Richmond's New Status As Confederacy Capital
Richmond has long been an important state capital in Virginia. But, there was a short time when it was something more.
On May 8th, the Confederate States of America declared that Richmond, Virginia, was their capital. The city would stand as a vital central point for the new region as the Confederates fought against the Union. It was a sound political decision at the time, but the status wouldn't last long.
Richmond wasn't the first capital of the Confederacy. That honor went to Montgomery, Alabama, although it was short-lived. The Confederacy grew in 1861, as more states broke away from the Union. At first, Montgomery was an easy choice because of its size and position among the Confederate states. However, once the war officially began on April 12th, more of these southern neighbors joined the cause.
Virginia didn't hang around and voted to secede on April 17th. The new Confederate leaders gathered in Montgomery on May 8th to declare that Richmond would take the position of capital instead. It was a swift and shrewd move. Virginia hadn't even ratified the decision by that point - that would come on May 23rd - and didn't officially join until June 19th. Giving them the capital meant that the state leaders couldn't turn back. They were locked into their pledge to support the Confederacy.
The decision made sense given Richmond's position - both geographically and as a major city. It lay close to the Union and was the third-largest city in the Confederacy at the time. The State Capitol soon evolved into the Confederate Capitol, where the Confederacy President and associates could plan their next moves. It also had plenty of supplies and great rail links to other areas.
While the decision favored the Confederacy, it didn't favor its people. The city became a massive target, and citizens struggled to maintain the lives they had. Nearly two years on from the start of the war, the city experienced a bread riot due to high food prices.
Richmond's reign as a capital city ended on April 2nd, 1865. Subtly known as Evacuation Sunday, this was when the Confederacy's leaders admitted defeat and fled. President Davis left the city with his cabinet via the railroad. The final orders were to burn the central supplies, including the warehouses and powder magazines, and all the bridges leading in. As they fled, the fire ravaged the city and destroyed vast areas, killing some of the residents that remained. It was the Union troops that eventually controlled the blaze. That week, President Lincoln visited the abandoned Confederacy Capitol with his son.
Everything came to an end from there. On the 9th, General Lee finally surrendered, and on the 14th, Lincoln was shot. The war was over, and the country was left to repair the damage and find a way back together.
Richmond rose from the ashes and became a vibrant Virginian city again. There are still traces of the Confederate history around the city, including the final resting place of Confederate President Davis. It may only be a state capital now, but it won't forget those years when it had a bigger role to play.