From the Richmond Whig, 2/29/1864, p. 1, c. 2

FIRST MARKET BELL. - This bell was cracked a few weeks ago, and has been removed to Messrs. Talbot’s foundry to be recast. In the meantime, the Chief Engineer of the Fire Brigade should make arrangements for communicating alarms of fire in the First Ward (should any occur) to the guard at the “bell house” in the Capitol Square. A horse might be kept saddled at one of the stables near the First Market, to be used for this purpose. In a week or ten days the bell will be recast, so that the expense incurred in carrying out our suggestion would be trivial, in comparison with the saving of property in the event of a fire down town, before the new bell is suspended in its place.