackson and others of the latter. While there are fine full length portraits of Lee, Jackson, and Joe Johnson, there is none of Jeff. Davis. In the library there is a large photograph or crayon drawing of him, showing his bust only. It was all I cared to see of him. In this room, which was of small dimensions for the purpose, were many interesting things. In one end, upon the inside of the gallery, in a festoon, was arranged the Confederate flag, and two Virginia flags. I could not see the United States flag about the building.

Opposite the Capitol is the church in which Jeff. Davis was sitting when he was apprised of the fall of Petersburg, and that Richmond must be evacuated.

Upon the northern outskirts of the city stands an old substantial brick building which is used now, as it was before the war, for the poorhouse. In '61 this was used for a hospital for the badly wounded of both armies. I passed five weeks there then, and to-day I found the room, and place in the room, in which I lay then. From thence we drove to an eminence which overlooks the Tredegar iron works, where most of the arms for the rebels were made during the war. Beyond, and over an arm of the James, we could see Belle Isle, where so many Union prisoners were confined and maltreated. From there we were driven down to the banks of the James to the famous Libby prison, where over 25,000 Union prisoners were confined during the four years of the war. This is now used as a fertilizer manufactory, but is visited daily by many people from the north, notably ex-Union soldiers. I met there to-day the Lt.-Col. of the 88th New York, who was a prisoner there, and who, with his wife, was reviving for the first time the place of his sufferings.

About one hundred feet from Libby stands an old tobacco warehouse which was used as a prison during the war, and in this I was confined after I was removed from the poorhouse. I visited the room in which I lay, and this time was allowed to go out when I desired. We saw the remains of some of the rebel fortifications around the city and various other things of interest, but I have already made this letter too long.

C. A. W.