. Historic Virginia homes and churches . rung down on the brilliant dramawhich the social history of ante-bellum Richmond made, tolise on the tragedy for which the city lent itself as a stageduring foiu- years of civil warfare. Again the house atthe corner of Twelfth and Clay Streets occupied a con-spicuous place in the setting. Echoes of viol and wedding-bell were now lost in the alarmus of rifle and cannon. Thestately rooms of that house Avhere so bright the lights had shone oer fair women and brave men, were become thecouncil chambers of war and government. In place of theprocession of carr
. Historic Virginia homes and churches . rung down on the brilliant dramawhich the social history of ante-bellum Richmond made, tolise on the tragedy for which the city lent itself as a stageduring foiu- years of civil warfare. Again the house atthe corner of Twelfth and Clay Streets occupied a con-spicuous place in the setting. Echoes of viol and wedding-bell were now lost in the alarmus of rifle and cannon. Thestately rooms of that house Avhere so bright the lights had shone oer fair women and brave men, were become thecouncil chambers of war and government. In place of theprocession of carriages filled with ladies and gentlemenarrayed for a fete, filing up the street toward the house,might occasionally be seen a very different pageant—President Davis and General Lee riding side by side, inearnest conversation, and clattering behind them theirstaff officers. In the room to the right of the entrance hall, wheremany a time a fair girl had waited the coming of gallantlover, the Presidents wife now sat night after night and. RICHMOND AND THE UPPER JAIMES 137 listened with strained ear and anxious face for the soundof liorses hoofs on the street outside, for mayhap a courierwould come in the night with dispatches for her hushand,indulging in uneasy sleep in the room above. When thecapital of the Confederacy was moved from Montgomery,Alabama, to Richmond, the city bought the house, spent$8, furnishing it and tendered it to Mr. Davis, whoagreed to accept it only upon condition that the Confeder-ate Government should pay full rent for it. The housenow began to be known by the name which added the crown-ing touch to its glory—the White House of the Confed-eracy—and now the dames and the squires, the belles andthe beaux who had danced and feasted there bent theirsteps that way to pay court to the President and his lady. Upon the evacuation of Richmond, United Statestroops under General Weitzel took possession of the \VhiteHouse of the Confederacy for headquarter
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Keywords: ., book, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectchurchbuildings
