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Col. James G. Gibbes. 
 
W^© Jguirnfe ^lumbia? 
 
 BY 
 
 COL. JAMES G. GIBBES. 
 
 NEWBERRY S. C 
 e;i.bert h. Aull Company. 
 
 IQ02. 
 
t4 It 
 
 THE Library of 
 CONGRESS, 
 
 ?'^ , I MAY 18 1903 
 
 Copies Receiverf 
 
 y 18 190- 
 
 Copyiight hntry 
 
 CLASS*^ a' XXo. IMc 
 
 ^^ r §• ^ 
 COPY B. ' 
 
 "Who Burnt Columbia?" 
 
 An article, written by me soon after the war, on the 
 burning of Columbia, for the Philadelphia Times, 
 having been recently republished, has caused such a 
 number of requests to me to prepare a full and com- 
 plete account of all the investigations and reports made 
 about the matter, that I have decided to compile and 
 publish the testimony that has been collected from 
 reliable and undoubted sources. "Who Burnt Colum- 
 bia," has never been a question in the mind of any 
 person who was here. But the facts have not been 
 generally made known. 
 
 While the old citizens know beyond a shadow of a 
 doubt that the city was burnt wantonly by Sherman's 
 Army, it has been the general belief that no orders for 
 its destruction had been given, but that it was fully 
 understood tnat the soldiers were to be allowed to do 
 as they pleased, and that they were to be left under no 
 restraint. A committee of the most respectable citizens 
 of the place, with Hon. Chancellor J. P. Carroll, as 
 chairman, investigated the matter fully, and showed by 
 the sworn affidavits of sixty of her best citizens, what 
 were the true facts. 
 
 Wm. Gilmore Sims, Dr. D. H. Trezevant, E. J. 
 Scott, J. Wood Davidson, and many others have es- 
 tablished the facts beyond a shadow of a doubt. Their 
 testimony I have condensed as much as possible and 
 with it give the testimony of Gen. Sherman, Gen. 
 Howard, and other officers of the United States Army, 
 and believe, after an impartial review of the whole, that 
 no one will be left with any doubt as to who burnt 
 Columbia. JAS. G. GIBBES. 
 
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 A few years after the war Alex. McClure of the Philadelphia 
 Times devoted the columns of his paper to the publication of 
 matter of interest connected with the great struggle. It was 
 at his request that I wrote the account of the Burning of Co- 
 lumbia, which is here republished, and in compliance with the 
 request of many friends I add to it the official report of a com- 
 mittee of citizens of Columbia, who were appointed to investigate 
 and report on the facts connected therewith. This article was 
 published in the Philadelphia Times, September 20, 1880. 
 
 I also add important testimony taken from the accounts of a 
 number of writers, all persons known for high character and 
 undoubted veracity : Wm, Gilmore Simras, the distinguished 
 author; Dr. D, H. Trezevant, one of the oldest and best known 
 citizens and physicians; Edward J. Scott, and many others. I 
 also add statements of Gen. Sherman himself, taken from his own 
 memoirs ; besides statements and admissions of Gen. Howard, 
 2nd in command, Gen. Stone, Col. Palmer, Gen. W. B. Hazen, 
 Capt. Conyngham, Col. Nichols, and Maj. Gen. Hallack. 
 
 ACCOUNT OF JAMES G. GIBBES, PHILADELPHIA TIMES. 
 
 When Gen. Sherman reported that Columbia was either 
 burned by Gen. Hampton or by accident, caused by the burn- 
 ing of cotton in the streets by the citizens, he presented the 
 people of the North so-called facts ; but over forty thousand 
 eye-witnesses of the scene — one half of them his own soldiers 
 — knew the facts to be very different indeed. As a witness of 
 what took place on that fearful night, and with most of the 
 scenes as vividly before me as if they had occurred but yester- 
 day, I propose to give an account of it as it occurred. It was 
 known about the loth of February, 1865, that Sherman's army 
 had passed across the Charleston and Savannah Railroad to- 
 ward Branchville, a point equi-distant from Charleston, Au- 
 gusta and Columbia, being sixty to sixty-five miles from each. 
 
4 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 Opinion was divided as to its probable route from there. It 
 was not believed that it would pass through Columbia until 
 about Wednesday, February 15, and even then it was gener- 
 ally believed that it would not cross the Congaree River, but 
 proceed up Broad River. On Thurs day, however, considerable 
 skirmishing took place between the advance of the army and a 
 few cavalry under Gen. Butler, between Congaree Creek and 
 old Granby Point, three to five miles below Columbia. A few 
 companies of cavalry composed the entire Confederate force at 
 or near Columbia, but not sufficient to oppose the approach 
 of the large army of Sherman. At this time I have no records or 
 reports by which I could give the relative strength of the par- 
 ties, but it was generally believed that Sherman had sixty 
 thousand men, that one division had gone farther west, not far 
 from Augusta, and that over forty thousand men were in the 
 two divisions marching on Columbia. About twenty thousand, 
 as well as I could estimate, crossed Saluda and Broad rivers 
 and entered Columbia ; another division, equally large, passed 
 up Broad River, crossing thirty or forty miles above. 
 
 PILES OF TREASURE. 
 
 It should be noted that Columbia is situated on the east bank 
 or side of Congaree river, which is formed by the junction of 
 Saluda ard Broad rivers, which unite just above the corpo- 
 rate limits of the city. As I stated, it became evident on 
 Thursday that the army would enter Columbia, and as there 
 were no troops to defend it steps were at once taken to remove 
 government stores and such things of value as were possible. 
 There were usually three banks located at Columbia, but on 
 account of its being looked on as peculiarly safe from attack 
 all of the banks of Charleston, and I believe all of those of the 
 interior, with the exception, perhaps, of one, had removed to 
 the city, making either fourteen or fifteen (I do not remember 
 which) then in the place. Most of these banks, in addition to 
 their ordinary assets, were crowded with immense special de- 
 posits in the way of boxes of silver plate, valuable papers, title 
 deeds, bonds, etc., belonging to their customers and friends, 
 many of whom were refugees from their homes and had en- 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 5 
 
 trusted their all to the banks for safe keeping. This fact will 
 account for the immense losses that occurred from the fire and 
 the pillage that preceded it, as these deposits were entirely too 
 bulky to be removed at the last moment, when norses or 
 vehicles of any kind could not be had at any price. On 
 Thursday the railroad trains were moving everything that 
 could be put on them — the Charlotte and Greenville roads 
 sending off trains as fast as they could be loaded. The South 
 Carolina or Charleston road had been cut below Columbia by 
 the advance of Sherman, atid was of no service in assisting in 
 the exodus. The Confederate treasury department, large 
 amounts of military sto.es and ammunition and commissary 
 stores were removed. In addition to the railroads every horse, 
 mule and ox was made available in removing families and 
 valuables; but even then transportationVas so limited that the 
 banks were only able to remove their money and their books, 
 leaving hundreds ot tons of valuable deposits still in their 
 vaults. 
 
 FRIDAY MORNING INCIDENTS. 
 
 Late on Thursday night I was with Gen. Beauregard, at his 
 quarters at the United States Hotel, and found all arrange- 
 ments complete for the evacuation of the city early Friday 
 morning. In accordance with orders received, Gen. Beaure- 
 gard turned over the command of the department to Gen. 
 Hampton, whose whole command, if I am not mistaken, did 
 not exceed eight hundred men. Capt. VVitherspoon, chief 
 commissary, gave me the keys of the different Confederate 
 storehouses, and requested me to open them the first thing on 
 Friday morning, and to distribute the stores among tlie citi- 
 zens. While engaged at this about daylight on Friday morn- 
 ing, a terrible explosion was heard, which was afterwards 
 found to have occurred in the depot of the South Carolina 
 Railroad, from some unknown cause, killing several persons 
 who were in the building at the time. Soon after this Gen. 
 Sherman opened fire on the city from a battery that he erected 
 in the night on a commanding hill just above the Congaree 
 bridge, one mile west of the Capitol. This fire on the city was 
 
6 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 begun without any notice and when no defence was intended 
 or possible. Forcunately, no casualties occurred from it. Five 
 shot struck the west wing of the Capitol, two of them break- 
 ing and shattering the pilasters and cornice around one of the 
 windows. A lew shot also struck and passed through the old 
 State House, a wooden building. A piece of shell struck the 
 residence of my father, on Plain street, and another piece fell 
 into a buggy passing — the last vehicle, I believe, to leave the 
 city — fortunately v;ithout injuring its occupant. One shot 
 passed through the house of Capt. Matthews, on Arsenal Hill, 
 shattering a large looking-glass while a young lady was stand- 
 ing before it. During Thursday night a picket guard, sta- 
 tioned at the long bridge over the Congaree, set fire to it, 
 against orders, and it was entirely destroyed. That prevented 
 Sherman from entering the city directly, but he passed up, 
 crossed Saluda river near the Saluda factory— after firing it — 
 then crossed Broad river, three miles above Columbia on a 
 pontoon bridge. I find myself giving details somewhat foreign 
 to the subject of the burning, but even at the risk of being 
 tedious I find it necessary. 
 
 As soon as it was known that Sherman or a part of his army 
 had crossed the river, the mayor, Dr. Goodwyn, and two or 
 three of the aldermen, among whom, I believe, were Mr. John 
 McKinzie, John Stork and O. Z. Bates, who are still residents 
 of Columbia, went out to meet them. 'Dr. Goodwyn informed 
 Col. Stone, who was in command of the advance, that the city 
 was in no condition to make any defence and that he had come 
 out for the purpose of making a formal surrender of it. After 
 some conversation Col. Stone said : "Mr. Mayor, you can say 
 to your people that they have nothing to be afraid of ; that 
 they are as safe as if there was not a Yankee within a thous- 
 and miles of them." After this assurance the mayor returned 
 to the city. Col Stone afterwards, in reply to" a question of 
 Mr. Edward T. Scott, as to how private p'-operty would be 
 protected, said, "'Fully! We are not savages;'' but later in the 
 day. when asked by Mr. Scott for a guard to protect the Com- 
 mercial Bank, he turned off, merely saying, "he had no time." 
 This occurred about lo o'clock A- M., Friday, February 17. , 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 7 
 
 About II o'clock the army entered the city, marching down 
 Main or Richardson street. On reaching the Courthouse and 
 market the troops seemed to be all simultaneously disbanded 
 and released from any restraint. The streets were soon all 
 crowded with soldiers, but at first all seemed quiet and well 
 disposed. About i o'clock an alarm of fire was given, and the 
 fire bells rang. The writer hurried to the place of alarm and 
 found about sixty bales of cotton had been rolled into the 
 centre of Richardson street, in front of the store of O. Z, Bates, 
 and was on fire. As I approached it I found a few men (citi- 
 zens) had run out the Independent Engine from its house, near 
 the market, not over one hundred yards from the burning 
 cotton, and began playing on the fire. They soon extinguished 
 it and continued playing on the smoking bales till all sign of 
 fire was over. Not less than one thousand Federal soldiers 
 were on the sidewalks and street looking on, but took no part 
 at the fire until just as it was about all controlled, when a 
 drunken soldier took his musket and plunged the bayonet into 
 the hose pipe. Instantly a number of others joined in and 
 with their bayonets soon cut the entire hose to pieces. The 
 men working the engine remonstrated, but with no avail. 
 They then ran the engine back into the enginehouse. 
 Fortunately the fire wa - all over before this destruction of the 
 hose, or the town might have been fired from it. Before 2 
 o'clock P. M. all sign of the fire was over. 
 
 SAVED BY STRATAGEM. 
 
 During the afternoon thirty bales of cotton, moved out into 
 the street from his stable by Mr. J. H. Kinard, at the corner 
 of Plain street, was burned ; also, a few bales in Cottontown, 
 not far from Mr. R. O'Neale's. These fires, however, were 
 small affairs, and had no more to do with the burning of the 
 city than they had with that of Chicago. About 3 P. M. large 
 columns of smoke were seen east of the city, two to five miles 
 ofi^, which turned out to be the residences of Gen. Hampton, 
 Dr. Wallace, George A. Trenholm, the cotton and card mill 
 of the writer, and the houses of a number of other parties. 
 About 2 to 3 P. M. the soldiers began breaking into the stores 
 
8 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 and banks, and here the plunder and destruction of valuable 
 property was beyond description. Thousands of boxes of val- 
 uables were stored in the bank vaults I was passing the Bank 
 of Charleston and the Commercial Bank of Columbia and found 
 a squad of about fifty soldiers breaking them open and loading 
 themselves with silver to the extent of their ability to carry. 
 While looking on at this scene, a young man of Columbia came 
 up with a Federal uniform coat on and with a large three-bushel 
 bag, which he held open on the pavement as the .soldiers came 
 out with their loads. One of them told him to hold his bag 
 open, mistaking him for one of his own comrades. Our dis- 
 guised friend did so readily, and his bag was soon filled with 
 all he could carry. Aiter the eva.uation this gentleman turned 
 over to me, as the mayor of the city, this very silver, which I 
 had the pleasure of restoring to the daughter of its former 
 owner, (James L. Petigru,) Mrs. King, afterward Mrs. C. C. 
 Bowen. 
 
 Every store in the city was sacked, as were the banks, but I 
 knew of no serious attacks on residences that were occupied, 
 except those in the outskirts of the city. The soldiers were 
 generally civil and pleasant spoken, but there was a marked 
 air of absence from all restraint and control, and the soldiers 
 evidently knew that it was a general holiday, and that they 
 were able to do as they pleased. About 7 P. M. signal rockets 
 were thrown up from three several points, all in the northwest 
 part of the city, in what was known as Cottoutown. Very 
 soon it was known what the signal reckets meant. The city 
 was fired in several places at the same time. Just then a high 
 wind sprung up, blowing from the northwest. This sent the 
 flames with irresistible violence, sweeping all before it. The 
 city was laid off in squares of four acres each, with streets one 
 hundred feet wide. All of the stores were on one street — 
 Richardson or Main street, as it was called. This street was 
 closely built up for about one and a half miles. The buildings 
 on the other streets were not so close, as most of the residences 
 had large gardens and yards attached. Frequently the dis- 
 tance from one house to the next was too great for the flames 
 to lap over and ignite the next ; but, alas, that mattered not — 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 9 
 
 thousands of willing hands were ready to destroy what the 
 elements were about to spare. Soldiers were seen on every 
 side with every appliance for aiding the conflagration. Some 
 had buckets of kerosene or turpentine, or other inflammable 
 materials, and wherever a house was about to escape the fury 
 of the burning storm it was immediately fired and made to 
 share the general fate. With the exception of one sn\all cot- 
 tage house, occupied by Mr. Huchett, of Charleston, at the 
 head of Main street, not a building was left on that street ; 
 everything on it was burned for one and a half miles and in a 
 belt from a quarter to a half mile wide. Eighty-four squares, 
 containing three hundred and sixty-six acres, and thirteen 
 hundred bouses were destroyed. 
 
 A FEARFUL NIGHT. 
 
 The fire continued throughout the night, the streets being 
 crowded all the time with soldiers, but no officers were to be 
 seen. I did see Gen. Sherman riding leisurely through the 
 streets smoking a cigar, but he gave no orders and seemed to 
 take little interest in what was going on. No one could wit- 
 ness the scene without the firm conviction that the burning of 
 the city was a prearranged affair, or else that the soldiers were 
 given to understand that they bad free license to do as they 
 pleased and that there would be no restraint over them. I 
 spent almost the entire night in the streets and witnessed 
 many houses fired by the soldiers, and I never saw (nor did I 
 ever see any one who did) a single instance in which any as- 
 sistance was rendered by the soldiers to save property from 
 flames. It was a most fearful night — sublime in its grand 
 awfulness. The illumination was more brilliaat than I am 
 able to describe. It seemed that the most minute things could 
 be seen with wonderful distinctness at inconceivable distances. 
 Not only the glare of the flames, but the millions of sparks 
 and cinders that filled the air all helped to make an illumina- 
 tion that far surpassed the brightness of day. I am satisfied 
 that, looking from the upper part of my house, I saw not less 
 than eight hundred to one thousand men engaged in probing 
 the ground with their bayonets or iron ramrods, searching 
 
lO WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 for buried treasures. In all directions it seemed equally bright. 
 The storm of fire — I can call it nothing else — raged with una- 
 bated fury until daylight or a little later, when my attention 
 was drawn to a number of cavalry, in squads of three or four 
 together, galloping through the streets sounding their bugles 
 and calling on the soldiers to fall into ranks. This was the 
 first sign of any attempt at discipline or the issuing of any 
 orders to the rank and file. I understood immediately that 
 the worst was over, and so it was. The wind was still 
 blowing severely, but I knew that, if unaided, the flames 
 would soon die out. 
 
 At that time the track of fire was just in the rear of my own 
 dwelling and approaching it so rapidly that all who were with 
 me had abandoned it, and I had prepared to leave also, when 
 I noticed the orders for falling into ranks. So satisfied was I 
 that we were near the end that I returned to my house, and 
 with the aid of a few of my servants succeeded in smothering 
 the flames ihat were just starting in one of the outhouses, and 
 saved the whole In less than thirty minutes after the orders 
 were given every straggler was in ranks and the destruction 
 virtually over. Nowhere was the discipline of Sherman's 
 army more conspicuous than in the quick, prompt and imme- 
 diate recognition of their orders to stop from any further de- 
 struction of the city. It seemed like magic. All was as quiet 
 and as orderly as if the men were on dress parade 
 where, but a moment before, it seemed as if to ruin and 
 destroy was the only thing thought of The ordinary popula- 
 tion of Columbia did not exceed ten thousand, but owing to 
 the large number of refugees from the coast there was at the 
 time of the fire not less than twenty thousand persons, and of 
 those not over five hundred men. I should have stated that 
 General Hampton moved out with the few cavalry he had just 
 as the Federal troops were entering the city. On Saturday 
 morning squads of men were detailed for the destruction of 
 what public property and buildings had escaped the night be- 
 fore. The gas works were then destroyed, the powder factory 
 and several other public buildings. None were burned, but 
 they were knocked to pieces or blown up. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? II 
 
 AFTER THE CONFLAGRATION. 
 
 While this destruction was going on the Mayor, Dr. Good- 
 wyn, came to me, broken down with fatigue and overwork. 
 He said that he came to get me to aid and assist him. Finding 
 this was the wish of the people generally, I consented and im- 
 mediately proceeded to take steps to meet the difHculties we 
 were in. The situation was serious. The usual population of 
 the city was more than doubled by the refugees and visitors 
 who were there, and these, too, almost entirely helpless women 
 and children; thirteen hundred houses destroyed, which in 
 number, was perhaps one-half of the city, but which from the 
 location and character was really more than three-fourths of it. 
 The city was greatly cro?i'ded before; now it would be impos- 
 sible to find shelter for one-tenth of the homeless. The rail- 
 roads were destroyed (that was done as soon as the city was 
 occupied) there were no horses or conveyances of any kind to 
 transport the people to a place of shelter, and ever}^ store and 
 shop in the city destroyed, without a single exception. The 
 entire stock of provisions on hand would scarcely support the 
 people two days ; in fact, there were no provisions at all, save 
 the little in private families, and few of these had sufl5cient for 
 more than two or three days. The country for miles around 
 the city had been so thoroughly cleaned up that nothing what- 
 ever could be got from that quarter. The prospect of material 
 aid from Gen. Sherman did not seem very bright. I thought 
 that we had little to expect from one who, if he did not delib- 
 •erately destroy the city by positive orders, did most certainly 
 allow it to be done without making the slightest attempt or 
 ■effort to save it. I would here repeat, in the strongest language 
 possible, that during the whole of that terrible night not a sin- 
 gle instance was known of a United States officer or soldier 
 making an effort to stop the conflagration. I was glad to find, 
 however, that I was mistaken. On Sunday I received a noti- 
 fication from the provost marshal, I think, that the chief com- 
 missary had been ordered by Gen. Sherman to turn over five 
 hundred head of cattle for the use of the citizens. This was 
 all that saved us from actual starvation — the cattle, owing to 
 their peculiar condition (as I will explain hereafter) being 
 
12 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 equivalent to more than double that number of ordinary beef 
 cattle. 
 
 Among the incidents that passed under my own observation 
 were some that it would not be out of place here to relate. 
 Some things occurred that, notwithstanding the fearful condi- 
 tion of things, had their ludicrous side. As soon as the city 
 was occupied on Friday guards were detailed and stationed at a 
 number of the most prominent houses, I suppose with a view 
 of giving their occupants a sort of feeling of guaranteed secu- 
 rity. At the corner opposite my house lived a widow lady, 
 Mrs. Herbamont ; she had considerable silver plate and a lot of 
 choice old wine that was quite valuable. She gave me her 
 silver to try and save for her, which I did by throwing it down 
 my well ; but her wine she had buried in her garden, and felt 
 quite secure of it. As soon as a guard was sent to her house 
 she said to him : "Now, my good man, keep a good lookout 
 and do not let any soldiers rob me. I have over a hundred 
 bottles of fine oM sherry wine buried under that fig tree in the 
 garden, and you keep a good lookout for me and I will give 
 you a bottle of it before you go." The consequence was just 
 what might have been expected. The guard immediately 
 hailed a squad from the street and piloting them to the fig 
 tree unearthed the bottles, drank a few to the health and pros- 
 perity of Mrs. H , took off what they could carry and broke 
 
 up the remainder. 
 
 "what time is it^ " 
 
 Dr. Templeton, a prominent physician of the city, was walk- 
 ing in the street just after the destruction of his house, when 
 he was accosted politely by a soldier and asked what time of 
 night it was. Pulling out his watch to look, the soldier jerked 
 it from him and walked oflf. Dr. Templeton coolly said : "Hold 
 on, my good fellow, here is the key ; it is not a bit of use to 
 me without the watch." The soldier said : "All right, pass 
 it along." The Doctor had not gone fifty yards before he was 
 asked the time by another soldier. "Ah, my friend," said he, 
 "you are just a little too late, one of your comrades was ahead 
 of you." 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 1 3 
 
 I have mentioned the large number of soldiers who were en- 
 gaged in probing the ground all over the city hunting for 
 valuables that were buried. Immense quantities of silver, 
 jewelry, money and other valuables were buried for safety, 
 but the skill exhibited by the soldiers in finding it was truly 
 wonderful. Bayonets and iron ramrods were used to probe 
 the ground in all directions, and many a treasure was found 
 and appropriated that its owner had thought safe and secure. 
 A Mr. Mordecai, of Charleston, a refugee, who had been about 
 a year in Columbia, had an old darkey that he loved to brag 
 about as the only honest negro he had ever known. He would 
 trust Peter with everything he had in the world. He had a 
 large quantity of old family plate, (silver) so he buried it in 
 his cellar — he. and old Peter — not even letting his wife or chil- 
 dren know where it was. As soon as the army marched into 
 the city old Peter met the head of the column at the corner 
 near his master's house, and calling four or five soldiers to go 
 with him, marched straight to the cellar and showed them 
 where to dig up the silver. In telling about it afterward, Mr. 
 Mordecai seemed to be as much hurt by his being deceived by 
 old Peter as he was by the loss of the silver. 
 
 On the morning alter the fire I was passing the house of Dr. 
 P. M. Cohen, a well-known druggist of Charleston, when I saw 
 his grandchild, a little girl of four or five years of age, playing 
 before his door with a small pet lap-dog. Two soldiers were 
 passing, when one of them, for nothing but innate devilment, 
 took the butt end of his musket and knocked out the brains of 
 the little dog. The child began to cry piteously, when the 
 other soldier, who was a kindhearted man, stopped and began 
 to pet the little child, and taking out his knife he went to 
 work with an old cigar box that was lying near and soon had 
 a neat little cofEn constructed and the child interested in the 
 contemplated funeral. Just as he was about to begin to dig a 
 grave to put the dog in under a large rose bush in the front 
 garden, Dr. Cohen came out greatly excited and did all in his 
 power to induce the soldier to dig the grave elsewhere, but all 
 to no purpose. Fortunately, however, the interment was com- 
 pleted without the discovery of the Doctor's silver, which it 
 
14 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 seems he had buried under the same bush, but luckily on the 
 other side. Few were as fortunate. 
 
 SEARCHING FOR SILVER. 
 
 In passing where had been the house of Mr. James K. Fri- 
 day, I saw two soldiers just taking up a large bag from a 
 hole where it had been buried ; they took from it a large ice 
 cream churn filled with silver, which. Mr. Friday had endeav- 
 ored to save in that way. I immediately walked up to the 
 soldiers and told them that it belonged to a gentleman whose 
 house was burning with all he had, and for God's sake to spare 
 his silver. They asked me what I would give them for it. I 
 had one $20 gold piece, all the money I owned of the kind. I 
 took it out (at seme risk) and offered them that, which they 
 agreed to take for the silver if I would throw in a fine pocket 
 knife which they saw I had. This I agreed to with the condi- 
 tion that they would take the churn, bag and contents to my 
 house — which was quite near — as otherwise I might never 
 have saved it. This they did in good faith, and a few days 
 after I had the satisfaction of giving Mr. Friday a welcome 
 surprise, as he had thought his silver had departed forever. 
 About the time the soldiers entered the city an old colored 
 woman, the nurse of my children, came to me and said : 
 "Massa, if you got any money, gib it to me ; dem Yankees 
 neber git it den." With the exception of the aforementioned 
 gold piece, I had but $30 in specie, and that in silver, so I 
 gave that to old Aunt Hannah, more to please her than from 
 any other idea. On Monday morning, just after the evacua- 
 tion of the city, old Hannah came to me with the silver, in 
 high glee, but looking very haggard and worn. Some of my 
 other servants told me that the old woman had not had a mo- 
 ment's rest while the Yankees were in the city ; that she put 
 the silver in her bed and that she stood guard over it day and 
 night, and had broken the head of one soldier with a pair of 
 tongs who undertook to enter her room, and that he would 
 have killed her had his comrades not interferred — thinking it 
 a good joke, her attack on him. When last in Columbia, 
 
WHO BURNT COI^UMBIA? 1 5 
 
 twelve months ago, I met old Hannah and heard her lecture 
 on "dem good ole times." 
 
 Karly on Saturday morning, Mr. Jacob Lyons, the president 
 of the gas company, came to me with the information that he 
 had just been told that the gas works, which had not been 
 burned the night before, were to be blown up, and urged me 
 to see Gen. Sherman and try to save them. I at once went to 
 the house where Gen. Sherman was quartered, but was re- 
 fused admittance. I think, however, one of his staff, a Capt. 
 Merritt, advised me to see Gen. Howard. So I went to him 
 and urged him to give me an order for the protection of the 
 gas works. Gen. Howard was very polite, but gave me little 
 encouragement. Finally he promised to see Gen. Sherman 
 himself on the subject, but confessed that my request would 
 be hardly granted. He was very pleasant, and told me that, 
 though what public buildings were left would be destroyed, he 
 would have no hesitation in sparing anything that would con- 
 duce to the actual necessities of the people. That a flour mill or 
 grist mill might be saved. I immediately urged him to give 
 me an order for the protection of the ;nillsthat I thought of — 
 one that of Dr. Geiger and the other of Fed W. Green ; the 
 latter, howover, had already been burned, but I succeeded in 
 saving the venerable old establishment of Dr. Geiger, known 
 in the early days of Columbia as Young's Mill. About two 
 hours after I left Gen. Howard the gas works were destroyed. 
 
 PROTECTION AGAINST PLUNDERERS. 
 
 I,ate on Sunday night Dr. Goodwyn informed me that the 
 cattle promised us would be turned over early the next morn- 
 ing, so I got my brother, Dr. R. W. Gibbes, to go to the com- 
 missary early in the morning and attend to having them de- 
 livered in the enclosure of the South Carolina College, that 
 being the only place where they could be kept together, as 
 there were twenty acres there enclosed by a brick wall. Know- 
 ing that when the army left there would likely be stragglers and 
 plunderers in the rear who would treat us worse than the army 
 did, I thought I would apply to Sherman for a few arms for 
 our protection. I was^ however, again unable to see him, so I 
 
1 6 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 tried my old friend, Gen. Howard, again. Never shall I forget 
 the astonished look he gave me when I explained that I 
 wanted arms. However, I urged it so strongly on him that 
 he at last gave me an order for one hundred muskets. I do 
 not remember at this time on whom the order was, but I found 
 it necessary to take it to Gen. Blair. He was much surprised, 
 but filled the order, taking care, however, to give me a lot of 
 worthless guns, scarcely one of which could be used. Nothing 
 having been said about ammunition Gen. Blair did not care to 
 furnish that, but finally gave me ten rounds or one thousand 
 cartridges, which, perhaps, did not fit over a half dozen of the 
 guns. These old muskets, however, did faithful service in 
 guarding our city, and perhaps some of them are still in the 
 city guardhouse. 
 
 About 6 A. M. on Monday morning a rumor got out that 
 Gen. Hampton had attacked the advance of Sherman's army 
 at Killian's mills, ten miles north of Columbia. That caused 
 the hurried departure of the main body earlier than was in- 
 tended, and no doubt was the reason of many doomed estab- 
 lishments being spared. As soon as the army departed, which 
 was by 8 o'clock, my brother came and informed me he had 
 five lundred and sixty head of cattle in the college enclosure, 
 but that they were nothing but the refuse and broken-down 
 portion, such as were not able to be driven any further ; that 
 no food could be procured for them, not even water, as the 
 water- works were destroyed and it was impossible to drive them 
 to the river. A meeting of some of the citizens was held and 
 it was decided to butcher the cattle as fast as it could be done. 
 One hundred barrels of salt were stored in the basement of the 
 capitol. This embraced everything in the way of supplies 
 that could be relied on to feed twenty thousand people. 
 Twenty or thirty volunteers at once proceeded to butcher the 
 cattle ; and even killing them as rapidly as possible one hun- 
 dred and sixty of the number died before t hey could be killed. 
 During the privations of the war we had all got pretty well 
 used to poor and tough beef, but I venture to say that such a 
 lot of beef cattle as were given us by Gen. Sherman were 
 never seen together before. An old shed at the corner of Plain 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 17 
 
 and Market streets, that had escaped the flames, was turned 
 into a market or ration house, and for weeks that was the grand 
 gathering place for the rich and poor. Here rations of tough 
 beef and salt were given out. Those who were able to pay 
 paid ; those who could not were supplied gratuitously ; but all 
 were allowanced, and that to what was barely sufl&cient to 
 feed their families, every one having to testify as to the num- 
 ber of mouths he had to fill. 
 
 SATISFYING MEAT. 
 
 What at first seemed to be a great misfortune — the character 
 of the meat — actually turned out to be a great blessing. Had 
 it been good, fat meat, it would have been, comparatively, a 
 drop in the bucket toward supplying our necessities, but, tor- 
 tunately, its quality compensated for its quantity, and I am 
 certain that the survivors of that time will always preserve a 
 lively recollection of the tough, blue sinews that like India 
 rubber, the more you chewed it the larger it got. It was the 
 most satisfying meat I ever saw — a little went a long way. 
 Even with this wonderful beef and its enduring qualities it 
 could not last 20,000 people long. I might here mention a 
 fact, strictly true, that several hundred persons lived for fully 
 two weeks after the evacuation solely and entirely on the loose 
 corn picked up from the ground where the horses of the Yankee 
 army were fed, and that, too, in a sprouting condition, the 
 heavy rains having rotted it. Much privation and suffering 
 ensued, and much more would had it not been for the noble 
 conduct of Augusta as soon as our condition was known. The 
 citizens of Augusta loaded six wagons with bacon, meal and 
 flour and sent them over to us — making a present not only of 
 the supplies, but also of the mules and wagons. This was a God- 
 send to us. We found one section of country, Fort Motte,, 
 about forty miles from us, where some corn could be had, so 
 for weeks these wagons were run backward and forward, haul- 
 ing from that neighborhood. The crowd at Columbia in the 
 meantime scattered as rapidly as possible, many going to Au- 
 gusta, Newberry and other neighboring towns — walking being 
 the only means of transportation. Some few ladies and children 
 
1 8 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 got to ride occasionally in wagons. It was, however, fully 
 three n\onths before permanent relief was obtained from our 
 troubles. 
 
 The Mother Superior of the convent had formerly educated 
 Gen. Sherman's daughter, and it seems that she managed to 
 hold some communication with hinj when he was in Savannah, 
 and it was understood in Columbia that she had been informed 
 by him, that if he did enter Columbia, that she had nothing to 
 fear, that she would be protected. In consequence of this a 
 number of persons went to the convent for safety and others 
 sent their valuables there. The convent was burned early on 
 Friday night. On Saturday morning the Mother Superior 
 went to Sherman complaining, when he told her to choose any 
 house in the place that had escaped and he would donate it to 
 her. She at once moved to the large mansion of Gen. Preston, 
 where Gen. Logan had his quarters. Gen. Sherman, as 
 I afterward learned, actually executed titles to the property 
 and gave them to her. She afterward surrendered them with 
 the property to Gen. Preston. This incident was the means 
 of saving that handsome edifice — now the residence of W. E. 
 Dodge — as it would have been destroyed, as I was told by 
 Gen. Logan, who also told me that it should be blown up, and 
 that he only wished he had its owner there "to hang him as 
 high as Haman." 
 
 VARIOUS INCIDENTS. 
 
 Early in the evening of Friday a Mrs. Boozer, who was 
 living in a house belonging to me adjoining the Baptist church, 
 came to me in great excitement and told me the city was to 
 be burned. I told her no, that she need not be alarmed, and 
 mentioned what Gen. Sherman had told Dr. Goodwyn. She 
 said no, that she knew it would be burned. Her husband was 
 a physician and at one time had charge of the hospital where 
 some of the Federal officers (prisoners) had been located. Mrs. 
 Boozer had shown kindness to some of them by furnishing 
 them delicacies, etc., and as soon as the army entered Columbia 
 two officers who had formally been there as prisoners and had 
 been recipients of her kindness hunted her up and privately 
 
WHO BURNT COIvUMBIA? I9 
 
 informed her of the intention to fire the city. Even with this 
 assurance I did not believe it, relying on the word of Gen. 
 Sherman. These two oflScers, however, returned to Mrs. 
 Boozer when the fire began and remained with her till the 
 house was destroyed, and assisted her to move her young 
 children to the asylum as a place of safet;^ This incident I 
 meation to show that the destruction of Columbia was certainly 
 pre-arranged. Mrs. Boozer is still living in Columbia and may 
 be able to give the names of the officers alluded to. 
 
 About 2 o'clock on Friday night I went to the residence of 
 my father, Dr. R. W. Gibbes, Sr. I found that his house, a 
 large fire-proof one, had escaped, the fire having passed it ; but 
 on my entering it I found fifteen or twenty soldiers engaged in 
 piling up furniture in the drawing room and were using the 
 lace curtains to fire it from the gaslights. Every effort to in- 
 duce them to desist was unavailing. A young man of an Iowa 
 regiment had been placed at the house as a guard that morn- 
 ing. He had accidently fallen down the stone steps in front 
 of the house and sprained his ankle. My father had bandaged 
 it up for him and gave him some soothing lotion that relieved 
 his pain, and lent him a pair of crutches that had been left in 
 the house by my brother, Capt. Gibbes, who had been wounded 
 not long before. This guard was apparently very grateful 
 for the kindness shown him, and certainly did beg and urge 
 his comrades not to burn the house ; but they were not to be 
 stayed, so he then urged my father to try and save some of his 
 valuables. This he was urging when I entered the house. I 
 suggested to my father to try and save a portion of his collec- 
 tion of coin. He had one of the largest private collections, 
 perhaps, in the world of old and ancient coin, consisting of 
 several thousand specimens of gold, silver and copper. I got 
 the cover of the piano and we emptied the gold and silver coin 
 on that, and made a bundle of it, and, at the suggestion of the 
 guard, tied it around his neck as he stood by on his crutches. 
 The copper coins were too heavy and bulky to try to move, so 
 we abandoned them. By this time the house had been fired 
 from the furniture piled up in the drawing room. So my 
 father and I each took some articles of value in our hands and 
 
20 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 followed the guard, who hobbled off into the street on his 
 crutches, with the bag of coin around his neck. On reaching 
 the corner he suddenly darted off among the crowd of soldiers 
 that filled the street, and made such good time that neither he 
 nor the coin have since been seen. 
 
 HIDDEN IN A MATTRESS. 
 
 N-.t less than one hundred and fifty ladies and children col- 
 lected at ray bouse during the night of the fire. As their 
 residences were destroyed they came to my house for shelter. 
 Suddenly one of the young ladies, the daughter of J. Daniel 
 Pope, remembered that in the hurry of leaving their burning 
 house they nad forgotten to bring off their silver and jewelry 
 that had been hideu in a moss matress in one of the upper 
 rooms It seemed a forlorn hope, but I determined to try and 
 save it, the house not being very far distant. I hurried there 
 and got into the house, which was burning rapidly ; but in 
 company with Summer, a faithful negro, who stuck to me, 
 we got the mattress, but finding the stairway about to fall we 
 cut the ticking open and took out what was in it, barely es- 
 caping before ihe bouse fell in. I afterward found that every 
 article had been saved except one old watch. 
 
 There was one incident that I will mention, as it showed the 
 forethought of a sharp woman who, in the time of trouble, 
 looked ahead. There was a family of the name of Feaster liv- 
 ing in a bouse just m the rear of the Courthouse that belonged 
 to Col. Bauskett. Mr. Feaster was a very worthy, clever man, 
 employed in the Confederate commissary storehouses, but he 
 was principally known as the fourth husband of a quite noted 
 woman, whom he married as Mrs. Boozer, formerly Mrs. Bur- 
 ton, formerly Mrs. Somebody else — a Philadelphia woman by 
 birth. Mrs. Feaster had a daughter who had been adopted by 
 her third husband, who had provided handsomely for her on 
 condition that she took his name. So she was known as Miss 
 Mary Boozer, and was considered one of the most beautiful 
 girls ever seen in the State. The family were in but moderate 
 circumstances, having lived very extravagantly. Mrs. Feaster 
 was known as a very smart woman and not over-scrupulous. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 21 
 
 While the citj' was on fire and the hous^e she occupied was 
 burning, Gen. Sherman passed by. She immediately made 
 herself known to him as a Union woman and one who had 
 done a great deal to assist Federal prisoners, and aided some to 
 escape. She called his attention not only to her house, then 
 burning, but showed him a large storehouse at the opposite 
 corner, then burning, which she told him was her husband's, 
 and that it had been filled with flour, bacon, tobacco and cot- 
 ton, the truth being it was a government storehouse in which 
 her husband was employed. 
 
 FOLLOWING THE ARMY 
 
 On Monday, when the army moved out, she managed to get 
 Gen. Sherman to furnish her with two horses, which she hitched 
 to her carriage, an old rouad-bodied affair, familiar to all the 
 old residents, and started in company with the army. In the 
 outskirts of the city, when passing the residence of Mrs. El- 
 more, she concluded a fair exchange was no robbery, so she 
 left her old equipage and took in its place a fine carriage of 
 Mrs. Elmore's. It was said that when passing Society Hill 
 she, by mistake, loaded up and took off the family silver of the 
 Witherspoons, a prominent family, at whose house she stopped, 
 and who had put their silver in her room for safety. In Decem- 
 ber, 1865, when in New York, I received a note from Mrs, 
 Feaster begging me to call and see her at the Astor House. 
 On doing so I found her living in style, with a handsome suite 
 of rooms and surrounded by a number of army ofiicers. She 
 was then working up her claim for loyalty and wanted me to 
 give her a certificate as Mayor of Columbia that she was a 
 widow. As I had seen Mr. Feaster but a few days previously 
 in Columbia I was not able to help her, but I heard that she 
 recovered $10,000 for her loyalty— Gen. Sherman having tes- 
 tified that he had witnessea the destruction of hei property. 
 Miss Eoozer soon after married a wealthy merchant of New 
 York, a Mr. Beecher, but it was not long before she left him, 
 and, after a short and brilliant career in Europe, married a 
 wealthy gentleman and now resides, I believe, in Baltimore. 
 It has been stated that she and her younger sister were the 
 
22 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 parties that were mixed up with the Crown Prince of Russia, 
 a few years ago, and the loss of his mother's diamonds. She 
 is now the Countess DePortales. 
 
 I find that were I to continue in describing the incidents of 
 that eventful night that I would greatly lengthen what I, at 
 first, intended as merely an account of the conflagration, so I 
 will conclude; but must mention that I was present in the 
 oflBce of Governor Orr, some time in 1867, when Gen. Howard, 
 then visiting Columbia, was there. Seeing Gen. Hampton 
 across the street, I hailed him from the window, and when he 
 entered Governor Orr introduced him to Gen. Howard. The 
 first thing Gen. Hampton said was: "Gen. Howard, who 
 burned Columbia.^" Gen. Howard laughed and said: "Why, 
 General, of course we did." But afterward qualified it b}' 
 saying: "Do not understand me to say that it was done by 
 orders. ' ' 
 
FROM WILLIAM GILMORE SIMMS' ACCOUNT. 
 
 The distinguished author says of Sherman's march : 
 
 Day by day brought to the people of Columbia tidings of 
 atrocities committed, and more extended progress. Daily did 
 long trains of fugitives line the roads, with wives and children, 
 and horses and stock and cattle, seeking refuge from the pur- 
 suers, lyong lines of wagons covered the highways. Half 
 naked people cowered from the winter under the bush tents in 
 the thickets, under the eaves of the houses, under the railroad 
 sheds, and in old cars left them along the route. All these re- 
 peated the same story of suffering, violence, poverty and 
 nakedness. Habitation after habitation, village after village — 
 one sending up its signal flames to the other, presaging for it 
 the same fate — lighted the winter midnight sky with crimson 
 horrors. 
 
 No language can describe nor can any catalogue furnish 
 an adequate detail of the wide-spread destruction of the homes 
 and property. Granaries were emptied, and where the grain 
 was not carried off, it was strewn to waste under the feet of 
 the cavalry or consigned to the fire which consumed the 
 dwelling. The negroes were robbed equally with the whites 
 of food and clothing. The roads were covered with butchered 
 cattle, hogs, mules, and the costliest furniture. Valuable cabi- 
 nets, rich pianos were not only hewn to pieces, but bottles of 
 ink, turpentine, oil, whatever could efface or destroy, was em- 
 ployed to defile and ruin. 
 
 Horses were ridden into the houses. People were forced 
 from their beds to permit the search after hidden treasures. 
 
 The beautiful homesteads of the parish country, with their 
 wonderful tropical gardens, were ruined ; ancient dwellings of 
 black cypress, one hundred years old. which had been reared 
 by the fathers of the republic — men whose names were famous 
 in the Revolutionary history — were given to the torch as reck- 
 lessly as were the rude hovels ; choice pictures and works of 
 art, from Europe, select and numerous libraries, objects of 
 
24 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 peace wholly, were all destroyed. The inhabitants, black no 
 less than white, were left to starve, compelled to feed only 
 upon the garbage to be found in the abandoned camps of the 
 soldiers. The corn scraped up from the spots where the 
 horses fed, has been the only means of life left to the thous- 
 ands, but lately in affluence. 
 
 And thus plundering, and burning, the troops made their 
 way through a portion of Beaufort into Ba^-nwell District, 
 where they pursued the same game. The villages of Buford's 
 Bridge, of Barnwell, Black vv'ell, Graham's. Bamberg, Midway, 
 were more or less destroyed ; the inhabitants everywhere left 
 homeless and without food. The horses and mules, all cattle 
 and hogs, whenever fit for service or for food, were carried off, 
 and the rest shot. Every implement of the workman or the 
 farmer, tools, plows, hoes, gins, looms, wagons, vehicles, was 
 made to feed the flames. 
 
 From Barnwell to Orangeburg and Lexington was the next 
 progress, marked everywhere by the same sweeping destruc- 
 tion. Both of these court towns were burned. 
 
 These tidings duly reached the people of Columbia, and 
 might have prepared them for the treatment they were destined 
 to receive. Daily accessions of fugitives, bringing with them 
 their valuables and provisions, made ample report of the prog- 
 ress of the Federal army. Hundreds of families had seasona- 
 bly left long before, in anticipation of the danger. Columbia 
 was naturally held to be one of the most secure places of 
 refuge. It was never doubted that this capital city, which 
 contained so many of the manufactures of the Confederate 
 Government, the Treasury, etc., would be defended with all 
 the concentrated vigor of which the Confederacy was capable, 
 especially, too, as upon the several railroads connected with 
 the city, the army of Lee and the safety of Richmond were 
 absolutely dependent. Young women of family were sent in 
 large numbers to a city where numbers seemed to promise a 
 degree of security not to be hoped for in any obscure rural 
 abode. The city was accordingl} doubled in population, and 
 here also was to be found an accumulation of wealth, in plate, 
 jewels, pictures, books, manufactures of art and virhi, not 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 25 
 
 to be estimaLed--not, perhaps, to be paralleled in any other 
 town of the Confederacy. In many instances the accumula- 
 tions were those of a hundred years — of successive generations 
 — in the hands of the oldest families of the South. A large 
 proportion of the wealth of Charleston had been stored in the 
 capital city, and the owners of these treasures, in many in- 
 stances, were unable to effect any further remove. If appre- 
 hensive of the danger, they could only fold their hands, and, 
 hoping againsc hope, pray for escape from a peril to which 
 they could oppose no further vigilance or effort. 
 
 * ****** 
 
 Whatever hopes might have been entertained of the ultimate 
 success of our defences, they were all dissipated, when, by 
 daylight, on the i6fh, (Thursday) the Confederate troops re- 
 entered the city, burning the several bridges over the Con- 
 garee. the Broad and Saluda rivers. They were quartered 
 through the day about the streets, and along their several 
 bivouacs they dng slight excavations in the earth as for rifle pits 
 and for proieciJou from I he shells, which fell fast and thick 
 about the town. The shelliag commenced the evening before, 
 and continued throughout the night and next day. No sum- 
 mons for surrender had been made ; no warning of any kind 
 was given New batteries were in rapid progress of erection 
 on the west si'ie of the Congaree, the more effectually to press 
 the work of destruction. The damage was comparatively 
 slight. The new capitol building was struck five times, but 
 •suffered little or no injury. Numerous shells fell into the 
 inhabited portion of the town, yet we hear of only two persons 
 killed — one on the hospital square and anotlier near the South 
 Carolina Railroad depot. 
 
 * * * * ^ * * 
 
 The inhabitants were startled at daylight, on Friday morn- 
 ing, by a heavy explosion. This was the South Carolina 
 Railroad depot. It was accidentally blown up. Broken open 
 by a band of plunderers, among whom were many females and 
 negroes, their reckless greed precipitated their fate. This build- 
 ing had been made the receptacle of supplies from sundry 
 
26 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 quarters, and was crowded with stores of merchants and plant- 
 ers, trunks of treasure, innumerable wares and goods of fugi- 
 tives — all of great value. It appears that, among its contents, 
 were some kegs of powder. The plunderers paid, and sud- 
 denly, the penalties of their crime. Using their lights freely and 
 hurriedly, the better iQpick, they fired a train of powder lead- 
 ing to the kegs. The explosion followed, and the* number of 
 persons destroyed is variously estimated, from seventeen to 
 fifty. It is probable that not more than thirty-five suffered, 
 but the actual number perishing is unascertained. 
 
 At an early hour on Friday, the commissary and quarter- 
 master stores were thrown wide, the contents cast out into the 
 streets and given to the people. The negroes especially loaded 
 themselves with plunder. All this might have been saved, 
 had the officers been duly warned by the military authorities 
 of the probable issue of the struggle. Wheeler's cavalry also 
 shared largely of this plunder, and several of them might be 
 seen, bearing off huge bales upon their saddles. 
 
 ********** 
 
 Mayor's Office, 
 
 Columbia, S. C, February, 17, 1865. 
 "To Major-General Sherman: The Confederate forces have 
 evacuated Columbia. I deem it my duty, as Mayor and repre- 
 sentative of the city, to ask for its citizens the treatment accorded 
 by the usages of civilized war- fare. I therefore respectfully 
 request that you will send a sufficient guard in advance of the 
 army, to maintain order in the city and protect the persons and 
 property of the citizens. 
 
 "Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 "T. J. GOODWYN, Mayor." 
 
 At 9 o'clock, on the painfully memorable morning of the 
 17th February, (Friday) a deputation from the City Council, 
 consisting of the Mayor, Aldermen McKenzie, Bates and Stork, 
 in a carriage bearing a white flag, proceeded to the Broad River 
 bridge road. * * * * The deputation met the column of the 
 Federals, under Captain Piatt, who sent them forward to Colo- 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 27 
 
 nel Stone, who finally took his seat with them in the carriage. 
 The advance belonged to the 15th corps. 
 
 The Mayor reports that on surrendering the city to Colonel 
 Stone, the latter assured him of the safety of the citizens and 
 of the protection of their property, while tinder his comviand. 
 He could not answer for General Sherman, who was in the 
 rear, but he expressed the conviction that he would fully con- 
 firm the assurances which he (Colonel Stone) had given. Sub- 
 sequently, General Sherman did confirm them, and that night, 
 seeing that the Mayor was exhausted by his labors of the day, 
 he counseled him to retire to rest, saying, "Not a finger's 
 breadth, Mr. Mayor, of your city shall be harmed. You may 
 lie down to sleep, satisfied that your town shall be as safe in 
 my hands as if wholly in your own." Such was very nearly 
 the language in which he spoke; such was the substance of it. 
 He added: "It will become my duty to destroy some of the 
 public Government buildings; but I will reserve this perform- 
 ance to another day. It shall be done tomorrow^ provided the 
 day be calm." And the Mayor retired with this solemnly 
 asserted and repeated assurance. 
 
 ******* 
 
 Hardly had the troops reached the head of Main street, when 
 the work of pillage was begun. Stores were broken open 
 tvithin the first hour alter their arrival, and gold, silver, jewels 
 and liquors, eagerly sought. The authorities, ofiicers, soldiers, 
 all, seemed to consider it a matter of course. And woe to him 
 who carried a watch with gold pendant; or who wore a choice 
 hat, or overcoat, or boots or shoes. He was stripped in the 
 twinkling of an eye. It is computed that, from first to last, 
 twelve hundred watches were transferred from the pockets of 
 their owners to those of the soldiers. Purses shared the same 
 fate; nor was the Confederate currency repudiated. But all 
 these things hereafter, in more detail. 
 
 >!<****>};* 
 
 And here it may be well to mention, as suggestive of many 
 clues, an incident which presented a sad commentary on that 
 confidence in the security of the Convent, which was enter- 
 
28 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 tained by the great portion of the people. This establishment, 
 under the charge of the sister of the Right Rev. Bishop Lynch, 
 was at once a convent and an academy of the highest class. 
 Hither were sent for education the daughters of the Protes- 
 tants, of the most wealthy classes throughout the State; and 
 these, with the nuns and those young ladies sent thither on the 
 emergency, probably exceeding one hundred. The Lady Supe- 
 rior entertained the fullest confidence in the immunities of the 
 establishment. But her confidence was clouded, after she had 
 enjoyed a conference with a certain major of the Yankee army, 
 who described himself as an editor, trom Detroit. He visited 
 her at an early day, and announced his friendly sympathies 
 with the Lady Superior and the sisterhood; professed his anx- 
 iety for their safety — his purpose to do all that he could to 
 insure it — declared that he would instantly go to Sherman and 
 secure a cho.sen guard; and, altogether, made such professions 
 of love and service, as to disarm the.se suspicions, which his 
 bad looks and bad manners, inflated speech and pompous car- 
 riage, might otherwise have provoked. The Lady Superior, 
 with such a charge in her hands, was naturally glad to wel- 
 come all shows and pi'ospects of support, and expressed her 
 gratitude. He disappeared, and soon after re-appeared, bring- 
 ing with him no less than eight or ten men — none of them — 
 as he admitted, being Catholics. He had some specious argu- 
 ment to show that, perhaps, her guard had better be one of the 
 Prote.stants. This suggestion staggered the lady a little, but 
 he seemed to convey a more potent reason, when he added, in 
 a whisper: '' For I must tell you, my sister, that Colwnbia is a 
 doomed city f^ Terrible doom! This officer leaving his men 
 behind him, disappeared, to show himself no more. The guards 
 so left behind were finally among the most busy as plunderers. 
 The moment that the inmates driven out by fire, were forced to 
 abandon their house, they began to revel in its contents. 
 
 It may be well to remark that the discipline of the soldiers, 
 upon their first entry into the cit-y, was perfect and most 
 admirable. There was no disorder or irregularity on the line 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 29 
 
 of march, showing that their officers had them completely in 
 hand. They were a fine looking body of men, mostly young 
 and of vigorous formation, well clad and well shod, seemingly 
 wanting in nothing. Their arms and accoutrements were in 
 bright order. The negroes accompanying them were not num- 
 erous, and seemed mostly to act as drudges and bod}^ servants. 
 They groomed horses, waited, carried burdens, and, in almost 
 every instance under our eyes, appeared in a purely servile, and 
 not a military, capacity. The men of the West treated them 
 generally with gcorn or indifference, sometimes harshly, and 
 not unfrequently with blows. 
 
 But, if the entrance into town and while on duty, was indi- 
 cative of admiral:)le drill and discipline, such ceased to oe the 
 case the moment the troops were dismissed. Then, whether 
 by tacit permission or direct command, their whole deportment 
 underwent a suddeu and rapid change. The saturnalia soon 
 began. We have shown that the robbery of the persons of the 
 citizens and the plunder of their homes commenced within one 
 hour after they had reached the Market Hall. It continued 
 without interruption throughout the day. Sherman, at the 
 head of his cavalry, traversed the streels everywhere— so did 
 his officers. Subsequently, these officers were everywhere on 
 foot, yet beheld nothing which required the interposition of 
 authorit}'. And yet robbery was going on at every corner — in 
 nearly every house. Citizens generally applied for a guard at 
 their several houses, and, for a time, these guards were allotted 
 them. These might be faithful or not. In some cases, as 
 alrej'cly stated, they were, and civil and respectful; considerate 
 of the claims of women, and never trespassing upon the privacy 
 of the family; but, in numbers of cases, they were intrusive, 
 insulting and treachei'ous — leaving no privacy undisturbed, 
 passing without a word into the chambers and prying into every 
 crevice and corner. 
 
 But the reign of terror did not fairly begin till night. In 
 some instances, where parties complained of the misrule and 
 robbery, their guards said to them, with a chuckle : "This is 
 nothing. Wait till tonight, and you'll see h-lL" 
 
 Among the first fires at evening was one about dark, which 
 
30 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 broke out in a filthy purlieu of low houses, ol wood, on Ger- 
 vais street, occupied mostly as brothels. Almost at the same 
 time a body of soldiers scattered over the Eastern outskirts of 
 the city, fired severally the dwellings of Mr. Secretary Tren- 
 holm, General Wade Hampton, Dr. John Wallace, J. U. 
 Adams, Mrs. Starke, Mr, Latta, Mrs. English, and many 
 others. There were then some twenty fires in full blast, in as 
 many different quarters, and while the alarm sounded from 
 these quarters, a similar alarm was sent up almost simulta- 
 neously from Cotton Town, the northermost limit of the city, 
 and from Main street in its very centre, at the several stores or 
 houses of O. Z. Bates, C. D. Eberhardt, and some others in 
 the heart of the most densely settled portion of the town : 
 thus enveloping in flames almost every section of the devoted 
 city. At this period, thus early in the evening, there were 
 few shows of that drunkenness which prevailed at a late hour 
 in the night, and only after all the grocery shops on Main 
 street had been rifled. The men engaged in this were well 
 prepared with all the appliances essential to their work. They 
 did not need the torch. They carried with them, from house 
 to house, pots and vessels containing combustible liquids, 
 composed probably of phosphorous and other similar agents, 
 turpentine, etc., and with balls of cotton saturated in this 
 liquid, with which they also overspread the floors and walls, 
 they conveyed the flames with wonderful rapidity from dwell- 
 ing to dwelling. Each had his ready box of Lucifer matches, 
 and, vs^ith a scrape upon the walls, the flames began to rage. 
 Where houses were closely contiguous, a brand from one was 
 the means of conveying destruction to the other. 
 
 Throughout the whole of this terrible scene the soldiers con- 
 tinued their search after spoil. The houses were severally and 
 soon gutted of their contents. Hundreds of iron safes, war- 
 ranted "impenetrable to fire and the burglar," it was soon sat- 
 isfactorily demonstrated, were not "Yankee proof." They 
 were split open and robbed, 3delding, in some cases, very large- 
 ly of Confederate money and bonds, if not of gold and silver. 
 Jewelry and plate in abundance was found. Men could be 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 31 
 
 seen staggering oflF with huge waiters, vases, candelabra, to 
 say nothing of cups, goblets and smaller vessels, all of solid 
 silver. Clothes and shoes, when new, were appropriated — -the 
 rest left to burn. I^iquors were drank with such avidity as to 
 astonish the veteran Bacchanals of Columbia ; nor did the par- 
 ties thus distinguishing themselves hesitate about the vintage. 
 There was no idle discrimination in the matter of taste, from 
 the vulgar liquor, which Judge Burke used to say always pro- 
 voked within him "an inordinate propensity to sthale," to the 
 choicest red wines of the ancient cellars. In one vault on Main 
 street, seventeen casks of wine were stored away, which, an 
 eyewitness tells us, barely sufficed, once broken into, for the 
 draughts of a single hour — such were the appetites at work 
 and the numbers in possession of them. Rye, corn, claret and 
 Maderia all found their way into the same channels, and we 
 are not to wonder, when told that no less than one hundred 
 and fifty of the drunken creatures perished miserably among 
 the flames kindled by their own comrades, and from which 
 they were unable to escape. The estimate will not be thought 
 extravagant by those who saw the condition of hundreds after 
 I o'clock A. M. By others, however, the estimate is reduced 
 to thirty ; but the number will never be known. Sherman's 
 officers themselves are reported to have said that they lost 
 more men in the sack and burning of the city (including cer- 
 tain explosions) than in all their fights while approaching it. 
 It is also suggested that the orders which Sherman issued at 
 daylight, on Saturday morning, for the arrest of the fire, were 
 issued in consequence of the loss of men which he had thus 
 sustained. 
 
 f: * ^ ^ ^ >^ iic 
 
 A certain Yankee officer happened to hear that an old ac- 
 quaintance of his, whom he had known intimately at West 
 Point and lyouisiana, was residing in Columbia. He went to 
 see him after the fire, and ascertained that his losses had been 
 very heavy, exceeding two hundred thousand dollars. The 
 parties had not separated for an hour, when a messenger came 
 from the Yankee, bringing a box, which contained one hun- 
 dred thousand dollars in Confederate notes. This, the Yankee 
 
32 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 begged his Southern friend to accept, as helping to make up 
 his losses. The latter declined the gift, not being altogether 
 satisfied in conscience with regard to it. In many cases Con- 
 federate money by the handful! was bestowed by the officers 
 and soldiers upon parties from whom they had robbed the |^ 
 particle of clothing, and even General Sherman could give to 
 parties, whom he knew, the flour and bacon which had been 
 taken from starving widows and orphans. So he left with the 
 people of Columbia a hundred old muskets for their protection, 
 while emptying their arsenals of a choice collection of beauti- 
 ful Enfield rifles. And so the starving citizens of Columbia 
 owe to him a few hundred starving cattle, which he had taken 
 from the staiviu^- people of Beaufort, Barnwell, Orangeburg 
 and Lexiugton — cattle without food, and for which food could 
 not be found, and dying of exhaustion at the rate of fifteen to 
 twent5^ head per diem. 
 
 In this conuecHon and this section, in which we need to de- 
 vote so much of our space to the cruel treatment of our women, 
 we think it proper to include a communication from the ven- 
 erable Dj . Sill, one of the most esteemed and well-known citi- 
 zens of Columbia. It is from his own pen, and the facts oc- 
 curred under his own eyes. We give this as one of a thous- 
 and like cases, witnessed by a thousand eyes, and taking place 
 at the same time in every quarter of the city, almost from 
 the hour of the arrival of the army to that of its departure. 
 He writes as follows : 
 
 "On Thursday, the day before the evacuation of the city by 
 the Confederate forces, I invited a very poor French lady, 
 (Madame Pelletier) with ^er child, refugees from Charleston, 
 to take shelter in my house, where they might, at least, have 
 such protection as I could give her, shelter and food for her- 
 self and child. She was poor, indeed, having very little cloth- 
 ing, and only one or two implements — a sewing machine and a 
 crimping apparatus — by means of which she obtained a pre- 
 carious support. My own family (happily) and servants be- 
 ing all absent, and being myself wholly incapacitated by years 
 of sickness from making any exertion, all that the poor widow 
 woman and myself could remove from my house, besides the 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 33 
 
 few things of hers, consisted of two bags of flour, a peck of 
 meal, and about the same of grist, and about thirty pounds of 
 bacon and a little sugar. These few things we managed to get 
 out of the house, and, by the aid of a wheelbarrow, removed 
 about fifty 3^ards from the burning buildings. Waiting then 
 and there, waiting anxiously the progress and the direction of 
 the fire, we soon found that we had been robbed of one bag of 
 flour and a trunk of valuable books of account and papers. 
 The fire continuing to advace on us, we found it necessary to 
 remove again. About this time there came up a stalwart soldier 
 about six feet high, accoutred with pistols, bowie-knife, etc., 
 and stooping down over the remaining bag of flour, demanded 
 of the poor French lady what the bag contained. Having lost, 
 but a few moments before, almost everything she had in the 
 way of provisions, she seemed most deeply and keenly alive to 
 her destitute situation, in the event she should lose the remain 
 ing bag of flour; the last and only hope of escape from starva- 
 tion of her child and herself She fell upon her knees, with 
 hands uplifted, in a supplicating manner, and most piteously 
 and imploringly set forth her situation — an appeal which, 
 under the circumstances, it would be impossible to conceive, 
 more touching or heart-rending. She told him she was not 
 here of her own choice; that herself and husband had come to 
 Charleston in i860 to better their fortunes; that they had been 
 domiciled in New Jersey, where her husband had taken the 
 necessary steps to become a citizen of the United States. She 
 had in her hand papers vouching the truth of her statement; 
 that her husband had died of yellow fever in Charleston; that 
 being unable, from want of the means, to return to New Jersey, 
 she had been driven from Charleston to Columbia, (a refugee, 
 flying from t4ie enemy's shells,) to try to make an honest sup- 
 port for herself and child. To all this, he not only turned a 
 deaf ear, but deliberately drew from his breast a huge shining 
 bowie-knife, brandished it in her face, rudely pushed her aside, 
 using, at the same time, the most menacing and obscene lan- 
 guage; shouldered the bag of flour, and started off, leaving the 
 poor starving creature, with her helpless child, overwhelmed 
 with grief and despair, K. Sllyly." 
 
34 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 We have averted to the outrages which were perpetrated with- 
 in the households of the citizens, and which were unrestrained 
 by the rebuking eyes of their own comrades, and unresisted by 
 their interposition, cupidity, malignity, and lust sought to glut 
 their several appetites. The cupidity generally triumphed 
 over the lust. The greed for gold and silver swallowed up the 
 more animal passions, and drunkenness supervened in season 
 for the safety of many. 
 
 We have heard of some few outrages, or attempts at outrage, of 
 the worst sort, but the instances, in the case of white females, 
 must have been very few. There was perhaps, a wholesome dread 
 of goading to desperation the people whom the}^ had despoiled 
 of ail but honor. They could see in many watchful and guar- 
 dian eyes, the lurking expression which threatened sharp ven- 
 geance, should their trespasses proceed to those extremes which 
 they yet unquestionably contemplated. 
 
 The venerable Mr. H stood ready, with his conteaic de 
 
 chasse, made bare in his bosom, hovering around the persons 
 of his innocent daughters. Mr. O — — , on beholding some 
 familiar approach to one of his daughters, bade the man stand, 
 off at the peril of his life; saying that while he submitted to 
 being robbed of propertj^ he would sacrifice life without reserve 
 — his own and that of the assailant — before his child's honor 
 should be abused. 
 
 Mr. James G. Gibbes, with difficulty, pistol in hand, and 
 only with the assistance of a Yankee officer, rescued two young 
 women from the clutches of as many ruffians. 
 
 We have been told of successful outrages of this unmention- 
 able character being practiced upon women dwelling in the 
 suburbs. Many are understood to have taken place in remote 
 country settlements, and two cases are described where young 
 negresses were brutally forced by the wretches and afterwards 
 murdered — one of them being thrust, when half dead, head 
 down, into a mud puddle, and there held until she was suffo- 
 cated. But this must suffice. 
 
 The destruction of private libraries and valuable collections 
 of objects of art and virtu, was very large in Columbia. It 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 35 
 
 was at the urgent entreaties ot the Rev. Mr. Porter, the profes- 
 sors and others, that the safety of the South CaroHna College 
 library was assured. The buildings were occupied by Confed- 
 erate hospitals, where some three hundred invalids and con- 
 valescents found harborage. 
 
 lyibraries of ten thousand volumes — books such as cannot 
 again be procured — were sacrificed. It will suffice to illustrate 
 the numerous losses of this sort in Columbia, to report the 
 fate of the fine collections of Dr. R. W. Gibbes. This gentle- 
 man, a man of letters and science, a virtuoso, busied all his 
 life in the accumulation of works of art and literature, and 
 rare objects of interest to the amateur and student, had been 
 long known to the American world, North and South, in the 
 character of a savant.. Perhaps no other person in South Caro - 
 lina had more distinguished himself by his scientific writings, 
 and by the indefatigable research which illustrated them, by 
 the accumulation of proofs from the natural world. A friendly 
 correspondent gives us a mournful narrative of the disasters to 
 his house, his home, his manuscripts and his various and val- 
 uable collections, from which we condense the following par- 
 ticulars: 
 
 "Besides the fine mansion of Dr. Gibbes, and its usual con- 
 tents of furniture, his real estate on Main street, etc., his scien- 
 tific collections and paintings were of immense value, occasion- 
 ing more regret than could arise from any loss of mere prop- 
 erty. His gallery contained upwards of two hundred paintings, 
 among which were pictures by Washington AUston, Sully , 
 Inman, Charles Fraser and DeVeaux; and many originals and 
 copies by European hands, were highly prized from their in- 
 trinsic excellence and interesting associations. The family 
 portraits in the collection were also numerous — some ancient, 
 all valuable, and several admirable busts graced his drawing 
 room. His portfolios contained collections of the best engrav- 
 ings, from the most famous pictures of the old masters and by 
 the most excellent engravers of the age. These were mostly 
 a bequest from the venerable C. Fraser, who was one of those 
 who best knew what a good engraving or picture should be, 
 
36 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 and who had, all his life, been engaged in accumulating the 
 most valuaole illustrations of the progress of art. Nor was the 
 library of Dr. Gibbes less rich in stores of letters and science, 
 art and medicine. His historical collection was particularly- 
 rich, especially in American and South Carolina history. His 
 cabinet of Southern fossils and memorials, along with those 
 brought from the remotest regions, was equally select and 
 extensive. It contained no less than ten thousand specimens. 
 The collection of shark's teeth was pronounced by Agassiz to 
 be the finest in the world. His collection of historical docu- 
 ments, original correspondence of the Revolution, especially 
 that of South Carolina, was exceedingly large and valuable. 
 From these he had compiled and edited three volumes, and had 
 there arrested the publication, in order to transfer his material 
 to the Historical Societv of South Carolina. All are now lost. 
 So, also, was his collection of autographs— the letters of emi- 
 nent correspondents in every department of letters, science and 
 art. Many relics of our aborigines, others from the pyramids 
 and tombs of Egypt, of Herculaneum, Pompeii and Mexico, 
 with numerous memorials from the Revolutionary and recent 
 battlefields of our country, shared the same fate — are gone down 
 to the same abyss of ruin. The records of the Surgeon-Gen- 
 eral's Department of the ytate, from its organization, no longer 
 exist. The dwelling which contained these inestimable treas- 
 ures was deliberately fired by men, for whose excuse no whis- 
 key influence could be pleaded. They were quite as sober as 
 in a thousand other cases where they sped with the torch of 
 the incendiary. It was fired in the owner's presence, and when 
 he expostulated with them, he was laughed to scorn. A friend 
 who sought to extinguish the fire kindled in his very parlor, 
 was seized by the collar and hurled aside, with the ejaculation, 
 "Let the d-d house burn." 
 
 ^ :U -S * * :^ *- 
 
 Escorting a sad procession of fugitives from the burning 
 dwellings, one of the soldiers said : 
 "What a glorious sight ! " 
 "Terribly so," said one of the ladies. 
 
 "Grand ! " said he. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 37 
 
 "Very pitiful," was the reply. 
 
 The lady added : 
 
 "How, as men, you can behold the horrors of this scene, 
 and behold the suiFerings of these innocents, without terrible 
 pangs of self-condemnation and self-loathing, it is difhcult to 
 conceive." 
 
 "We glory in it ! " was the answer. "I tell you, madam, 
 that when the people of the North hear of the vengeance we 
 have meted out to your city, there will be a universal shout of 
 rejoicing from man, woman and child, from Maine to Mary- 
 land." 
 
 "You are, then, sir, only a fitting representative of your 
 people." 
 
 Another, who had forced himself as an escort upon a party, 
 on the morning of Saturday, said, pointing to the thousand 
 stacks of chimneys, "You are a curious people in house-building. 
 You run up your chimneys before you build the house.'' 
 
 One who had been similarly impudent, said to a mother, 
 who was bearing a child in her arms : 
 
 "Let me carry the baby, madam." 
 
 "Do not touch him for your life," was the reply. "I would 
 sooner hurl him into the flames and plunge in after him than 
 that he should be polluted by your touch. Nor shall a child 
 of mine ever have e^^en the show of obligation to a Yankee ! " 
 
 "Well, that's going it strong, by — ; but I like your pluck. 
 We like it d-e; and you'll see us coming back after the war — 
 every man of us — to get a Carolina wife. We hate your men 
 like h — 1, but we love your women ! " 
 
 ****** *** 
 
 The morning of Saturday, the iSth of February, opened 
 still with its horrors and terrors, though somewhat diminished 
 in their intensity A lady said to an officer at her house, 
 somewhere about 4 o'clock that morning : 
 
 "In the name of God, sir, when is this work of hell to be 
 ended ? " 
 
 He replied : "You will hear the bugles at sunrise, when a 
 guard will enter the town and withdraw these troops. It will 
 then cease, and not before." 
 
38 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 Sure enough, with the bugle's sound, and the entrance of 
 fresh bodies of troops, there was an instantaneous arrest of 
 incendiarism. You could see the rioters carried off in groups 
 and squads, from the several precincts they had ravaged, and 
 those which they still meditated to destroy, 
 
 The tap of the drum, the sound of the signal cannon, could 
 not have been more decisive in its effect, more prompt and 
 complete. But two fires were set, among private dwellings, 
 after sunrise ; and the flames only went up from a few places, 
 where the fire had been last applied ; and these were rapidly 
 expiring. 
 
 The best and most beautiful portion of Columbia lay in ruins. 
 Never was ruin more complete ; and the sun rose with a wan 
 countenance, peering dimly through the dense vapors which 
 seemed wholly to overspread the firmament. Very miserable 
 was the spectacle. On every side ^uins, and smoking masses 
 of blackened walls, and towers of grim, ghastly chimneys, and 
 between, in desolate groups, reclining on mattresi-j, or bed, or 
 earth, were wretched women and children, gazing vacantly on 
 the site of a once blessed abode of home and innocence. 
 
 ********* 
 
 Several instances have been given us of their modes of re- 
 pelling the association of the negro, usually with blow of the 
 fist, butt of the musket, slash of the sword, or prick of the 
 bayonet. 
 
 Sherman looked on these things indifferently, if we are to 
 reason for a single lact afforded us by Mayor G-oodwyn. These 
 gentlemen, while v/alking with the General, heard the report 
 of a gun. Both heard it, and immediately proceeded to the 
 spot. There they found a group of soldiers, with a stalwart 
 young negro fellow lying dead before them on the street, the 
 body yet warm and bleeding. Pushing it with his feet. Sher- 
 man said, in his quick, hasty manner : 
 
 "What does this mean, boys? " 
 
 The reply was sufficiently cool and careless. "The d--d 
 black rascal gave us his impudence, and we shot him." 
 
 "Well, bury him at once ! Get him out of sight ! " 
 
 As they passed on, one of the party remarked : 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 39 
 
 "Is that the way, General, you treat such a case? " 
 
 "Oh !" said he, "we have no time now for courts-martial 
 
 and things of that sort ! ' ' 
 
 A lad_y showed us a coverlet, with huge holes burned in it, 
 
 which she said had covered a sleeping negro woman, when the 
 
 Yankees, threw their torches into her bed, from which she was 
 
 narrowly extricated with life. 
 
 * -x- ***** * * 
 
 We should not overlook the ravages and destruction in the 
 immediate precincts of the city, though beyond its corporate 
 boundaries. Within a few miles of Columbia, from two to 
 five miles, it was girdled by beautiful country seats, such as 
 those of the Hampton family — Millwood — a place famous of yore 
 for its charms and elegance of society, its frank hospitality and 
 the lavish bounty of its successive hosts. The destruction of 
 this family seat of opulence, and grace, and hospitality, will 
 occasion sensation in European countries, no less than in our 
 tDwn, among those who have enjoyed its grateful privileges, as 
 guest, in better days. 
 
 The beautiful country seat of Mr. Secretary Trenholm, Dr. 
 John Wallace, Mrs, Thomas Stark, Col. Thomas Taylor, Capt. 
 James U. Adams, Mr. C. P. Pelhara, (Mill Creek,) as well as 
 homestead — and many mere- — all shared the fate of Millwood — 
 all were robbed and ruined, then given to thj flames ; and from 
 these places were carried off all horses, mules, cattle, hogs, and 
 stock of every sort ; and the provisions not carried off, were 
 destro3^ed. 
 
 In many cases, where mules and horses were not choice, 
 they were shot down. But this was the common history. On 
 all the farms and plantations, and along the roadsides every- 
 where, for many a mile, horses, mules and cattle, strew the 
 face of the country. Young colts, however fine the stock, had 
 their throats cut. One informant tells us that in one pile he 
 counted forty slain mules on the banks of the Saluda. Every 
 vehicle which could not be carried away was destroyed. 
 
 A list of residences and stores destroyed in the city of Co- 
 lumbia on Monday night, 17th of February, 1865, was 1,386. 
 
EXTRACTS FROM MR. E. J. SCOTT'S 
 
 E. J. Scott, one of the oldest and most respectable citizens of 
 Columbia, has written about Sherman's entrance. From his 
 book I quote as follows : 
 
 Friday; October 17th, about 9 o'clock Gen. Hampton di- 
 rected Mayor Goodwin to surrender, and before 10 o'clock a 
 company of Wheeler's cavalry passed down Main street order- 
 ing all soldiers to leave it as the enemy were coming in. About 
 that hour a carriage displaying the United States flag, with an 
 officer or two and the Mayor, drove rapidly down to the mar- 
 ket, where I went and saw Col. Stone, who had received the 
 surrender, with Alderman McKenzie, Bates and a few citizens. 
 Mr. McKenzie informed me that the surrender was uncondi- 
 tional, and then I asked the Colonel : "Will private property 
 be respected in the city ? " He seemed indignant at the ques- 
 tion, and replied : "Private property' will be respected ; we are 
 not savages. If vou let us alone, we will let you alone." He 
 was a handsome ;, oung officer, who looked and spoke like a 
 gentleman, and I believed him. These assurances he repeated 
 to others in my presence. I thanked him, and, returning to 
 the bank, informed Henry's wife that I thought she could re- 
 main there in safety till evening, when I would take her to my 
 house. As the carriage passed she became frantic with ex- 
 citement, and declared her purpose to wave a Confederate 
 banner from the window, which I prevented her from trying to 
 do. On my vv'ay home I saw some of the first troops that 
 marched in leave their ranks and break open Mordecai's and 
 Heise's liquor shops with axes. While I was stopping at the 
 engine house, next above the Market, one of them came 
 across the street, followed by a negro, and demanded admit- 
 tance into J. C. Walker's store, whereupon Walker handed him 
 the key of the front door, and he and the negro went in. Just 
 then some of them were trying to force the front door to James 
 G Gibbes' store, where McKenzie's confectionery now is, and 
 in a minute or two the side door, next to the Court House, was 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 4I 
 
 broken open and the negroes and soldiers streamed in and 
 helped themselves. 
 
 While going down Main street to Janne^^'s, towards 12 
 o'clock, Gen. Sherman and his staff rode up. The soldiers 
 were then breaking open and robbing tlie stores within his 
 sight and hearing. After dinner I went back to the bank with 
 a negro to bring some of Henry's things to my house. Ivarge 
 bodies of troops were marching down Main street, and a soldier 
 with several negroes was in Henry's rooms. 
 
 Hampton's house, on Camden road, and Authur's, in the 
 suburbs, were burnt before night. Just after dark Puryear's, 
 at race track, and Dr. John Wallace's were on fire. The Char- 
 lotte railroad track, in sight from my back door, was also 
 burning. I went to bed with my clothes on, and about 10 
 o'clock I heard fowls in the yard squalling and men catching 
 them. The light of the fire grew brighter towards Main 
 street, and after getting up two or three times to look at it I 
 had gone to sleep, when at 2 o'clock my old negro, Quash, 
 woke me at the back door, saying Mrs. Zimmerman, next 
 door, was moving out her furniture and I must get up, as the 
 orders were to burn every house. All rose, and, by my direc- 
 tions, put on all the clothes they could and made bundles of 
 what they could carry. 
 
 The streets, lit up as bright as day, were occupied by men, 
 women and children, standing or sitting by such household 
 goods, furniture, clothing, and bedding as they had saved 
 from their burning houses. The wind showed no sign of 
 abating, but it gradually changed and came from the northeast, 
 blowing back upon the fire and saving my premises. I went 
 to Mr. Dovillier's and helped his wife put two or three big^ 
 pictures in frames on her head, which she carried over to my 
 house, and thence beyond the Female College, where her 
 husband and his mother were in the street. Whilst there Pel- 
 ham's house, just opposite, took fire, and with Dr. William 
 Reynolds, Jr., I carried water from Dovillier's well to put it 
 out. Mike Brennan, in Pelham's door, called on three or four 
 soldiers in the street to assist in saving the building, but one 
 of them said, "d--n the house, let it burn;" and they did 
 
42 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 nothing. It burnt, and Sam Muldrow's next door. There the 
 lire stopped in our street. On the way to Dovillier's I met a 
 Yankee soldier, who accosted rae with the question, "Well, 
 old man, what do you think of the Yankees now? " I replied, 
 "I think they have done their work pretty thoroughly this 
 time," and he rejoined, with an oath, "Yes, if you want a job 
 well done put a Yankee at it." 
 
 The Methodist church, on Washington street, was set on 
 fire three times before its destruction was completed. Mr. Con- 
 nor, ihe clergyman in charge, who lived in the parsonage ad- 
 joining, having twice put out the fire. 'W'hen they burnt the 
 parsonage he brought out a sick child wrapped in a blanket, 
 and one of the soldiers seizing the blanket, he begged that it 
 might be spared because of the child's sickness. The brute 
 tore it off and threw it into the flames, saying, "D-n you. if 
 you say a word I'll throw the child after it." 
 
 Sunday, February 19. This morning Mayor Good wyn, Rev. 
 Mr. Taliey, Wm. M. Martin, and several other citizens and 
 myself called on Gen. Howard to see what -provision could be 
 made to feed and protecv the people till supplies could be got 
 from abroad. He proceeded with us to see Gen. Sherman on 
 Gervais street at Blanton Duncan's house. He received us 
 very courteously indeed, seeming to be on particularly good 
 terms with himself. No peacock ever manifested more vanity 
 and delight than he did when addre.-;sing us, he said, "Gentle- 
 men what can I do for you. You ought to be at church." 
 Mayor Goodwin stated our condition with 20,000 old men, 
 women and children having no provisions or means of defense, 
 and requested a supply of arms and ammunition, with food 
 enough to keep us alive, till we could communicate with the 
 country. Gen. Sherman replied with a long lecture or har- 
 angue on our folly in beginning the war, the subject ot sla- 
 very, the mismanagement of Beauregard, condition of Geor- 
 gia, etc. 
 
 The fire, he admitted, was caused by his troops saying : "It 
 is our men have burnt Columbia, but it was your fault." And 
 when Dr. Goodwyn inquired, "How so. General.' " He re- 
 plied that our people had made his soldiers drunk, citing an 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 43 
 
 instance of a druggist, who he was told brought out a pail of 
 whiskey to them. Dr. Miot here interrupted him to remark 
 that he was a druggist, but he had heard of no such case. Mr. 
 McCarter also stated that a soldier had demanded his watch, 
 while pointing a pistol at his head, but the General only- 
 laughed and told him that he ought to have resisted. He con- 
 cluded by consenting to leave us 500 head of beef cattle, 100 
 muskets and ammunition, all the salt at the Charleston rail- 
 road depot, and wire enough to work a flat across the river. 
 He also promised that his Surgeon General should turn over 
 to us some medicine for the use of the sick in our midst. This, 
 he said, was contrarj' to usage, but I thought his treatment of 
 Columbia liable to the same remark. Some of us went to the 
 depot, where we found 60 or 80 tierces of salt, which Gen. 
 Howard agreed to haul to the new State House for us. While 
 on the way we saw the gas works on fire. 
 
 Gen. Sherman, in his discourse to us, never named nor 
 alluded to Gen. Hampton or the burning of the cotton as 
 causing the fire. Yet in his oiSciai report, which was proba- 
 bly made the same day, he charged it to Hampton, acknowledg- 
 ing, as it seems to me, that he knew the charge to be false at 
 the time. I quote his own words : "In my official report of 
 this conflagration I distinctly charged it to Gen Wade Hamp- 
 ton, and confess I did so pointedly to shake the faith of his 
 people in him, for he was, in my opinion, a braggart and pro- 
 fessed to be the special champion of South Carolina." (See 
 Sherman's Memoirs, Vol. II, page 287.) Surely any comment 
 on this precious confession would be superfluous, since it dis- 
 closes, in a single sentence, the character of its author and the 
 length to which he will go in dealing with an opponent. 
 
 In his Memoirs he says further: "Many of the people 
 thought the fire was deliberately planned and executed. This 
 is not true. It was accidental, and, in my judgment, began 
 with the cotton which Gen. Hampton's men had set fire to on 
 leaving the city." 
 
 Thus it appears that he gave three different versions of the 
 origin of the fire, each one varying from and inconsistent with 
 the other two, to wit : First, that it was caused by his men ; 
 
44 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 second, by Gen. Hampton ; third, by accident. Which, if 
 either, is to be believed? I have no hesitation in saying the 
 first, for the following, among other reasons : 
 
 1. Because he knew, and he said so voluntarily on the second 
 day after it occurred, while it was fresh in his mind, in the 
 presence of our citizens named above and a half dozen or so of 
 his own officers of the highest rank, who knew the facts, and 
 who, by their silence, acquiesced in and endorsed its correct- 
 ness, since they would hardly have allowed so grave a charge 
 against their men to pass without a contradiction if they had 
 known it to be untrue. 
 
 2. On page 288 of his Memoirs occurs this passage : "Hav- 
 ing utterly ruined Columbia, the right wing took up its march 
 northward, etc." 
 
 3. Gen. Howard, while in Columbia in 1867, called on 
 Governor Orr at his office, above stairs in the Branch Bank 
 building, my bank and brother's office being on the first floor. 
 There he met, besides Governor Orr, Gen. Hampton, Gen. 
 John S. Preston, James G. Gibbes, and F. G. DeFontaine 
 Gen. Hampton came down from the Executive office to mine 
 and said to me : ''I have just left Gen. Howard up stairs, and 
 was greatly pleased to hear him say, in conversing upon the 
 burning of this place : 'It is useless to deny that our troops 
 burnt Columbia, for I saw them in the !^act." ' I understand 
 Gen. Howard made a similar statement to Col. L,. D. Childs 
 the same day. 
 
 4. I have mingled with the people of Columbia ever since 
 the fire, except when occasionally absent for a short time, and 
 have conversed on the subject with all classes, old and young, 
 rich and poor, male and female, white and colored, and among 
 them all have never heard it attributed to auy other cause, 
 many giving instances of the troops carrying from house to 
 house balls of rags or cotton saturated with spirits of turpentine, 
 and calling on the inmates to come out, when they set fire to 
 the building and robbed them of their contents. 
 
 5. Because these same troops burnt Orangeburg, Lexington, 
 Winnsboro, Camden, and Cheraw, besides hundreds of private 
 residences in the country. Col. Stone, who received the sur~ 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 45 
 
 render of Columbia, published a statement, some years ago, 
 describing the destruction of dwellings and desolation of the 
 country wherever their army marched throughout the State. 
 And there is no pretense that any of these were accidental or 
 caused by burning cotton. Then, as to Hampton's causing 
 the fire, Sherman's own confession puts the innocence of the 
 former beyond doubt. 
 
 In favor of the accidental burning, he dismisses the subject 
 by saying in his Memoirs, page 287 : "This whole subject has 
 since been thoroughly and judicially investigated, in some 
 cotton cases, by the mixed commission of American and British 
 claims, under the treaty of Washington, which commission 
 failed to find a verdict in iavor of the English claimants, and 
 thereby settled the fact that the destruction of property in 
 Columbia, during that night, did not result from the acts of 
 the General Government of the United States — that is to say. 
 from my army." 
 
 Unfortunately for Gen. Sherman, that verdict settled noth- 
 ing but the British claims in the cotton cases then tried, and, 
 as I hope to show, it was founded on defective and incorrect 
 testimony. The higher claims of truth, justice and humanity 
 were neither considered nor settled by it. These concerned 
 the citizens of Columbia and involved interests infinitely supe- 
 rior, in character and extent, to the value of all the cotton. 
 They could not be settled by a mere inference or implication 
 on a side issue in a case between entirely different parties, 
 tried by a tribunal created for a different and distinct purpose. 
 I understand the issue before the commission was whether the 
 government had taken cotton belonging to British claimants, 
 and was decided in the negative because the cotton was burnt 
 and therefore could not have been takeri. Who burnt the 
 town was another question, into which the commission had no 
 right to inquire and did not enter. To pass upon it a court 
 or commission should have met in Columbia where the trans- 
 action occurred and the facts were best known, instead of at 
 Washington, five hundred miles distant, under the influence 
 of the United States Government and of Gen. Sherman. To 
 give some idea of the evidence that would have been submitted 
 
46 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 in that case, and how it was procured, I will state that when 
 Sherman's charge against Hampton became known in Colum- 
 bia, a public meeting was held to provide for collecting the 
 testimony in relation to the destruction of the city, and that 
 Chancellor J. P. Carroll, lately deceased, as chairman of a 
 committee appointed for that purpose, received more than 
 sixty depositions and statements in writing irom as many in- 
 dividuals, I quote from his report an outline of its contents. 
 This report, I understand, is to be published in full by Chan- 
 cellor Carroll's famil}^ : 
 
 "The arra}'- of witnesses is impressive, not merely because 
 of their number, but for the high tone and elevated character 
 of some, the unpretending and sterling probity of others, and 
 the general intelligence and worth of all. The plain and un- 
 varnished narrative subjoined is taken from the^ testimony re- 
 ferred to, solely and exclusively, except so much as refers to 
 certain declarations of Gen. Sherman and the forces under hjs 
 command. The soldiers were universal in their threats ; they 
 seemed to gloat over the distress that would accrue from their 
 march in the State. General Sherman himself said to a lady 
 of his acquaintance : Go off the line of the railroad. I will 
 not answer for the consequences where the army passes." 
 
 Before the surrender of the town, the soldiers or Gen. Sher- 
 man, ofl&cers and privates, declared that it was to be destroyed. 
 At lycxington, on the i6th of February, Gen. Kilpatrick said 
 in reference to Columbia : "Sherman will lay it in ashes for 
 them?" A Federal I^ieutenant on the 17th wrote to Mrs. 
 McC(5rd : "My heart bleeds to think of what is threatening ; 
 leave the town, go anywhere to be safer than there." To 
 W. H. Orchard the leader of a squad said : "If you have any- 
 thing you wish to save, take care of it at once, for before 
 morning this d'nd town will be in ashes. If you watch, you 
 will see the rockets go up soon. If you don't take my advice, 
 you will see hell." Within an hour afterwards three rockets 
 were seen to ascend, and but a few minutes elapsed before fires 
 in quick succession broke out at intervals so distant that they 
 could not have been communicated from one to the other. At 
 various parts of the town the soldiers of Gen. Sherman at the 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 47 
 
 appearance of the rockets declared that they were the appointed 
 signals for a general conflagration. The soldiers with bayonets 
 and axes pierced and cut the hose, disabled the engines and 
 prevented the citizens from extinguishing the flames. By 3 
 o'clock A. M. on the night of February 17th, 1865, more than 
 two-thirds of the town lay in ashes, comprising the most 
 highly improved and the entire business part of it. That 
 Columbia was burned by the soldiers of Gen. Sherman, that, 
 the vast majority of the incendiaries were sober, that for 
 hours they were seen with combustibles firing house after 
 house, without any affectation of concealment and without the 
 slightest check from their officers, is established by proof full 
 to repletion, and wearisome from its very superfluity. After 
 the destruction of the tojvn, his officers and men approved of 
 its burning and exulted in it. It was said by members of the 
 soldiers that the order had been given to burn down the city. 
 
 As to the cotton. Gens, Beauregard and Hampton ordered it 
 not to be burned. These orders were issued by Capt. Rawlins 
 lyowndes, then acting as Hampton's Adjutant, and Gen. M. C. 
 Butler, wno was with the rear squadron of the Confederate 
 cavalry, deposes that Hampton directed him that the cotton 
 was not to be burnt ; that this direction was communicated to 
 the entire division and was strictly observed. Rev. A. Toomer 
 Porter was told by Gen. Hampton : "The cotton is not to be 
 burnt ; the wind is too high ; it might catch something and 
 give Sherman an excuse for burning the town." Mayor 
 Goodwyn deposes that Hampton said the same to him. The 
 wind blew from the west, but the fires at night broke out west 
 of Main and Sumter streets, where the cotton bales were, and 
 instead of burning the houses was probably burnt by them. 
 
 March 15th. James G. Gibbes has acted as mayor in place 
 of Dr. Goodwyn, who became completely worn out from 
 fatigue and anxiety when Sherman left us. Gibbes, by com- 
 mon consent, was the only man here with energy and capacity 
 for the occasion. He seemed to never tire or relax his efforts, 
 going everywhere', listening to all complaints, attending all 
 calls, talking, eating and drinking as he went, and his services 
 to the city were beyond all computation or compensation, yet 
 
48 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 he never charged or received a single cent, and seemed glad 
 for once in his life to have on hand as much as he could do. I 
 have served daily in distributing for good ; have met a com- 
 mittee with Dr. Gibbes, Dr. John Fisher, Messrs Edgerton, 
 J. A. Crawford, and D P. McDonald for the trial of disorderl}'- 
 negroes, who need checking these lawless times, and have at- 
 tended meetings of a committee of city council with Mr. Ker- 
 rison and Col. Hey ward, deputed by the Governor to collect 
 and distribute supplies. The five hundred beeves left us by 
 Gen. Sherman proved to be the starving cattle that his fora- 
 gers had collected on their march, and were miserably poor, 
 yet they served to keep our people alive for some weeks, a 
 ration of a pound of this wretched beef and a quart of meal 
 per day being issued to the number .of 7,000 applicants whom 
 we had enrolled. The supply of medicine for our 20,000 pop- 
 ulation, received by Dr. Gibbes from the Federal Surgeon 
 General, was in a box that would have held one or two hundred 
 cigars, with a pint bottle of castor oil. 
 
LETTER FROM HON. ALFRED HUGER. 
 
 I am indebted to the scrap book of Miss Kate Crawford for 
 the following letter from Hon. Alfred Huger. No gentleman 
 was better known in the State than he. His letter, taken from 
 the New York World, speaks for itself : 
 
 Charleston. S. C, Aug. 22, 1866. 
 To the Editor of the World: 
 
 Sir : I most unwillingly leave the retirement and obscurity 
 -which old age and circumstances have provided; but a remark 
 in your paper of the 13th seems to demand it. A writer 
 signed "S," replying to an article in Harper's Magazine, for 
 August, introduces my name in these words : "This must 
 refer to Alfred Hugher, for many years postmaster at Char-, 
 leston," etc., etc. I turn to the Magazine and, to my sur- 
 prise, find a contributor whose purpose and motive it is not my 
 business to define making capital out of so barren a subject as 
 myself. Begiuning with the "Burning of Columbia" and the 
 abuse of Gen. Hampton, he says : "Among others to whom I 
 was sent to give assistance was Mr. Huger, a well known 
 citizen of South Carolina," and then recounts an elaborate 
 conversation about a band of thieves, calling themselves 
 Wheeler's Cavalry, etc. And in another part of his narrative 
 writes : "When the citizens of Columbia begin their investiga- 
 tions of the burning of that city, and pillaging of houses and 
 robbing of citizens, let them not forget to take the evidence of 
 Mr. Huger." I am thus put on the stand without being con- 
 sulted, and shall commence by saying that if this individual or 
 any other was ever "sent" to my "assistance," the mission has 
 been strangely oisregarded. I never saw any such person as 
 he claims to be, though I was an eye witness to the burning of 
 Columbia. I never had any such intercourse with any human 
 being in Gen. Sherman's army, or out of it; and if investiga- 
 tions are made, and the evidence of Mr. Huger is called for, I 
 shall, with a deep consciousness of what is due to truth, say 
 that, all that I heard, all that I suffered, all that I believe, is 
 
50 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 in direct opposition to what is aflSrmed by the writer for Har- 
 per's Magazine, and for which he quotes Mr. Huger as a por- 
 tion of his authority; and I ask leave to add, after maturely 
 reflecting upon the events of that leartul night, when every 
 feeling of humanity seemed to be obliterated if my "well be- 
 ing" here and hereafter depended on the accuracy of my state- 
 ment, I would say that the precision, order, method, and 
 discipline which prevailed from the entrance of the Federal 
 army to its departure could only emanate from military au- 
 thority. 
 
 How could I come to any other conclusion, with the fact, 
 regarded as indisputable, that the city was doomed before it 
 was taken.? and that, as -the tragedy progressed, everybody 
 saw the programme carried out, as they had previously ex- 
 pected ? or how am I to believe my own senses when an indi- 
 vidual, pretending to be an officer, talks of burning the city, 
 pillaging houses, robbing citizens, etc., as if these were un- 
 founded charges? Why, sir, I never supposed I was dealt with 
 more hardly than others, because I know that the "plunder" 
 was universal. Yet Mr. Huger, who is to bear witness for one 
 who was sent to assist him, now declares "that he was merci- 
 lessly robbed; that his person was ruthlessly violated; that 
 food was taken away from his orphan children, and that his 
 family were brutally insulted by well-mounted and well-armed 
 men in the uniform of the United States ! " For aught I know, 
 it may be usual or even necessary to grant this license; while 
 the denial is equally absurd and wicked, and the attempt to 
 implicate other people is the consumation of both ! But this is 
 the end that such things come to, and the natural consequence 
 of calling witnesses to prove what the witnesses themselves 
 know to be false. I saw those who were apparently plying 
 their vocation deliberately set fire to houses, carrying with 
 them combustible preparations for doing so. Of the effort 
 made to prevent them I say nothing, because I saw nothing. 
 It gratifies me, however, to relate this instance of kindness. 
 My own house was about to be destroyed by the firing of an 
 adjoining building. There were two western men looking on — 
 soldiers in the true sense of the word. I asked one of them, 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 5 1 
 
 (their names were EUiott and Goodman, one from Indiana, 
 the other from Iowa) "Have you a family at home?" He 
 answered "Yes." I said to him, "My family is ill in that 
 room; have you no thought of your own? " The man showed 
 that he had a heart, and as the incendiary n\oved off to other 
 objects, he did assist me, without being "sent," and with my 
 servants and the only child I had big enough to "hand a 
 bucket" we saved the house, with its helpless inmates, thanks 
 to this Good Samaritan. 
 
 My conviction is that Columbia was cruelly and uselessly 
 sacked and burned without resistance, after being in complete 
 possession of Gen. Sherman's army; but who gave the "order" 
 to apply the torch, is not for the victims either to know or to 
 care. Hundreds of helpless women and children were turned 
 out to their fate. It is the historian's business to find evidence 
 to meet the case, not mine, and my voice would never have 
 been heard, had I not been unjustly dragged before the public. 
 The truth, and the whole truth, will probably never appear; 
 but it is "recorded in the high chancery of Heaven, where no 
 human power can make the erasure." 
 
 Mr. Editor, I crave your patience a little longer, and beg 
 your attention to the first sentence in the article of which I 
 complain. It reads thus: "If Mr. Wade Hampton is anxious 
 to add a deeper shame to a dishonored name, he has attained 
 that end by his renewed attempts to hold Gen. Sherman re- 
 sponsible for the burning of Columbia and its terrible conse- 
 quences," etc. Now, sir, I speak for every honest man be- 
 tween the mountains and the seacoast, and between the Savan- 
 nah river and the Pee Dee, when I say, "If this opinion and 
 this epithet are not equally revolting and insulting, then the 
 common sensibilities of nature are made extinct by the 
 sufferings we have endured." If "Hampton" is a "dishon- 
 ored name," there is none within the limits of this down- 
 trodden and persecuted State that can be considered as un- 
 sullied. Here in South Carolina, and throughout the South, 
 every human being feels that where the name of Hampton is 
 best known it is most revered, and he who bears it is the most 
 beloved. Before the present incumbent saw the light, that 
 
52 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 name was identified with all that is brave, and honorable, and 
 generous. What a noble sire (who emphatically and habitu- 
 ally "did the honors" of his native State) has left impressed 
 upon the hearts of his countrymen as a legacy to his children, 
 this slandered Mr. Wade Hampton, late Lieutenant-General 
 of the Confederate army, will transmit to another generation 
 bright and untarnished. If there is one among us more 
 cherished than the rest, it is he upon whom this gratuitous 
 assault is so brutally, and yet so feebly made. And if today 
 or tuinorrow a canvass should be opened for our "representa- 
 tive man" to fill the highest office in the gift of a heart-broken, 
 but grateful people, none could be found strong enough to 
 compete with him for their favors. And it would be untrue 
 to the living and the dead if such were not the unanimous de- 
 cision. 
 
 I have said that the historian must find evidence as to the 
 burning of Columbia and he will find it. The foolish attempt 
 to hold Hampton responsible is beyond the tether of his last 
 calumniator and is hardly worthy of a serious refutation. 
 
 These few questions, when they are asked, will be found 
 difEculL to answer. Where was Hampton when the conflagra- 
 tion began to take its regular course at 8 o'clock at night? 
 Bid the cotton which was burning at the east end of Main 
 street travel against a gale of wind to the extreme west more 
 Iban a mile off? Was it not there and then that we were 
 called on to perceive that our doom was sealed? Why talk of 
 putting out the fire in a church-yard when it is notorious that 
 the sacramental silver belonging to the altar was stolen, and I 
 think subsequently given up? Did Hampton burn the country 
 seats surrounding Columbia, leaving his kith and kindred 
 without a shelter'' Did he burn every farm house on the wayside 
 and away from the wayside — every grist mill and flour mill? Did 
 be burn Camden, Winnsboro and Cheraw? Was the quantity of 
 silver plate taken from the citizens of Columbia sold for Hamp- 
 ton's benefit in New York and elsewhere? Is it the necessary 
 province ofwar to obliterate all mercy and all shame? But enough. 
 When the searcher of hearts commences his "investigations" 
 Hampton will be found entrenched by truth — surrounded by 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 53 
 
 that Strength which "prosperity and victory" cannot giv^e, 
 and which "adversity and malignity" cannot take away. 
 
 Mr. Editor, we are doing our best, with Heaven'i help, to 
 have a country once more. North, South, Kast and West are 
 enlisted in this holy enterprise. All have joined hands in this 
 sacred work, and a Chief Magistrate, distinguished for his 
 high sense of duty, and for his inflexible courage in its per- 
 formance wisely tells us "if we cannot forget the past, We can 
 never have a future; " and standing as I do, almost in sight of 
 the grave, among the oldest men in the State that gave me 
 birth, I will say "Amen" to their sentiment. Let the past be 
 forgotten, if such is possible; at any rate let it not be referred 
 to if the object is "peace" and the "hope" is in the future. 
 I am very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 AIvFRED HUGER. 
 
LETTER FROM GENERAL WADE HAMPTON. 
 
 Columbia, S. C, July 14, 1865. 
 :To the Editor of the Day Book: 
 
 Gentlemen: In your paper of the 6th of May I have just 
 seen Gen. Sherman's official report of his march through the 
 two Carolinas. As his report misrepresents me in the grossest 
 and falsest manner, I trust, that you will not deny me the 
 right to vindicate myself. It is due to history, if it is not to 
 me, that the falsehoods of Gen. Sherman in reference to the 
 destruction of this city should be exposed. This shall be done 
 in the briefest possible manner. The report says: "Gen. 
 Wade Hampton, who commanded the rear guard of cavalry, 
 had in anticipation of our capture of Columbia ordered that all 
 cotton, public and private, should be moved into the street 
 and fired to prevent our making use of it. * * * Some of 
 these piles of cottoii were burning, especially one, in the very 
 heart of the city near the Court House, but the fire was par- 
 tially subdued by the labor of our soldiers. >!< * * Before 
 one sin'^jle public building had been fired by order the smoul- 
 dering fires set by Hampton's order were rekindled by the 
 wind and communicated to the buildings around. About dark 
 they began to spread and get beyond the control of the brigade 
 on duty within the city. The whole of Wood's division was 
 brought in, but it was found impossible to check the flames, 
 which by midnight had become unmanagable and raged until 
 about 4 o'clock A. M., when the wind subsiding, they were 
 got under control. * * * j disclaim on the part of my 
 army any agency in this fire, but on the contrary claim that 
 we saved what of Columbia remains unconsumed. And with- 
 out hesitation, I charge Gen. Wade Hampton with having 
 burned his own city of Columbia; not with malicious intent, 
 as the manifestation of a silly Roman stoicism, but from folly 
 and want of sense in filling it with lint cotton and tinder. Our 
 officers and men on duty worked well to extinguish the 
 flames." 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 55 
 
 It would be difficult if not impossible to express in an equal 
 number of paragraphs a greater number of falsehoods than are 
 contained in the above extracts. There is not one word of 
 truth in all that has been quoted, except the statement that 
 "Gen. Wade Hampton commanded the rear-guard of the Con- 
 federate cavalry." I did not order anj' cotton ''moved into 
 the street and fired." On the contrary, m}' first act on taking 
 command of the cavalry, to which I was assigned only the 
 night before the evacuation of Columbia, was to represent to 
 Gen. Beauregard, the danger to the town by firing the cotton 
 in the streets. Upon this representation he authorized me to 
 give orders that no cotton in the town should be fired, which 
 order was strictly carried out. I left the city after the head 
 of Sherman's column entered it, and I assert, what can be 
 proved by thousands, that not one bale of cotton was on fire 
 when he took possession of the city. His assertion to the con- 
 trary is false, and he knows it to be so. A distinguished citizen 
 of this State, whose name, were I at liberty to give it, would 
 be a sufficient voucher even at the North, for the truth of any 
 statement made by him, has given to the public a minute his- 
 tory of the destruction of the city. From his document, 
 which is too long for insertion in your paper, I make a few 
 extracts which will show how true is Gen. Sherman's solemn 
 disclaimer of "any agency in this fire" and his claim to have 
 "saved what of Columbia remains unconsumed." The mayor 
 had been informed that he would be notified when to surrender 
 the city. Knowing that ineffectual resistance on our part 
 would furnish the ready excuse for all lawlessness on the part 
 of the enemy, I would not allow my troops to become engaged 
 in the city, and they were withdrawn on the morning of the 
 17th of February. At 9 o'clock A. M., on that day, the 
 mayor, at the head of the deputation from the city council 
 went out to meet Gen. Sherman for the purpose of ^urrender- 
 ing the city, which he did in the following letter: 
 
 Columbia, S. C, Feb. 17, 1865. 
 To Major General Sherman: 
 
 The Confederate i'orces having evacuated Columbia, I deem 
 it my duty as mayor and representative of the city to ask for 
 
56 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 the citizens the treatment accorded by the usages of civilized 
 warfare. I therefore respectfully request that you will send a 
 sufficient guard in advance of the array to maintain order in 
 the city and to protect the persons and property of the 
 citizens. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 [Signed.] T. J. GOODWYN, Mayor. 
 
 The deputation met the advanced guard of the enemy under 
 Col. Stone, 15th Corps, outside of the city, and Col. Stofie re- 
 turned with them to the town in their carriage. The mayor 
 reports that on surrendering the city to Col. Stone, the latter 
 assurred him of the safety of the citizens and the protection of 
 their property while ujider his command. He could not an- 
 swer for Gen. Sherman, who was in the rear, but he expressed 
 the conviction that he would fully confirm the assurances 
 which he (Col. Stone) had given. Subsequently, Gen. Sher- 
 man did confirm them, and that night, seeing that the mayor 
 was exhausted by the labors of the day, he counselled him to 
 retire to rest — saying, "Not a finger's breadth, Mr. Mayor, of 
 your city shall be burned, you may lie down to sleep, satisfied 
 that your town shall be as safe in my hands as if wholly in 
 your own." * * * At about ii o'clock the head of the 
 column reached Market Hall Hardly had the troops reached 
 the head of Main street when the vsork of pillage was begun. 
 Stores were broken open in the presence of thousands, within 
 the first hour after their arrival. No attempt was made to 
 stop the burglars. The authorities, officers, soldiers, all seemed 
 to consider it a matter of course. And woe to him who carried 
 a watch with gold chaiu pendant, or who wore a choice hat, 
 or overcoat, or boots, or shoes. He was stripped by ready ex- 
 perts "in the twinkling of an eye." * * * "About 12 
 o'clock the jail was discovered to be on fire from within. This 
 building was immediately in rear of the City or Market Hall, 
 and in a densely built portion of the city. * * * Xhe fire 
 in the jail had been preceded by that of some cotton piled in 
 the streets. Both fires were soon subdued by our firevien. At 
 about one and a half o'clock P. M. that of the jail was re- 
 kindled, and was again extinguished. The experience of the 
 
A 
 
 h 
 
 Gen. Wade lampton. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 57 
 
 firemen in putting out the fire in the cotton and in the jail was of 
 a sort to discourage their further efforts. They were thwarted 
 and embarrassed by the continued interference of the soldiery. 
 Finally their hose was chopped with swords and axes and 
 pierced with bayonets, so as to be rendered useless. The en- 
 gines were in some cases demolished also. And so the miser- 
 able day wore on in pillage, insult and constant confusion and 
 alarm. We have shown that the robbery of the persons of the 
 citizens and plunder of their houses commenced within one 
 hour after they reached the Market Hall. It continued with- 
 out intermission throughout the day. Sherman traversed the 
 streets everywhere; so did his officers, yet they saw nothing to 
 rebuke or restrain. * * * Robbery was going on at every 
 corner, in evsjry house, yet there was no censure, no punish- 
 ment." ^ * * Among the first fires at evening, was one 
 about dark, which broke out in a filthy portion of low houses 
 occupied mostly as brothels. There were then some twenty 
 fires in full blast in as many different quarters at nearly the 
 same moment, and while the alarm sounded from these quar- 
 ters, a similar alarm was sent up almost simultaneously from 
 Cotton Town the northernmost limits of the city, and from 
 Main street in its centre." * * * -'The wretches engaged 
 in this appointed incendiarism were well prepared with all the 
 appliances essential to their work. They carried with them 
 from house to house pots and vessels containing combustible 
 liquids and with balls of fire satuated in this liquid they con- 
 veyed the flames with wonderful rapidity from dwelling- to 
 dwelling." 
 
 "What remained from the morning, of engines and hose, were 
 brought out by the firemen, but they were soon driven from 
 their labors by the pertinacious hostility of the incendiaries. 
 Kngiues were tumbled over and disabled, the hose was hewn 
 to pieces, and the firemen dreading worse usage to themselves 
 left the field in despair." ^ * H< "Old men, women and. 
 children were to be seen often while the flames were rolling 
 and raging around them, while walls were cracking and 
 rafters tottering and tumbling, in the endeavor to save their 
 clothing and some of their more valuable effects. They were 
 
58 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 driven out headlong by pistols clapped to their heads, violent 
 hands laid on their throats and collar, and ruffians seemed to 
 make but little distinction in their treatment of man and 
 woman. I^adies were bustled from their chambers under the 
 strong arm or with the menacing pistol at their hearts. Their 
 ornaments plucked from their persons, their bundles from 
 their hands." 
 
 "A lady undergoing the pains of labor had to be borne out on 
 a mattress into the open air to escape the fire. It was in vain 
 that her situation was described to the incendiaries as they 
 applied the torch within and without the house. They beheld 
 the situation of the sufferer and laughed to scorn the prayer 
 for safety. Another lady was but recently confined. Her life 
 hung upon a hair. The demons were apprised of the facts in 
 the case. They burst into her chamber, took rings from the 
 lady's finger, plucked the watch from beneath her pillow 
 shrieked offensive language in her ears, and so overwhelmed 
 her with terror that she sank under the treatment, surviving 
 but a day or two." 
 
 "The churches were at first sought by many. Thither the 
 hellish perseverance of the fiends followed them, and the 
 churches of God were set on tire. Again driven forth, mem- 
 bers made their way into the recesses of Sidney Park and here 
 fancied to find security. But the ingenuity of hate and malice 
 
 was not to be baffled, and firebrands thrown Tho: height into 
 
 the deepest hollows of the Park taught the wretched fugitives to 
 despair of any escape from enemies of such unwearied and unre- 
 mitti7ig rage!^'' 
 
 But enough of this atrocity, the bare recital of which makes 
 humanity shudder and the heart grow sick. Surely enough 
 has been quoted from the narrative of these horrors, to prove 
 that Gen. Sherman is alone responsible for the destruction of 
 Columbia, and for the many other atrocities committed by his 
 army. He declares that the fires set by my order consumed 
 the city. I have shown how false is this statement; but even 
 were it true, how does he clear himself of the guilt of burn- 
 ing private dwellings outside of the city limits? Early in the 
 afternoon of the day he entered Columbia, my home, which 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 59 
 
 was two miles fronj the city, was fired; soon after the 
 houses of Mr. Trenholm, Gen. Lovell, Mrs. Stark, Dr. Wal- 
 lace, Mr. Arthur, Mr. Latta, and Mrs. English, all in the 
 same vicinity, shared the same fate. Gen. Sherman cannot 
 deny that these houses were burned by his men, nor can he 
 deny that he destroyed in part the villages of Barnwell, Bu- 
 ford's Bridge, Orangeburg, Lexington, Alston, Pomaria, 
 Winnsboro, Blackstock, Society Hill, Camden, and Cheraw. 
 Does not the fate of the unoffending towns give the lie to his 
 disclaimer of any agency in the burning of this city ? 
 
 Along the line of march followed by him there is scarcely 
 one house left standing from the Savannah river to the Pedee, 
 and yet he dares to declare solemnly that he did not burn 
 Columbia. I do not wonder that he should strive to escape 
 the infamy, which, like the leprosy of Gehagi, shall cleave 
 unto him and his seed forever, for the commission of this dark 
 deed. Nor am I surprised that he should naturally seek to 
 escape by taking refuge behind a falsehood. But he shall not 
 with impunity make me the scape-goat for his sins. Wherever 
 he has taken his army in this State, women have been insulted 
 or outraged, old men have been hung to extort from them 
 hidden treasure. The fruits of the earth have been destroyed, 
 leaving starvation where plenty once reigned, and the dwell- 
 ings of rich and poor alike have been laid in ashes. For these 
 deeds history will brand him as a robber and incendiary and 
 will deservedly "'damn him to everlasting fame." 
 I am your obedient servant, 
 
 WADE HAMPTON, 
 Lieutenant General, C S. A. 
 
 From "The New York Day Book," Saturday, July 15, 1865. 
 
LETTER FROM THOS. G. MYERS. 
 
 The following is a copy of a letter brought to Miss F. 
 Cantey, of Camden, from the Yankee camp, near that city. It 
 is directed to Mrs. Thos. G. Myers, Boston, Mass., and was 
 published in a Camden newspaper. It corroborates what was be- 
 lieved at that time, that officers wore citizens' and privates' 
 dress, in order to rob without compromising their shoulder 
 straps: 
 
 South Carolina, Feb. 26, 1865. 
 
 My Dear Wife: I have no time for particulars. We have 
 had a glorious time in this State. Universal license to burn 
 and plunder was the order of the day. The chivalry have 
 been stript of most of their valuables. Gold watches, silver 
 pitchers, cups, spoons, torks, etc., etc., are as common in 
 camp as blackberries. The terms of plunder are as follows : 
 
 The valuables procured we estimate by companies. Each 
 company is required to exhibit the result of its operations at 
 any given place. One- fifth and first choice falls to the share 
 of the Commander-in-chief and staff, one-fifth to field officers 
 of regiments, and three-fifths to the company. Officers are 
 not allowed to join these expeditions without disguising them- 
 selves as privates. One of our corps commanders borrowed a 
 suit of rough clothes from one of my men and was successful 
 in this place; he got a large quantity of silver, (among other 
 things, an old time silver milk pitcher) and a very fine gold 
 watch from a Mr. DeSaussure at this place. DeSaussure is a 
 F. F. v., of South Carolina, and was made to fork over liber- 
 ally. Officers over the rank of Captain are not made to put 
 their plunder in the estimate for general distribution. This is 
 very unfair, and for t.hat reason, in order to protect themselves^ 
 subordinate officers and privates keep back everything that 
 they can carry about their person, such as rings, ear-rings, 
 breast-pins, etc.,, of which, if ever I live to get home, I have 
 about a quart — I am not joking — 1 have at least a quart of 
 
WHO BURNT COI.UMBIA? 6l 
 
 jewelry for you and all the girls, and some No. i diamond 
 rings and pins among them. 
 
 Gen. Sherman has silver and gold enough to start a bank. 
 His share in gold watches and chains alone at Columbia was 
 two hundred and seventy-five (275); but I said I could not go 
 into particulars. All the general officers and many privates 
 had valuables of every description, even to ladies' embroidered 
 pocket handkerchiefs (I have my share of them, too). We 
 took gold and silver enough from the d-d rebels to have re- 
 deemed their infernal currency twice over. This, (the cur- 
 rency) whenever we come across it we burn as we consider it 
 utterly worthless. I wish all the jewelry this army has could 
 be carried to the old Bay State It would deck her out in glo- 
 rious style, but alas! it will be scattered all over the North and 
 Middle States. The d-d negroes, as a rule, prefer to stay at 
 home, particularly after they found out that we only wanted 
 ablebodied men (and, to tell you the truth, the youngest and 
 best looking women). Sometimes we take off whole families 
 and plantations of negroes by way of repaying the secessionists; 
 but the useless part of these we soon manage to loose — some- 
 times in crossing rivers — sometimes in other ways. 
 
 I shall write to you again from Wilmington, Goldsboro, or 
 some other place in North Carolina. The order to march has 
 arrived and I must close hurriedly. 
 
 Love to Grandmother and Aunt Charlotte. Take care of 
 yourself and the children. Do not show this letter out of the 
 family. 
 
 Your affectionate husband, 
 
 THOS. G. MYERS, Ueut., etc. 
 
 P. S. — I will send this by flag of truce to be mailed unless I 
 have a chance of sending it to Hilton Head. Tell Sallie I am 
 saving a pearl bracelet and ear-rings for her; but Lambert got 
 the necklace and breast-pin of the same set. I am trying to 
 trade him out of them. These were taken from the Misses 
 Jamieson, daughters of the President of the South Carolina 
 Secession Convention. We found them on our trip through 
 Georgia. 
 
EXTRACTS FROM ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY DR. 
 TREZEVANT. 
 
 In 1866 Dr. D. H. Trezevant, one of the most highly es- 
 teemed citizens of Columbia, wrote an account of the "De- 
 struction of Columbia, "quoting from the books of Conyngham 
 and Major Nichols, staff officers and historians of Gen. Sher- 
 man. He quotes from account of Conyngham as follows: 
 
 "Our march through the city was so orderly that even the 
 Southerners began to bless their stars that the reign of terror 
 was over, and that a reign of peace and security, like that at 
 Savannah was about being inaugurated. Alas! that the scenes 
 of the night should mar so auspicious a beginning." I spent 
 the evening in the Capitol, looking over the archives and 
 libraries. Part of Col. Stone's brigade — I think the 13th 
 Ohio, Col. Kennedy's regiment — was on duty there. Towards 
 night, crowds of our escaped prisoners, soldiers and negroes, 
 intoxicated with their new-born liberty, which they looked 
 upon as a license to do as they pleased, were parading the 
 streets in groups." No mention as yet of any fires about the 
 town, or any cotton having been found flying about, or on 
 fire, but he writes : "As soon as night set in, there ensued a 
 sad scene indeed." (This is the time Sherman reports that the 
 fires were in full blast, and that he had called in the rest of 
 Wood's division.) "The suburbs were first set on fire" — (by 
 whom.'' the prisoners and soldiers and negroes for it was not 
 within 500 yards of the cotton that Sherman saw burning,) 
 ^'some assert, by the burning cotton which the rebels had 
 piled along the streets. Pillaging gangs soon fired the heart 
 of the town, then entered the houses, in many instances, car- 
 rying off articles of value. The flames soon burst out in all 
 parts of the town," etc., etc. "I trust I shall never witness 
 such a scene again — drunken soldiers rushing from house to 
 house, emptying them of their valuables, and then firing 
 them; negroes carrying off piles of booty, and grinning at the 
 good chance and exulting like so many demons; ofl&cers and 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 63 
 
 men revelling on the wines and liquors until the burning 
 houses buried them in their drunken orgies." I think this 
 looks very much like a city turned over to the soldiery to do 
 with as they please; corresponds with what they said — that 
 they were authorized first to sack, and then to burn it — that 
 they, both officers and men, had so determined, and that it 
 met with Old Bill's full approbation. "The frequent shots on 
 every side told that some victim had fallen — shrieks and groans 
 and cries of distress resounded from every side. A troop of 
 cavalry — I think the 29th Missouri — were left to patrol the 
 streets; but I did not once see them interfering with the groups 
 that rushed about to fire and pillage the houses." Methinks 
 after penning such a description, that there was no occasion to 
 ask "who was to blame for the burning of Columbia." 
 
 "There can be no denial of the assertion, that the feeling 
 among the troops was one of extreme bitterness towards the 
 people of the State of South Carolina, It was freely expressed 
 as the column hurried over the bridge at Sister's ferry, eager 
 to commence the punishment of original secessionists. Threat- 
 ening words were heard from soldiers who prided themselves 
 on conservatism in house-burning while in Georgia, and offi- 
 cers openly confessed their fears that the coming campaign 
 would be a wicked one. Just or unjust as this feeling was 
 towards the country people in South Carolina, it was univer- 
 sal. I first saw its fruits at Raryburg (Purisburg is meant), 
 where two or three piles of blackened bricks and an acre or so 
 of dying embers marked the site of an old revolutionary town; 
 and this before the column had fairly got its hand in." 
 
 At McBride's plantation, where Gen. Sherman had his 
 headquarters, the outhouses, offices, shanties and surroundings 
 were all set on fire before he left. I think the fire approaching 
 the dwelling hastened his departure. If a house was empty, 
 this v^ds prhna facie evidence that the owners were rebels, and 
 all was sure to be consigned to the flames. If they remained 
 at home it was taken for granted that every one in South Car- 
 olina was a rebel, and the chances were the place was con- 
 sumed. In Georgia few houses were burned; here few es- 
 caped, and the country was converted into one vast bon- 
 
64 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 fire. The pine forests were fired; the resin factories were 
 fired; the public buildings and private dwellings were fired. 
 The middle of the finest day looked black and gloomy, for a 
 dense smoke arose on all sides clouding the very heavens — at 
 night the tall pine trees seemed so many huge pillars of fire. 
 The flames hissed and screeched, as they fed on the fat resin 
 and dry branches, imparting to the forest a most fearful ap- 
 pearance." 
 
 "Vandalism of this kind, though not encouraged, was sel- 
 dom punished. True, where every one is guilty alike, there 
 will be no informers." 
 
 "The ruined homesteads of the Palmetto State will long be 
 remembered. The army might safely march the darkest night, 
 the crackling pine woods shooting up their columns of flame, 
 and the burning houses along the way would light it on, while 
 the dark clouds and pillars would safely cover its rears. I 
 hazard nothmg in saying that three-fifths in value of the per- 
 sonal property of the counties we have passed through, were 
 taken b)' Sherman's army. The graves were even ransacked, 
 etc. The scenes I witnessed in Columbia, were scenes that 
 would have driven Alaric the Goth into frenzied ecstasies 
 had be witnessed them." m 
 
 "As for the wholesale burnings, pillage, devastation, commit- K 
 
 ted in South Carolina, magnify all I have said of Georgia some ™ 
 
 fifty fold, and then throw in an occasional murder, 'just to -jk' 
 
 bring an old hardfisted cuss to his senses,' and you have a ^l 
 
 pretty good idea of the whole thing. Besides compelling the ' i 
 
 enemy to evacuate Charleston, we destioyed Columbia, Orange- ^^'^i 
 
 burg, and several other places, also over fifty miles of railroad, '"'^' 
 
 and thousands of bales of cotton." This is a very fair admis- 
 sion, and we might rest here and go no farther. After what he 
 has admitted to have been done on the route, to conclude the 
 acts of the army by saying they had destroyed Columbia was 
 giving up the question. On his mind there could have been 
 no doubt as to who burnt the city, and as little as to who was 
 the cause of its being burned. 
 
 The enviable notoriety is certainly due to Sherman, and to 
 him alone. Those who did the deed were mere agents, and 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 65 
 
 acted to please a cherished commander; they all stated that 
 they knew what Old Bill, (their pet name for him) wanted, 
 and they were determined he should be gratified. . 
 
 Major Nichols next presents himself, and as a staff" ofiicer of 
 Gen. Sherman, we may suppose that ego etrex metis to be one. 
 His account is very much the counterpart of Sherman's, but 
 he has many remarks and admissions that are peculiarly ap- 
 ropos to the subject, and calculated to lead one definitely to 
 the object sought after, viz: "who is to blame for the burning 
 of Columbia." Major Nichols remarks under the date of Jan- 
 uary 30th: "The actual invasion of South Carolina has begun. 
 The well known sight of columns of black smoke meets our 
 gaze again; this time houses are burning, and South Carolina 
 has commenced to pay an instalment, long overdue, on her 
 debt to justice and humanity. With the help of God, we will 
 have principal and interest before we leave her borders. There 
 is a terrible gladness in the realization of so many hopes and 
 wishes." Again, Nichols exclaims: "But here we are; and 
 wherever our footsteps pass, fire, ashes and desolation follow 
 in the path." In speaking of the occupation of the city, "On 
 every side were evidences of disorder; bales of cotton scattered 
 here and there, articles of merchandise and furniture cast pell 
 mell in every direction by the frightened inhabitants, etc." 
 But no mention of anything on fire. Nichols writes: "I began 
 today's record early in the evening, and while writirg, I 
 noticed an unusual glare in the sky and heard a sound of run- 
 ning to and fro in the streets. Running out, I found to my 
 surprise and real sorrow," (why so after the expressions used 
 above?) "that the central part of the city, including the main 
 business street, was in flames, while the wind, which had been 
 blowing a hurricane all day, was driving the sparks and cin- 
 ders in heavy masses over the eastern portion of the city where 
 the finest residences are situated. Those buildings, all wooden, 
 were i nstsntly ignited by the flying sparks. In half an 
 hour the conflagration was raging in every direction, etc." It 
 will be perceived that both Conyngham and Nichols state that 
 the fire commenced in the evening, after dark, at the very 
 
66 WHO BURNT COI^UMBIA? 
 
 time Sherman states it to have been so great that he had to 
 call in Wood's division. It will be observed also, that Con- 
 yngham, in his remarks, states "that Sherman and Howard, 
 instead of looking after a single fire, when hundreds were 
 burning around, had better have called in fresh troops and 
 driven the drunkards out with steel and lead." And again, 
 that he says, "about day Wood's division was called on, when 
 nothing was left to pillage or burn." It is important to bear 
 these facts in memory, as it will be seen that when Sherman 
 gives an account of the catastrophe to free himself from blame, 
 he changes the whole order of the affair and makes the fires to 
 have been burning all day, but leaping into life and activity 
 when the night came on, and requiring him to call for addi- 
 tional assistance. Nichols says "Gen. Howard and his officers 
 worked with their own hands until long after midnight, try- 
 ing to save life and property;" we presume, for the purpose of 
 having it presented to them, as he, Nichols has so naively de- 
 tailed on page 204 — the manner in which silver goblets, etc. , 
 had found their way into the camp. 
 
 Nichols proceeds and states: "Various causes are assigned 
 to explain the origin of the fire. I am quite sure that it orig- 
 inated in sparks flying from the hundreds of bales of cotton 
 which the rebels had placed along the middle of the main 
 street, and fired as they left the city." This is mere assertion; 
 no proof of the fact has been offered; the number is exager- 
 ated, there being not more than fifty bales, and from their own 
 statements, there is every reason to believe that it was not so. 
 It is positively certain that up to half-past eleven o'clock, 
 there had been no fire in the city; and then it had been under 
 the command of Col. Stone for fully one hour. Again, he 
 says: "There were fires, however, which must have been 
 started independent of the above named cause. The source of 
 these is ascribed to the desire for revenge from some 200 of 
 our prisoners who had escaped from the cars as they were be- 
 ing conveyed from this city to Charlotte, etc." Again, it is 
 said that "the soldiers who first entered the town, intoxicated 
 with success and a liberal supply of bad liquor, etc. , set fire to 
 unoccupied houses." There has never been any proof offered 
 
WHO BURNT COIvUMBIA? 67 
 
 as to the cotton having been fired by Hampton's orders, or by 
 his men. It stands alone upon the authority of Gen. Sher- 
 man's z/^i'.? dixit. Col. Stone, who had the best opportunity of 
 judging of the fact, has lately been appealed to, but has made 
 no such report. His evidence has ten times the weight o f 
 Sherman's assertion, as he was the first to enter, passed 
 through the main street, went by the cotton and saw it, and 
 left his men at that very spot. From thence he went to the 
 Capitol with Alderman Stork. The men left, occupied them- 
 selves as men will do, by lounging about the cotton, laying oq 
 it and smoking, and whilst doing so, the cotton was discovered 
 to be on fire about one hour after they had been there. 
 
 Nichols proceeds with his narrative and writes: "Houses 
 have unquestionably been burned during our march, but they 
 were the property of notorious rebels who were fortunate in 
 escaping* so easily; while I have yet to hear of a single instance 
 of outrage offered to a woman or a child by any soldier of our 
 army." We do not know what Major Nichols may consider 
 an outrage, but for a man to catch a lady by the throat, and 
 thrust his hand into her bosom to feel for her watch, or purse, 
 would in former days have been regarded as such. So would 
 the lifting up of a lady's dress, because she was not quick 
 enough in freeing her purse from her girdle, the threats of 
 death and a pistol at her head having alarmed her and caused 
 her to give. I should hardly suppose that even in such an 
 army as was led by Sherman, it would have been considered 
 very chivalric to place a pistol at a lady's breast, and demand 
 her watch and jewels, while another companioa put another to 
 the head of her daughter and demanded the same. Nor would 
 I deem that man entitled to admission in civilized society, who 
 would insult the feelings of a lady by taking a negro wench to 
 a room, opposite to sleeping apartment of herself and daugh- 
 ter, and remain there with her all night; and upon going away 
 with her in the morning, steal everything he could lay his 
 hands on. This was done by one Capt. W. T. Duglass, a com- 
 missary under Gen. Blair. His name was given to the ladies 
 by his indignant clerk, with a request that it and the transac- 
 tion, should be published, and the blackguard be held up as 
 
68 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 an example to the community, and for public condemnation. 
 
 But what shall I say of the villain who fired the house of a 
 
 lone woman, and then in the presence of the lady took hold of 
 
 her maid and compelled her to be subservient to his brutal 
 
 wishes? Words are wanting properly to designate such an 
 
 act, and we can only say it would have disgraced even Butler, 
 
 the beast. Yet those acts were committed in many of the 
 
 houses; in some instances done by officers as well as men. 
 ******* 
 
 I will give one extract more from Nichols and then turn, to 
 his commander, who was the source from which the foul slan- 
 der emanated, and see on what authority he makes his charge. 
 "In the record of great wars we read of vast armies marching 
 'through an enemy's country, carrying death and destruction 
 in their path; of villages burned, cities pillaged, a triJDe or a 
 nation swept out of existence. History, however, will be 
 searched in vain for a parallel to the scathing and destructive 
 effect of the invasion of the Carolinas." "Putting aside the 
 mere military question for a moment, there are considerations 
 which, overleaping the present generation, affect the future 
 .existence of the section of the country through which our 
 .-army has marched!" "Over a region forty miles in width 
 stretching from Savannah to Port Royal through South Caro- 
 lina to Goldsboro in North Carolina, agriculture and com- 
 merce, even if peace come speedily, cannot be fully revived in 
 our day." "Day by day our legions of armed men surged 
 over the land, destroying its substance. Cattle were gathered 
 into increasing droves; fresh horses and mules were taken to 
 replace the lame and feeble animals; rich granaries and store- 
 Siouses were stripped of corn, fodder, meal and flour; cotton 
 gins, presses, factories and mills were burned to the ground, 
 on every side; the head, centre and rear of our column might 
 be traced by columns of smoke by day and by the glare of fires 
 by night.'' "In all the length and breath of that broad path- 
 way the burning hand of war pressed heavily, blasting and 
 withering where it fell." And such was the act of a band of 
 brothers, anxious for the return of the South to the Union, to 
 restore the friendly relations between the two sections of 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 69 
 
 country. Such were the means used to bring about fraternal 
 
 concord, to reunite a mistaken people, to restore them to their 
 
 pristine condition, and insure a lasting peace. It was a most 
 
 extraordinary device — one worthy of Sherman from whom it 
 
 emanated, but it really seems more in unison with, the views 
 
 of the officer, who, while wishing them all in hell, yet was 
 
 determined to "smelt them back into the Union." 
 
 * * * ^ * ^ >}< 
 
 From the subordinates, let me now turn to the great leader^ 
 whose word was law. and whose nod was destiny. lyct us see 
 what Sherman says as to "who is to blame for the burning of 
 Columbia." In the frequent conversations which Sherman had 
 with the inhabitants of the town, he uniformly attributed its 
 destruction to the whiskey which his men obtained, and their 
 subsequent intoxication. In no instance that I ha^e ever 
 heard, did he attribute it to Gen. Hampton, nor in his letters, 
 did he deny his complicity in the affair, until his report to the 
 General Government; then, for the first time, we learned that 
 Gen. Sherman disclaimed having had anything to do with its 
 destruction; that on the contrary, he ordered it not to be burnt. 
 Such having been the fact, it certainly was very unfortunate 
 for the citizens of Columbia, that the General's views should 
 have been so much misunderstood, and that all the soldiers 
 and officers who came into the city, were under the impression 
 it was a doomed cit}^ and was to be given up to pillage until 
 night; and then at a signal given, it was to be burnt. Such 
 undoubtedly was the prevailing opinion, and a nervous rest- 
 lessness was to be observed about them, an anxious looking 
 out for an expected event, which they instantly recognized 
 and hailed when the rockets were thrown up, and immediately 
 proceeded to their task. That Gen. Sherman had given his 
 orders to Gen. Howard to burn all the public buildings, by 
 which he meant all that had been used in the Confederate 
 service, he himself, acknowledges. That he did so before he 
 entered the town, or became acquainted with their position, is 
 also certain; that they were so situated, that their cremation 
 would end in one general conflagration, was patent to every 
 one, and the order given for their destruction was, as a matter 
 
yo WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 of course, an order for the destruction of the city; that Gen. 
 Sherman gave that order he has himself recorded; but in no 
 place has he shown where the order ever was countermanded, 
 or where regarding the safety of the city he had guaranteed, 
 with such a wind as was blowing, that he sought the means 
 to prevent the catastrophe. From the statement of his officers, 
 it was certain that he made no effort to do so — and absolutely 
 certain that he allowed the very corps who had exhibited the 
 greatest animosity, and uttered the most violent threats to en- 
 ter the city, remain in it when drunk, and continue there until 
 its destruction was completed, or as Conyngham writes "until 
 there was nothing more to pilfer or burn," The same men 
 who were detailed to destroy it, entered with the belief that it 
 would be peculiarly agreeable to him, as Gen, Howard says. 
 They stated such to be their intention. Stated that their 
 oiders were on the appearance of a certain signal, the rockets, 
 that they were to fire and pillage, and to continue until the 
 bugle's sound countermanded the orders, aiad called in the in- 
 cendiaries. Such were the facts stated by hundreds of the 
 soldiers, and officers as early as 12 o'clock in the day, and such 
 were the facts that developed themselves on the approach of 
 the evening. Gen. Sherman in his remarks to the Secretary 
 of War, endeavors to exculpate himself, and to fix the terrible 
 accident on another. It is ray object now to state the charge 
 of the General, and to show to the world that it was not true; 
 and that from all the incidents previous, and subsequent to his 
 entrance into Columbia, he himself and no other was the cause 
 of the destruction of the city of Columbia. 
 
 He writes: "In anticipation of the occupation of the city, I 
 had made written orders to Gen. Howard touching the con- 
 duct of the troops. These were to destroy absolutely all 
 arsenals and public property uot needed for our own use, as 
 well as railroads, depots and machinery, useful in war to an 
 enemy; but to spare all dv/ellings, colleges, schools, asylum, 
 and harmless property. I was the first to cross the pontoon- 
 bridge, and in comjiany with Gen. Howard rode into the city. 
 The day was clear, but a perfect tempest of wind was raging. 
 The brigade of Col. Stone was already in the city and was 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 7I 
 
 properly posted. Citizens and soldiers were on the streets, and 
 general good order prevailed. Gen. Wade Hampton, who 
 commanded the Confederate rear guard of calvary, had in an- 
 ticipation of the capture of Columbia, ordered that all cotton, 
 public and private, should be moved into the streets and fired, 
 to prevent our making use of it. Bales were piled everywhere, 
 the rope and bagging cut, and tufts of cotton were blown about 
 in the wind, lodged in the trees and against houses, so as to 
 resemble a snow storm. Some of these piles of cotton were 
 burning, especially, one in the very heart of the city, near the 
 Court House, but the fire was partially subdued by the labors 
 of our soldiers. Before one single public building had been 
 fired by order, the smouldering fires set by Hampton's orders 
 were rekindled by the wind and communicated to the build- 
 ings around. About dark, they began to spread and got be- 
 yond the control of the brigade on duty within the city. The 
 whole of Wood's division was brought in, but it was found 
 impossible to check the flames, w'nich, by midnight, became 
 unmanageable, and raged until about 4 A. M., when the wind 
 subsiding, they were got under control." "I was up ready all 
 night, and saw Gens Howard, Logan, Wood, and others, 
 laboring to save houses, etc., etc." "I disclaim on the part of 
 my army any agency in this fire, but on the contrary, claim 
 that we saved what of Columbia remains unconsumed. And 
 without hesitation, I charge Gen. Wade Hampton with hav- 
 ing burned his own city of Columbia, not with a malicious in- 
 tent, or as the manifestation of a silly "Roman stoicism," but 
 from folly and want of sense, in filling it with lint cotton and 
 tinder. Our officers and men on duty worked well to extin- 
 guish the flames; but others not on duty, including the officers 
 who had long been imprisoned there, rescued by us, may have 
 assisted in spreading the fire, and may have indulged in un- 
 concealed joy to see the ruins of the capital of South Carolina.' ' 
 ******* 
 
 Sherman says "the brigade of Col. Stone was already in the 
 city and properly posted — citizens and soldiers were in the 
 street together, and general good order prevailed." Except in 
 their stealing, such was the fact and continued so until after 
 
72 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 dark wheu the rockets were discharged, and then the whole 
 scene changed. (See Conyngham's and Nichol's account of 
 the conduct of the troops, etc., at that time.) What was it 
 that changed the orderly soldier obedient to his commander, to 
 the midnight assassin, robber and house-burner? Three rockets 
 discharged — the signal agreed on when as the soldiers said 
 "Hell was to be let loose and the city wrapped in flames." 
 But let me take Sherman up in the order of his report. "Gen. 
 Hampton, who commanded, etc. , ordered that all cotton should 
 be moved in the streets and fired to prevent our making use 
 ot it." 
 
 In his letter to Rawls, Sherman says that in the printed 
 order which he saw, Hampton ordered "that on the approach 
 of the Yankee army all the cotton should be burned." This 
 order which he says he saw, and worded as above is the proof 
 that he offeres of Gen. Hampton having burned the town. He 
 has no other. It is the ground of the whole charge, and the 
 one on which all his allegations are founded. Were I to grant 
 that an order had been given by Hampton, it would become 
 necessary for Gen. Sherman to prove that the one he had 
 named was the identical one; and that it gave the direction, 
 and authority to act, which Sherman states; but I am not dis- 
 posed to cede so much, and I think it can be made apparant, 
 that though in his name, the oraer did no: emenate from him 
 — that he sought to have it countermanded, succeeded in so 
 doing, and had it stopped. That order is dated 
 
 Headquarters, Feb. 14, 1865. 
 [Special Order No. ] 
 
 All persons having cotton stored in the city of Columbia ar** 
 directed to have it placed where it can be burned in case of 
 necessity without danger of destroying buildings. All cotton 
 stored here will be burned at any cost rather than allow it to 
 fall in the hands of the enemy. By order of 
 
 MAJOR GEN. HAMPTON. 
 R. LOWNDES, CAPT. and A. A. G 
 
 February 15th. 
 
 I think it will be difficult to show in that order, any direc- 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? . 75 
 
 tions to roll the cotton into the streets, or to fire it upon the 
 approach of the Yankee army. It contains nothing of the 
 kind; it is a precautionary order to be acted on if a necessity 
 should occur. Gen. Sherman was too well acquainted with 
 what was transpiring in the army of his opponent, not to know 
 that Gen.. Hampton at the time that order was given was not 
 in command — that order is dated on the 14th. Gen. Hampton 
 was put in command on the night of the i6th; he therefore 
 could have had no authority to issue such a one; he was only 
 assisting Beauregard. How that order was printed in his 
 name I know not, and cannot therefore speak. I presume it 
 could be explained, but for my purposes it is not necessary. It 
 unquestionably is not such an order as Sherman stated that he 
 saw — no rolling into the streets — and by it no one was author- 
 ized to fire the cotton. It was one of precaution, to be acted 
 on under a contingency, and of that contingency Gen. Hamp- 
 ton was to be the judge. No authority was given to any one 
 to burn it, nor could it have been burnt but by the order of 
 Hampton, who was to judge of the necessity. That he did not 
 issue that order is to my mind very plain, for if he had done 
 so, he would have had the same power that gave the order, 
 to authorize him to withdraw it; but it seems he felt that he 
 had not, for immediately upon taking his command as Lieu- 
 tenant General, he applied to Beauregard to get the order 
 countermanded, as will be seen by the following correspond- 
 ence. Gen. Hampton writes to Gen. Beauregard as follows: 
 
 April 22, 1866. 
 "Gen. Sherman having charged me in his ofiicial report with 
 the destruction of Columbia, and having reiterated the same 
 falsehood in a recent letter to Bejamin Rawls of that city, may 
 I beg you to state such facts in reference to this matter as are 
 in your possession. If you recollect, I advised you on the 
 morning the Yankees came in, not to burn the cotton as this 
 would endanger the town. I stated that as they had destroyed 
 the railroad they could not remove the cotton. Upon this 
 representation you directed me to issue an order that the cot- 
 ton should not be burned. This I did at once, and there was 
 not a bale on fire when the Yankees came into the town. You 
 
74 ' WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 saw the cotton as you left the city, and you can state that 
 none was on fire. 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 
 W. H. 
 To Gen. Beauregard. 
 
 To which Gen. Beauregard returned the following answer 
 endorsed on the letter: 
 
 N. O., May 2, 1866. 
 The above statement of Gen. Hampton relative to the order 
 issued by me at Columbia, S. C, not to burn the cotton in 
 that city is perfectly true and correct. The only thing on fire 
 at the time of the evacuation was the depot building of the 
 S. C. R. R.5 which caught fire accidentally from the explosion 
 of some ammunition ordered to be sent towards Charlotte, N. C. 
 
 G. T. BEAUREGARD. 
 
 I have thus fairly shown that Gen. Hampton gave no such 
 order to fire the cotton as Sherman states, nor was its burning 
 attributable to any of his men, or the citizens; but, that it 
 originated from the acts of Serman's own men, and probably 
 from the very ones who had been detailed for the purpose, and 
 felt that they were performing an acceptable service to their 
 General. I will also state here a part of a conversation which 
 took place between Gen. Hov^^ard and Mr. Shand on the 
 burning of Columbia, to which I have elsewhere alluded, and 
 will use the very words spoken. Gen. Howard expressed his 
 regret at the occurrence and added the following words: 
 "Though Gen. Sherman did not order the burning of the 
 town, 5'et somehow or other the men had taken up the idea 
 that if they destroyed the capital of South Carolina, it 
 would be peculiarly gratifying to Gen. Sherman." Mr. Shand 
 continues: 
 
 "The fire was wholly put out by i o'clock P. M., and from 
 that hour until between 7 and 8 o'clock P. M., there was no 
 other fire in the < ity, and the burning of said cotton, there- 
 fore, had nothing to with the subsequent conflagration and 
 destruction of the town. At the hour last mentioned rockets 
 were seen to ascend and immediately thereafter a fire broke 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 75 
 
 out in a central portion of the city near the market, and the 
 wind being still exceedingly high, it soon assumed alarming 
 proportions. I stood in ray front piazza watching it with 
 much anxiety and though inclined at first to regard its origin 
 as accidental, I was soon undeceived. The fire occured, as I 
 said, in a central part of the city and to the north of my resi- 
 dence, but I had been looking upon it but for a short time 
 when I noticed fresh flames bursting out in the east, west and 
 south, at points very distant from each other and not possibly 
 caused by the communication of flames from one to the other. 
 The revelry of soldiers in the streets and their shouts and ex- 
 ultation, as fresh rockets went up, and fresh buildings took 
 fire, scenes, which to some extent, came under my own obser- 
 vation, added to the awful character of the occasion and gave 
 rise to the painful impression that the city was doomed to des- 
 olation and ruin; a fact which was admitted and boasted of by 
 some of the soldiers themselves. By midnight the whole city 
 presented one vast sheet of flames, and in the midst, and during 
 the progress of the appalling calamity, mighf be heard above 
 all other noise, the demoniac and gladsome shouts of the sol- 
 diery." He further speaks of efforts made to burn his house, 
 their success and their brutal treatment of himself and robbery 
 of the church plate, etc. 
 
 Sherman says "the whole of Wood's division was brought 
 in, but it was found impossible to check the flames which by 
 midnight had become unmanageable and raged until about 4 
 A. M., when the wind subsiding, they were got under con- 
 trol." All correct, except one little item, viz.: That Wood's 
 division was not called in until between three and four, and 
 they did not fail, but arrested it immediately. Gen. Sherman 
 has been very forgetful of hours in this statement; Wood's 
 division was not called in until morning, and their being called 
 in arose from a little incident which I will presently mention. 
 Conyngham bears me out in the assertion. He says "this 
 scene continued until near morning, and then the town was 
 cleared out, when there was nothing more to pillage or burn." 
 Sherman says, ''I was up nearly all night, and saw Gens. 
 
76 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 Howard, Logan, Wood and others, laboring to save houses, 
 etc." I do not question there were many circumstances cal- 
 culated to render Sherman's rest disturbed, but why he and 
 Howard and Logan and Wood should have tried to save houses 
 rather mystifies me. Sherman had ordered the place to be 
 burnt — Howard was carrying it out — Logan was in favor of the 
 measure, and after he had left Columbia, declared, if it was to 
 be done again, that he would do it more effectually. He also 
 ordered Preston's house to be destroyed. Wood, it would seem, 
 had the command of the forces about the town; and the Yankee 
 writers state, could have prevented, or have arrested it at any 
 time had he thought proper. ^, 
 
 * * * :^ * * >tc 
 
 That Sherman ordered the destruction of the city, his sol- 
 diers did not hesitate to aver. As soon as they came in, they 
 stated that the city would be burned. That it was settled on 
 the other side of the river between the ofl&cers and themselves. 
 That a signal would be given, and then the citizens would 
 "see hell." Gen. Sherman says he disclaims "on the part of 
 my army, any agency in this fire;" but on t.'ie contrary, claims 
 that "we saved what of Columbia remains unconsumed." 
 
 After the facts, which I have just stated, I think it will be 
 difficult for any one to give credit to the disclaimer. But as to 
 the saving of what is left of Columbia unconsumed, there is no 
 question that he is entitled to that credit, for after the signal 
 rockets, and until Wood's division was called in, between three 
 and four in the morning, the citj' was burning with fearful 
 rapidity; while after the order was given to Andrews, and the 
 bugles' sound called the incendiaries from their work of infamy, 
 all became changed. The fire was arrested; no more houses 
 were ignited; and the destruction of the place ceased. Sher- 
 man therefore did put an end to the fire, and certainly saved, 
 by his Older, "the remnant of the once rich and flourishing 
 city." But subsequent events tended to show that he regret- 
 ted his fit ot benevolence. There can be but little doubt that 
 there was an intention to burn the balance when they left; 
 McGregor's house was fired at 4 o'clock, P. M., on Saturday. 
 Latta's and English's were destroyed on Sunday. Preston's 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 77 
 
 house was ordered for the closing scene on Monday, as soon as 
 Gen. Logan should leave; and its destruction was only pre- 
 vented by an accidental circumstance. Maj. Fitzgibbon, who 
 felt interested in the condition of the nuns, called on and asked 
 if he could assist them. They stated that they had Sherman's 
 promise of protection. He inquired if it was in writing; they 
 replied no, it was only a verbal promise. He urged them to 
 have a written one and offered to carry their request if they 
 would write a letter to Sherman. He was so urgent, and as 
 he stated that the night would be one of horrors, that they 
 wrote to Gen. Sherman, Fitzgibbon, carried the note, and« 
 brought them back a written protection, together with guards' 
 for their property. His language indicated his belief that the 
 destruction of the city would be effected that night. Sher- 
 man's protection, however, did not assist them. Their estab- 
 lishment was destroj'ed, and they and their helpless charge of 
 young girls spent the night in the church yard. Some ladies 
 seeing their condition, called on Sherman, represented their 
 condition, and urged upon him to render them assistance. He 
 called in the morning, saw the Mother Superior, expressed his 
 deep regret at their loss and troubled condition, stated that it 
 arose trom no act of his, that the conflagration resulted from 
 the liquor which his soldiers had obtained; that they had be- 
 come intoxicated and unmanageable; and concluded by offering 
 to give them any house in Columbia they might choose to se- 
 lect for their establishment. 
 
 He desired his Adjutant, Col. Charles Ewing, to attend to 
 their wants and see that they were made comfortable. That 
 gentleman called often and tried to render their situation more 
 pleasant, and on the eve of his departure, he introduced Capt. 
 Cornyn, the commissary, to them, who was to arrange with 
 them as to^ their rations. In the course of the conversation, 
 Ewing reminded them of Gen. Sherman's offer to give thetn 
 any house they would select and urged them to accept it; they 
 replied they had thought of it, and would select Gen. Preston's 
 house as being the largest in the town. Ewing replied "that 
 is where Gen. Logan holds his headquarters; and that house is 
 ordered to be burned. I know that it will be burned tomor- 
 
78 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 row; but, if you will say that you will take it, I will see the 
 General (he was Sherman's brother-in-law) and get the order 
 countermanded." On the next morning, Capt. Cornyn called 
 and told the nuns that the army was moving in haste, and 
 that Gen. Sherman had left the city about four in the morn- 
 ing. They asked if he could tell them whether the order to 
 burn the house had been countermanded or one given for them 
 to take possession. He could not. After many inquiries, 
 they found that Gen. Perry had the command of the place, 
 and that his orders were to burn the house at a certain hour, 
 unless they, the nuns, were in absolute possession; but he sent 
 tiiem word if but a part of them came in he would spare it for 
 their sake. Two of them moved in and found the fires all 
 prepared and everything in readiness to burn or blow up the 
 buildiag. The negroes were moving out the bedding, blank- 
 ets, etc., before it should be destroyed. Here then is rather 
 positive proof that Gen. Sherman paid no respect to his pledge 
 concerning private property. He had pledged himself to the 
 Mayor that person and property should be respected, but here, 
 two days after they had held the city, without anj' reason that 
 could be assigned, he orders a large and costly house to be 
 burnt, simply because he had the power to show his authority 
 and vent his spleen. Other houses were burnt at the time 
 that was destroyed, and we have reason, therefore, to suppose 
 that the man who ordered the one, had also given directions 
 for the other. 
 
 The Rev. William Yates states: "I was in the yard when 
 that fatal rocket went up and one of the men exclaimed 'now 
 you will see hell.' I asked him what it meant, and his reply 
 was: 'That is the signal for a general setting of fire to the 
 city,' and immediately after numbers of fires could be seen in 
 every direction." This was at Gen. Blair's headquarters and 
 from one of his men. Mr. Shand satv them attempt to fire 
 one of his out-houses, and saw them destroy the cotton. Mr. 
 Oliver saw them set fire to Mrs. I^aw's house, turn Mr. Reck- 
 ling's wife and child out of his home, and fire it, and also 
 witnessed their firing the cotton. Alderman Stork saw them 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 79 
 
 fire the cotton in the street and also witnessed the destruction 
 of Bates' and Oliver's house. They told Capt Stanley that 
 they would "give them hell to night;" that they would burn 
 the city, and that the arrangements were all made over the 
 river before they came in. Capt. Shand was the Captain of 
 one of the fire companies, and whilst working at the fire in 
 the rear of the Commercial Bank, fifteen or twenty armed sol- 
 diers forcibly took possession of the hose, stuck their bayonets 
 into them, carried off the pipes, and beat in the air vessels of 
 the engine. He saw soldiers set fire to the Mutual Supply 
 Association Store. Capt. Pratt, who came in with the Mayor 
 and Col. Stone, told Alderman McKenzie, who showed him 
 some cotton, that he wished he had burnt it and saved them 
 the trouble ks they "never left any of that." Mr. McKenzie, 
 as captain of one of the fire companies worked at the burning 
 cotton about half past eleven, and continued to do so, until it 
 was completely extinguished. He also assisted in arresting 
 the fire at the jail, which he thinks was fired by one of the 
 inmates. His firm conviction is that the city v^^as fired by 
 Sherman's men and through his directions. Mr. Bedell states 
 that the Yankees set fire to his dwelling house, and that all he 
 could do, could not prevent them from effecting their purpose 
 of burning it. Mrs. McDonald saw the Yankee soldiers break 
 open Mr. Pelham's door and fire his house; Mrs. Squiers saw 
 the teamsters set fire to the cotton opposite DeSausure's; she 
 and her family put it out; that was about half past five in the 
 afternoon. She saw the rockets go up, and immediately after, 
 fires were to be seen in every direction. She confirms 
 what others state, that Bates and Oliver's establishments were 
 fired in the rear, and the fire from those houses spread to the 
 opposite side of the street. Her own house was fired by cotton 
 steeped in turpentine, placed on rods and put upon the roof. 
 Mrs. Friedeberg's house and DeSausure's were all fired about 
 the same time. Mr. Altee says he saw the Yankee soldiers 
 going about and firing the houses on Bridge street and near 
 his own — The3' twice fired his, but he was fortunate enough to 
 get it extinguished. In one case, it is probable that the enemy 
 would have added murder to their other crimes. A sergeant 
 
So WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 and three privates went to the residence of F. G. DeFontaine, 
 Esq., the editor of the Daily South Carolinian, and demanded 
 of the servants where he was to be found. The latter being 
 unable to give the information, one of the men replied — damn 
 him, its well for him that he isn't here, for we'd burn him in 
 his den. Then, after ransacking the library, papers, etc., 
 with a lighted candle they ignited the wood work on the place 
 and left it to burn. 
 
 * * >i< * ^ * >i< 
 
 A gentleman of Columbia called upon Sherman on the night 
 of the fire to get a guard for the protection of his family and 
 house which was much exposed. He could not see Sherman, 
 but met with Capt. Merrill, who told him that Sherman had 
 given orders to admit no one, and that his seeing him would 
 make no difference, for "Sherman did not care a damn if the 
 whole city was in ashes." I will now bring this article to a 
 close, after making a few remarks on the burning of the gas 
 works by Gen. Howard under, I may say, the express orders 
 of Gen. Sherman, for such it had every appearance to have 
 been. Mr. Jas. G. Gibbes heard that the gas works were to 
 be burnt. As this was altogether private property, could have 
 no bearing on the conduct of the war and was not a building 
 useful in war to an enemy; as Gen. Sherman had promised 
 protection to all private property — colleges, schools, harmless 
 houses, etc., it was thought that such an establishment ought 
 not to be injured, and that having deprived the citizens of 
 their arms, wood, water, provisions, and every means of pro- 
 curing, them by the burning of all the mills and the stealing of 
 all the wagons and horses, they might at least have light 
 spared to them, to enable them to take care of their children 
 who had been so cruelly thrown out of their homes and de- 
 prived of every necessary. This gentleman hearing that Gen. 
 Howard had the ordering of its destruction went to him, and 
 remonstrated with him upon the cruelty of such a measure; 
 depicted the distress 'it would occasion, and the utter wanton- 
 ness of destroying such a building. Howard replied that he 
 saw no reason why that should not be burnt as well as the 
 other buildings. He was then requested to postpone its firing 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 8 1 
 
 until Sherman could be appealed to; he told him he would 
 see Sherman himself; the gentleman asked permission to go 
 with him, as he, Gen. Howard, being in favor of burning, he 
 would not be likely to prove a warm advocate; he declined 
 permission, but said he would see Sherman and try and get 
 the order countermanded. After such a promise we presume 
 he did call on Sherman and endeavor to change his determina- 
 tion. The gas works were however burnt, and we have a 
 right to presume that Sherman gave the order for their 
 destruction, and refused to countermand it. He therefore 
 violated his pledge of protection to the citizen and his property, 
 and committed an act of as wanton destruction as ever was done 
 by man. The burning of those works, the order to burn 
 Preston's house, the destruction of Mrs. English's, I,atta's 
 and hosts of other houses and the utter devastation of the 
 whole country from Columbia to North Carolina, makes him 
 one of the most ruthless invaders that ever cursed the earth by 
 his presence. Attila or Alaric shrink into insignificance when 
 compared with him; and Nichols was right in saying "that you 
 will in vain search history for a parallel to the scathing and 
 destructive effect of the invasion of the Carolinas." I have 
 elsewhere shown that neither Sherman nor any of his officers 
 had attributed the burning of the city to aught else than the 
 inebriation of the soldiers; and up to the 4th of April, the date 
 of his report to the Secretary of War, no accusation had been 
 made against Hampton. That the charge then brought for- 
 ward was an after thought, all the antecedents tend to prove. 
 He spoke of the burning as arising from the intoxication of his 
 men — yet on his route through the country, after leaving 
 Columbia, he carried out the system he commenced at the 
 bridges below, and kept up during his march to the capital. In 
 his letter to Wheeler he avows his intention to burn all the cot- 
 ton, and also his utter disregard as to what became of the 
 dwellings of the planters. (See Wheeler's letter to Howard 
 and Sherman's reply.) To talk of empty houses was ridicu- 
 lous; from necessity, those houses could have no occupants, 
 though the furniture and slaves evidenced their being cared 
 for, and in fact inhabited. In his letter to Hampton of the 
 
82 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 27th of February, relative to the prisoners being shot, etc., he 
 makes no allusion to Columbia; and when Hampton replied, 
 denying all knowledge of any prisoners who were shot after 
 having been taken, he charges Sherman with having burned 
 the city of Columbia after he had peaceable possession of it, 
 and of other matter contrary to the usage of civilized nations. 
 To this charge Gen. Sherman never replied. At that time he, 
 the great conqueror, never dreamed of being assailed; but, to 
 his astonishment, he found the reverse. At that time he rather 
 looked upon the burning of Columbia as the crowning act of 
 his glory, and for the destruction of our capital he expected 
 something like deification; nor did he awake from his delusion 
 until the rude act of the Secretary of War aroused him from 
 his reverie, and he began to think that he had carried his de- 
 sire of vengeance too far, and it would be advisable that some 
 cause should be shown to the Government why such an atroc- 
 ity had been perpetrated. It was then he thought of the order 
 he had seen, made his arrangements accordingly, and became 
 satisfied that the city was fully on fire before he gave the order 
 to burn it down through the destruction of the public build- 
 ings. Posterity will not be as blind as the present race; their 
 passions will not be excited, and they will acknowledge that 
 Carolina fought, and nobly fought, for a right that she and all 
 the States were entitled to, and had ever claimed; and that, in 
 the infamous desire to crush out her love of liberty and State 
 sovereignty the demon of centralization has been unchained, 
 which, like the tiger, revelled in blood and destruction, and 
 would continue so to do until nothing of liberty or civil rights 
 was left to the consolidated, but enslaved nation. 
 
 I trust that I have answered Conyngham's question; re- 
 moved the slander attempted to be cast on Gen. Hampton by 
 Sherman and his satellites; proved thatTecumseh Sherman was 
 the incendiary, and he, and he alone, is responsible for the terri- 
 ble destruction that has been occasioned, and the retarding of 
 prosperity for the next fifty years. To his God I nov»^ leave 
 the miserable wretch, in the full belief that he will meet with 
 such punishment as his atrocious acts have merited. 
 
 Having finished with Gen. Sherman and his fetes of arson, 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 83' 
 
 let me turn to a few remarks of Maj. Nichols, in which, con-~ 
 trary to good taste, as well as civility and truth, he attempts 
 to libel the character of the Carolinians. I^et me review the' 
 statements and the comments he has ventured to indulge in, 
 and I think they will tend fully to portray, not only a vile ani- 
 mus, but a miserable baseness of mind. I cannot leave the 
 subject without exhibiting some of his wondrous qualities and 
 gifts. 
 
 A portion of what he narrates, he has seen and heard. But 
 when he gives such a description of Hampton, as he has done 
 on page 311, we are compelled to say that he was not ac- 
 quainted with the man. Of all persons whom I have ever 
 known, and I have known him since infancy, he is the most 
 uniform and imperturbable in his temper. No one ever saw 
 him give way to passion; his face isoneof remarkable quietude 
 and repose, and he is rather reticent than otherwise. In his 
 manner there is a calmness and serenity that strikes every one 
 as the predominant characteristic, and a cheerful beaming of 
 the eye that makes the countenance agreeable. You may see de- 
 termination to do what he considers a duty; but you need never 
 expect to see restless anxiety or fuss. He is the last being to 
 whom we should have expected such terms to be applied as 
 "fanfaronade," etc. Nichols certainly n\ade a mistake here, 
 and had his friend Kilpatrick in his mind when he drew that 
 picture. He must have recollected the appearance of that 
 oflBcer as Bombastes Furioso, challenging Wheeler out to fight 
 and imagined that he saw "le petit General," with a flag in his 
 hand, calling over to Wheeler's men, in stentorian voice, 
 "Come out now, you set of cowardly skunks; you claim that 
 you whip Kilpatrick every time, come out now and try it; and 
 I'll not leave enough of you to thrash a corporal's guard. I 
 am Kill himself." We almost looked for the boots and the 
 well known distich and supposed they might have been hung 
 up, if they had ^ot been lost in some of his hurried move - 
 ments; such as occurred when surprised by Hampton, and in 
 dishabille, he ran for the woods, leaving his Yankee doxy to 
 follow as she could. There are several other remarks of 
 Nichol's that ought to be noticed. Several soldiers were found 
 
34 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 on the road-side, who had been killed, either by the citizens 
 or by Confederate soldiers. They belonged to a gang who had 
 been firing and pillaging the , country in every direction, and 
 simply met the fate they deserved. The virtuous indignation 
 of the Generals is aroused and Sherman gives Kilpatrick or- 
 ders to hang and shoot prisoners who fall into his hands, to 
 any extent he considers necessary. Nichol's fired on the oc- 
 casion, calls out: "Shame on Beauregard and Hampton and 
 Butler," and asks, "Has the blood of their father's become so 
 corrupted that the sons are cowardly assassins. If this mur- 
 derous game is continued by their friends, they will bitterly 
 rue the day it was begun." Without knowing why or where- 
 fore those men were punished, an order is given for the hana^- 
 ing of the prisoners, though Sherman, when alluding to the 
 circumstance, acknowledges that his foragers committed many 
 acts of atrocity. To the question as to the corruption of the 
 blood of the fathers leaving the sons assassins, I have only to 
 say, if Nichols wishes an answer, he need only ask the ques- 
 tion personally, and he can test the condition of consanguinity. 
 Men who have been employed in burning up the country, rob- 
 bing the houses and turning out the families, to burn their 
 dwellings, are to pass unmolested, because they wear the blue 
 uniform of Sherman's thieves; but when a rebel soldier fires on 
 one of their officers, although as he states, the poor wretch 
 harmed no one, he was hanged at once for his attempted as- 
 sassination; a fit commentar}^ upon the statement made above. 
 * * ^ * * * « 
 
 To make a fair exhibit of the feelings of Gen. Sherman on 
 the subject of firing cotton, etc., I will quote that irritable, 
 snappish letter of his to Gen. Wheeler, in which he exhibits 
 neither propriety nor decorum uor common civility to his 
 second in command, Gen. Howard. The letter was addressed 
 by Wheeler to Howard, but was replied to by Sherman, and 
 as his historian writes, "To this Gen. Sherm^jP chose to reply 
 himself, in the following characteristic terms." Wheeler's 
 was a civil, gentlemanly request that the wanton destruction 
 of property should cease, and the reply should have been in 
 the same strain, and not in Sherman's characteristic insolence. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 85 
 
 On the 7th of February, ten days before Gen. Sherman en- 
 tered Columbia, Gen. Wheeler addressed a letter to ,Gen. 
 Howard on the subject of wantonly destroying the property 
 not necessary for their sustenance. He writes thus: 
 
 Grahams, S. C, Feb. 7, 1865. 
 General: I have the honor to propose that if the troops of 
 your army be required to discontinue burning the houses of 
 our citizens, I will discontinue burning cotton. As an earnest 
 of the good faith in which my proposition is tendered, I leave 
 at this place about 300 bales of cotton unburned, worth in New 
 York over a quarter of a million of dollars and in our currency 
 one and a half million. I trust my having commenced will 
 cause you to use your influence to insure the acceptance of the 
 proposition by your whole army. I trust that you will not 
 deem it improper for me to ask that you will require.the troops 
 under your command to discontinue the wanton destruction of 
 property not necessary for their sustenance. 
 
 Respectfully, Gen., your obedient servant, 
 J. WHFELER, Maj Gen., C. S. A. 
 MAJ GEN. HOWARD, U. S. A., etc 
 To this letter Gen. Sherman chose to reply himself, (as the 
 writer says) in "the following characteristic terms:" 
 
 H O., Mil Div.. Miss , In the Field, Feb. 8, 1865. 
 General: Yours addressed to Gen. Howard is received by 
 me. I hope you will burn all cotton, and save us the trouble. 
 We don't want it. and it has proven a curse to our country. 
 All you don't burn I will. As to private houses occupied by 
 peaceful families, my orders are not to molest or disturb them, 
 and I think that my orders are obeyed. Vacant houses, being 
 of no use to anybody, I care little about, as the owners have 
 thought them of no use to themselves. I don't want them 
 destroyed, but do not take much care to preserve them. 
 I am, with respects, yours, etc., 
 
 W. T. SHERMAN. 
 
EXTRACTS FROM ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY 
 CAPT. U. R. BROOKS. 
 
 >H * >!?: * >i< * * 
 
 Gen. Sherman had his headquarters in Gervais street, be- 
 tween Pickens and Henderson, at the residence now owned by 
 Mr. J. Iv. Mimnaugh, while Gen. John A. Logan occupied the 
 Preston mansion. Gen. lyogan, in ante-bellum days, had been 
 charged by the Hon. William C. Preston, while in Washing- 
 ton, with being an "Indian half breed." The impression was 
 then, and is to this day, believed true. 
 
 During the mess dinner hour at the "old mansion" Gen. 
 IvOgan turned to the venerable ante-bellum butler of the 
 Hampton and Preston families and remarked: 
 
 "Henry, what would William C. Preston say could he know 
 that the feet of the 'half-breed Indian Logan' rested under his 
 mahogany?" 
 
 Old Henry dared not answer, devoted as he was to that house, 
 the family, and the traditions dating back to the days when 
 his master, Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton, of the old army, en- 
 tertained once gentlemen comrades at that same board. Old 
 Henry had been "faithful among the faithless" — and though 
 a rope had been placed around his neck more than once, to 
 make him reveal hidden treasure, yet no information could be 
 obtained, and this old negro remained steadfast to the end of 
 the ordeal. 
 
 In the testimony before the mixed commission on British 
 and American claims in Washington, D. C, 1872, volume en- 
 titled, "Who Burnt Columbia?" published by Walker, Evans 
 & Cogswell, Charleston, S C. , February 17th, 1865, page 97, 
 there are found the following inttresting passages: 
 
 TESTIMONY OF GKN. SHERMAN. 
 
 Question. "Do you not believe-Ido not want what people told 
 you — but do you not believe that individuals assisted in spread- 
 ing that conflagration?" 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 87 
 
 Answer. Sherman on oath. "Yes, sir, after it had been 
 started there was a little circumstance which occurred at the 
 beginning, while I was still at the Pontoon bridge, that I will 
 mention right here. I received a note from a Sister of Charity 
 who kept an asylum or school in Columbia, alleging the fact 
 that she was a teacher in a school in Brown County, Ohio, 
 where my daughter, Minnie, was a pupil, and by reason of 
 that she claimed protection to her school and property. I think 
 I sent one of my staff officers, Col. Ewing, to assure her that 
 there was no purpose to disturb her or the property of any- 
 body in Columbia. I have since heard that she claimed that 
 I passed my word guaranteeing to her protection on which she 
 had based a claim for indemnification, etc. Now, of course, I 
 did not want that school burnt with a parcel of little children. 
 I went myself to see her afterwards; that is what I am getting 
 at. The next day after the conflagration I went and found 
 them all clustered in an adjoining house and gave orders that 
 they should have possession of some Methodist establishment, 
 which happened to be vacant, and which would serve as a 
 shelter until they could procure another place. Their school- 
 house was burned down in the great conflagration of the night 
 before." 
 
 It is true that Gen. Sherman's daughter, Miss Minnie, did 
 go to the convent in Brown County, Ohio; it is true that the 
 Mother Superior, (whom he calls the Sister of Charity in his 
 testimony,) wrote the note asking for protection, and it is true 
 that the Mother Superior did not get the promised protection. 
 
EXTRACTS FROM CASE OF J. J. BROWNE VS. 
 UNITED STATES. 
 
 DepoBition of William D. Stanley. 
 
 8th. Were you in Columbia on the night of the burning? 
 
 A. Yes, sir. 
 
 9th. By what means was the city burned? 
 
 A. By Gen. Sherman's army of the United States troops. I 
 saw a man, with the uniform of a United States soldier on enter 
 the store of Mr. Robert Bryce, on the block immediately oppo- 
 site where Mr. Browne kejit his store, and with a fire-brand 
 about four feet in length, wrapped on one end with canvass, 
 put fire to the store of Mr. Bryce under the roof. All the 
 buildings iu that neighborhood were destroyed on both sides 
 of the street. Previous to the general conflagration, I saw a 
 number of soldiers pass me with tin cans and balls of cotton 
 tied up with cord. In an hour or two the city was in flames. 
 * * * A United States soldier told me himself that he set 
 fire to Col. Clarkson's house. The United States soldiers were 
 then all over the city. They appeared to have selected the 
 northwest corner of every square on Main street, in the city, 
 and fire broke out simultaneously from different portions of 
 the city. The wind blew strong from the northwest at the 
 time. Houses standing in detached grounds of from three to 
 forty acres were burned at the same time. There were no 
 other soldiers in the city at the time except the United 
 States soldiers under Gen. Sherman. * * * A United 
 States oSicer, who was a perfect gentleman, who was sick in 
 my store, told me that the city of Columbia would be burned 
 that night, which was the night of the 17th of February, 
 1865, and also explained to me the signals which would be 
 used. I then sent for the mayor of the city and informed him 
 of the fact. While standing in front of my place of business, 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 89 
 
 Gen. Sherman, with a portion of his staff, was passing and 
 the mayor stopped them and told him that he had heard that 
 the town would be burned that night. Gen. Sherman replied: 
 "Mr. Mayor, you cau go home and make yourself perfectly 
 easy; your city and citizens are just as safe as if there was not 
 a Federal soldier within a thousand miles They shall be 
 protected if it takes an entire corps of my army. I will avail 
 myself of some day when the wind is not so high to destroy 
 the Confederate property." He then rode on. On that night, 
 notwithstanding this assertion, I looked out for the signals of 
 which I had been informed by the sick oflBcer and saw them. 
 Immediately after the signals the fire commenced at the north- 
 west corner of every square on the main street. Before this 
 the cotton had been set on fire in the middle of the street, but 
 put out by the fire department. About 3 o'clock, on the 
 morning of the i8th, Gen. Sherman ordered is fire brigade to 
 proceed to stop the fire and prevent its further extension. 
 Very soon thereafter the fire stopped. 
 
 W. B. STANLEY. 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 7th day of Feb- 
 ruary, 1872. 
 
 ALBERT M BOOZER, 
 U. S. Commissioner Circuit and Di.^trict Courts 
 for District of South Carolina 
 
 Deposition of Milo H. Berry. 
 
 * * * * % ^ ^ 
 
 I was in Columbia in February, 1S65, whcu the cily was 
 burned. The first fire I saw, which was close to me, was set 
 on fire by soldiers. I did not see the petitioner's store 
 burned, but suppose it was burned in the general conflagra- 
 tion. The place I saw set on fire was set on fire by soldiers 
 wearing the uniform of United States soldiers. This was on 
 the 17th of February, 1865 ^^ the morning of the 17th of 
 February, when the army of Gen Sherman entered, I came 
 into the city, when I found that a committee of citizens had 
 gone to surrender the city to Gen. Sherman. This was about 
 8 A. M. Directly after, about 10 or 11 o'clock, A. M., the 
 
90 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 army entered. After the army came in, about 12 o'clock, I 
 came down street to the old market, on the main street. There 
 was cotton out in the street near the Court House. The wind 
 commenced blowing a lively breeze, and the cotton took fire. 
 The soldiers ran for the fire engines, when I met one of the 
 firemen and told him to open the engine house and told him to 
 run out the hose carriage, that they did not need an engine. 
 The citizens and .soldiers ran out the hose carriage and put the 
 fire out. I did not see any more tire until about 9 or 10 
 o'clock that night, and this was the warehouse before men- 
 tioned. According to my best belief I presume there were 
 one hundred bales in the street. The cotton was strewn along 
 the centre of the main street for a considerable distance; the 
 cotton was in bales. The wind kept freshening up all the af- 
 ternoon. My observation in regard to cotton burning is, that 
 it burns like a live coal; it does not blaze when packed. The 
 last time I saw the pile of cotton mentioned was about 12 
 M. on the 17th. I think there were other piles of cotton in 
 the street, but I am not certain in regard thereto, nor can I 
 tell whether or not other cotton was burned, except the first 
 above mentioned. About 5 o'clock of the morning of the 
 1 8th, or before, a guard was sent to me. I had, however, 
 procured a guard before. I cannot say whether or not Gen. 
 Sherman's army, or any portion thereof, acted as an organized 
 body in an effort to subdue the flames. Gen. Hampton's 
 troops left in the morning previous to the burning. They left 
 fully four hours before I saw the cotton burning as before 
 stated. M. H. BERRY. 
 
 Deposition of William Glaze. 
 
 * ;|< ^ >ic * * ^ 
 
 I witnes.sed the burning of Columbia. I know that the city 
 was destroyed by Gen. Sherman's army, because they were in 
 the city at the time, and i saw persons in the uniform of the 
 United States soldiers setting fire to the city in various places. 
 I saw two such persons fire Mr. Phillips' auction warehouse. 
 They opened the door and threw balls, which they had set on 
 fire, into the building, and in less than twenty minutes the 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 9 1 
 
 building was in flames. This building was diagonally across 
 from the petitioner's store. It occurred about 7 o'clock, P. 
 M. All that part of the city caught directly after that — in 
 about one-half of an hour. I saw several other houses fired, 
 and among them my own building. I am speaking now of 
 what I saw myself. I saw a building back of the old City 
 Hotel fired by balls by persons wearing similar uniforms, 
 whom I know to be United States soldiers, for they came into 
 my own house. They burned my machine shop. There were 
 about one hundred soldiers there at the time. They broke up 
 the machinery and then set fire thereto; not, however, by balls 
 as aforesaid, but by the broken boxes, etc.. and oil poured on. 
 In the course of a half an hour the conflagration became gen- 
 eral. Most of the burning was done trom that time until 
 about 3 o'clock next morning. I was a member of the city 
 council at the time, and went with the mayor to Gen. Sher- 
 man, when Gen Sherman promised the mayor that there 
 would be no burning that night. I saw no efforts on the part 
 of the United States soldiers to subdue the fire; but, on the 
 other hand, I saw them endeavoring to spread it, and heard 
 some of them remark that it was not half enough. It was on 
 my way home from our conference with Gen. Sherman that I 
 saw Mr. Phillips' warehouse fired. I saw a sky-rocket sent 
 up from the State House yard, where the headquarters of Gen. 
 Sherman were, which I took to be the signal for the burning 
 of the city, for immediately thereafter the fire burst out all 
 over the city. Soldiers had been stationed at different points 
 
 >!i jK * ^ * if: * 
 
 in the H i-an time W. M. GLAZE. 
 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me, this i8th day of March, 
 A. D , 1872. ALBERT M. BOOZER, 
 
 U S. Commissioner for District of South Carolina. 
 
 Deposition of John McKenzie. 
 
 :(i >t; * >K * * * 
 
 I witnessed the burning of Columbia, on the main or Rich- 
 ardson street. My own residence was burned It must have 
 been burned by hands of persons, and not by accident. I was a 
 
92 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 great part of the time about the fire on that night. * * * Betweeo 
 9 and lo o'clock that night (night of the 17th of February) I 
 observed fires on the western side and eastern side of Richard- 
 son street, toward the State House. About that time I saw 
 fires out of the city, apparently three or four, or perhaps six 
 or eight miles distant, and in the suburbs. * * * Soon the fires 
 became general— there were fires in the different parts of the 
 city. We left the main street and went on the back street to 
 Brennan & Cassell's carriage factory, thinking we could there 
 prevent the fire from proceeding on in the back of the city; 
 but there I gave it up, as the hands left. I saw soldiers dur- 
 ing the time rushing about in and out of the stores. I noticed 
 that after they came out several times, fires would soon break 
 out from the store entered; but I did not see any of them put 
 fire to any building, nor did I see them carrying torches; they 
 did not aid me at night in stopping the fire; I have been for 
 many years president of a fire company; I have been connected 
 with the fire department for thirty years. From my experience 
 therein, I judge that the fire was the work of incendiaries and 
 not of accident. 
 
 I explain this in this way : The fires occurred in twenty or 
 thirty different places at the same time, and so far from each 
 other that they could not have been connected. United States 
 troops told me, in my store in the morning, that I would "see 
 hell tonight;" that they woulon't leave one store upon an- 
 other. 
 
 The parties who made the remarks were United States 
 troops and belonged to Gen. Sherman's army. 
 
 JOHN Mckenzie. 
 
 Sworn to, etc. 
 
 Deposition of Alfred Hug-er. 
 
 I am eighty-four years of age; reside in Charleston; I was 
 postmaster at Charleston before the war, and I had held the 
 ofiice for thirty years; I was in Columbia in February, 1865; 
 I was there when the Federal troops entered the town. 
 
 I had conversations with several officers, and with one who 
 was called Captain; I don't remember his name. I had a good 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 93 
 
 deal of conversation with him; and a day or two after the fire 
 this Captain said, in answer to my question as to who had fired 
 Columbia, "We did it." His saying so only confirtned my 
 own impression. If he had said anything else it would not 
 have shaken my belief and impression; and previously to the 
 fire the general impression in the town was that Columbia was 
 to be burned. Nobody was surprised when the fire broke out; 
 and in consequence of this general impression, I had taken 
 what precautions I could to secure my family. I had conver- 
 sation, at several times, with two private soldiers, named 
 Goodman and Elliott. They stated that the fire had been done 
 by the army. ALFRED HUGER. 
 
 Deposition of Orlando Z. Bates, 
 
 To int. I St. Orlando Z. Bates, aged 58 years, Columbia, 
 South Carolina, merchant. 
 
 To int. 3d. The city was in the possesion of Gen. Sherman's 
 array after 10 or 11 A. M. on that day. Gen. Sherman was 
 in command of that army, I saw him on the day as he entered 
 the city and passed along the main street at the head of the main 
 body of the army. I was at that time one ot the aldermen of 
 the city of Columbia, and on the morning of the 17th of Feb- 
 ruary, A. D., 1865, was informed that the Board of Aldermen 
 would meet at 6 o'clock, A. M. Attended, and was informed 
 by the Mayor of the city that the city was about to be evac- 
 uated by the Confederate troops, and that it would be surren- 
 dered to the army of Gen. Sherman In company with the 
 Mayor, Hon. T. J. Goodwyn, and Alderman McKenzie and 
 Stork, I proceeded to the outskirts of the city and met the ad- 
 vance guard of the Federal army, under command of Col. 
 Stone, to whom the Mayor tendered the surrender of the city, 
 informing Col. Stone that there were no troops of the Confed- 
 erate army in the city, and that the population was chiefly old 
 men and women and children. Col. Stone accepted the sur- 
 render and deponent and the persons already named, accompa- 
 nied by Col. Stone, returned into the city about 12 or i o'clock 
 when I observed a number of scattered Federal soldiers al- 
 ready in the city. There was no alarm of fire and no burning 
 
94 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 of any description previous to the occupation already stated. 
 The conflagration commenced after the entry of the United 
 States forces. 
 
 To int. 4. A large portion of the city was destroyed by fire 
 during the day and night of the 17th February, 1865, and on 
 the following day. I was in the city, and was at various points 
 in that portion which was destroyed at the time of the burning, 
 and saw the burning as it progressed. I saw the burning of 
 several houses in the portion of the city lying between Main 
 street and the gas works, at about twilight on the 17th. A 
 little later, the store on Main street, occupied by an Aid Asso- 
 ciation as a depot ot supplies for Confederate hospitals, near the 
 corner of Plain street, was set on fire. I was present with the 
 fire company, aiding to extinguish it, and saw Federal soldiers 
 sticking bayonets into the engine hose and cutting the same 
 with hatchets and knives. The hose and carriage was finally 
 demolished, and the engine rendered unserviceable by the sol- 
 diers. These fires preceded the general conflagration. I will 
 also state that a quantity of cotton had been brought out of the 
 cellars of stores, where it had been kept, on the east side of 
 Main street, between Washington and Main streets, and piled 
 in the middle of the street. As the troops passed it, I saw the 
 cotton fired by them striking matches and applying. The cot- 
 ton thus fired was kept from spreading by Mr. McKenzie, the 
 captain ot the Independent Fire Company, having a hose at- 
 tached to the hydrant at that point, and keeping a stream con- 
 stantly playing upon it. This was during the afternoon of the 
 17th February. At about 8 or 9 o'clock P. M. on the 17th 
 February, I saw several rockets ascend from some point near 
 the State House. Shortly after this my store, which was on 
 Main street, a few doors south of the market, was set on fire, 
 and immediately after this I saw fires arising in various parts 
 of the city, and in a very short time nearly the whole of Rich- 
 ardson or Main street was in flames. I saw several instances 
 of Federal soldiers actually applying fire to buildings, and others 
 carrying torches in various parts of the city for the same pur- 
 pose. I conversed freely with the soldiers of General Sher- 
 man's army, both at the time of the burning and afterwards, 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 95 
 
 and no one ever denied the act, but several expressed regret 
 that the entire city was not destroyed. I saw numbers of them 
 at the scenes of the burning, giving expression to demonstra- 
 tions of satisfaction by dancing and otherwise. 
 
 * * >}; >(; * >}c >f: 
 
 At the time I returned into the city, after surrendering the 
 city to Colonel Stone, there was a strong breeze blowing from 
 a westerly direction. When the wind did not carry the fire, I 
 saw United States soldiers carry the fire by torches, and apply 
 it to the buildings which were not then burning. I am unable 
 to state of my own knowledge who started the fire in the first 
 
 instance. 
 
 % % ■^ % ■^ * ^ 
 
 Deposition of J. G. Gibbes. 
 
 * * * * ^ * * 
 
 The city was surrendered to General Sherman about 10 
 o'clock in the morning of Friday, the 17th February, by Dr- 
 Thomas Jefferson Goodwin, the mayor, about one mile from 
 the limits of the town; he rode out to meet the army coming 
 in, and the forces entered the city and took possession just at 
 II o'clock; I noticed the clock myself as the first van arrived; 
 no resistance was offered to General Sherman or his army; most 
 of the Confederate troops left early on Friday morning; the 
 rear guard, under General P, B. Young, of General Hampton's 
 command, left just as the Federal troops were entering; no 
 riots, fire, or pillage had yet occurred on the 17th day; the 
 first fire commenced about three hours after the first entering; 
 about 10 o'clock an alarm of fire arose, caused by the burning 
 of some cotton in Richardson street; it was set by the United 
 States soldiers; my own impression is, that the fire was acci- 
 dentally caused by a cigar being thrown into the cotton; the 
 alarm of fire was started, the fire engine immediately began to 
 play on it and subdued the flames; just about the time that it 
 was extinguished, the United States soldiers began to riddle 
 and cut up the hose with their bayonets; I Vv'as present imme- 
 diately at the fire, which occurred just south of the market; 
 there was no disorder, though the troops all seemed in a good 
 
96 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 humor, and were laughing and jeering at those who had ex- 
 tinguished the flames, but opposed no resistance except a few 
 drunken men cut up the hose, but the fire had already been 
 extinguished. 
 
 Q. These drunken men were soldiers? 
 
 A, Yes, sir; and there was some sacking, but was not gen- 
 eral; that is, between this fire and night; I saw several in- 
 stances myself; my store, amongst the rest, was broken open by 
 the soldiers; no ofiicer present; about 7 o'clock in the evening 
 three or four rockets were thrown up in the extreme north- 
 western portion of the town; immediately after that fire was 
 seen in three difierent points in the northwestern part of the 
 city; the flames spread rapidly from each of the quarters; there 
 was a strong wind blowing from the northwestern towards the 
 southwestern direction, which caused the general conflagra- 
 tion; there is no doubt but that the citj^ was burned by the 
 wind spreading the flames; but whenever they came to a vacant 
 lot and the flames would have stopped, they were started on 
 this side by the soldiers, who had inflammable materials, tur- 
 pentine and cotton; I saw various of the soldiers with bottles, 
 with sotne inflammable material; I supposed it to be turpentine, 
 with which they made fire balls, and started the fire in build- 
 ings in that way. My father's house was burned by them after 
 having escaped the general conflagration; it was a fire-proof 
 building, and had escaped the flames; I saw them fire the fur- 
 niture in the house; turn over the piano, tables, chairs, and 
 starting the fire from lace curtains, which they lit from the gas 
 lights; there was a crowd present at my father's house, who 
 did his best to stop these proceedings but was powerless; I did 
 not see anything of the transportation of merchandise in vehicles 
 or otherwise; no restraint was put by the officers, and no effort 
 at all made until Saturday morning; no patrol or provost guard 
 was to be seen suppressing the proceedings; the signals sent 
 up were those already described, which were the signals for 
 firing the town about 7 o'clock in the evening. 
 
 * * «r :^ * * >j< 
 
 Immediately after the rockets the fire started at three 
 difierent points in the northwest part of the city, and extended 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 97 
 
 very rapidly in a southeasterly direction; it was done by sol- 
 diers of Gen. Sherman's army; efforts were rapidly made by 
 the citizens; the engines were not turned out that night, be- 
 cause the hose had been cut when they were playing on the 
 fire of the cotton at i o'clock in the day, therefore the engines 
 were of no service, but there were buckets of water, and efforts 
 were made to extinguish the flames by individuals until they 
 were so interferred with by the soldiers that they found it use- 
 less and abandoned all efforts. 
 
 Q. Were the engines injured .'' 
 
 A. I think not, only the hose. 
 
 Q. Did you hear of any order, etc.? 
 
 A. I heard of no order; on the contrary, I have every reason 
 to believe, from information derived from some of his own 
 soldiers, that if the town was not actually destroyed by orders, 
 the men fully understood that they would have license to do as 
 they pleased; I can give my special reasons for saying that: for 
 instance, a house belonging to me, occupied by Dr. Boozer, 
 now physician of the penitentiary, was visited on Friday 
 evening by United States soldiers, and in return for some 
 kindness shown them by Mrs. Boozer, his wife, they kindly 
 advised her to remove and conceal everything of value; that 
 the town would be destroyed that night. She came to me and 
 carried me to her house to see these men, who repeated in my 
 presence these statements, but I could not believe it, and dis- 
 suaded her from any attempt to remove; I could not believe 
 such a thing possible, but it turned out as they predicted. 
 
 Q. When were you appointed mayor? 
 
 A. The citizens had a meeting the morning after the fire 
 and sent for me in the State House yard and begged me to 
 take hold of the government of the city. * * 
 
 J. G. GIBBES. 
 
 Sworn to, etc. 
 
 Deposition of Charles F. Jackson. 
 
 Charles F. Jackson, a witness, being svv^orn, deposes and 
 says: 
 
 I am a native of Kngland, I was on Main street, in the 
 
98 WH® BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 city of Columbia, on the occasion of the entry of the main 
 army of Gen. Sherman, on the 17th of February, 1865. I 
 witnessed the seventeenth army corps march through the main 
 street, and was struck by the perfect order and equipment 
 of the said corps. At the time the advanced corps were 
 disbanded and breaking into and plundering the stores 
 along their line of march, and though from the dis- 
 cipline of the said 17th corps, it would have been easy to 
 have prevented this pillage, no attempt was made so to do. On 
 the night following I witnessed United States soldiers with 
 balls of combustible material, lighting them, and flinging them 
 about the streets and over and under the houses, Federal offi- 
 cers at the same time mingling in the crowd. The conflagra- 
 tion of Columbia, I believe, could have been prevented, judg- 
 ing from the perfect discipline of the United States army when 
 under orders, as I saw it on that day. Subsequent to the de- 
 struction of Columbia I saw a United States officer, whose 
 name I do not now remember, who stated to me that the burn- 
 ing of Columbia was premeditated, and he stated to me that he 
 had seen the plan of march as mapped out, and that Columbia 
 was marked for conflagration, and that it was a general under- 
 standing in the army that Columbia was to be burned. He 
 further stated that any statement made by Gen. Sherman to 
 the contrary was a lie. 
 
 C. F. JACKSON. 
 [The counsel for the United States objects to the admission 
 of any statement made to witness.] 
 
DEPOSITION FOR DEFENCE. 
 
 Deposition of 0. 0. Howard. 
 
 The deposition of O. O. Howard, a witness produced, sworn 
 and examined on the part and behalf of the United States in 
 the cause above entitled, now depending before the above 
 named commission, taken before me, a United States commis- 
 sioner in and for the District of Columbia, at Washington, in 
 said district, on the tenth day of December, 1872, pursuant to 
 a notice to that effect duly given by the agent and counsel for 
 the United States. 
 
 Mr. A. S. Worthington appeared on behalf of the United 
 States; Messrs. George R. Walker, Bartley, Denver, Mackay, 
 and Wells on behalf of claimants. 
 
 The said O. O. Howard, having been first by me duly sworn 
 to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, 
 deposes and says: 
 
 My name is O. O. Howard; my age is 42 years; my residence 
 is District of Columbia; I am a native of Maine; my position is 
 that of a General in the United States army. 
 
 Preliminary question propounded by the officer taking this 
 deposition : 
 
 Have you any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which 
 is the subject-matter of the above entitled cause, or of this ex- 
 amination? If so, state the nature and extent of such interest. 
 
 Answer. I have no interest. 
 
 Being examined by Mr. Worthington, of counsel for the 
 United States, the witness further deposes and says: 
 
 Q,. State what your rank in the United States army was in 
 February, 1865? 
 
 A. I was Major General of volunteers at that time; I think 
 I was not a Brigadier General in the regular army until March 
 following. 
 
 Q_. What was your command in February, 1865? 
 
 C. 
 
lOO WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 A. I commanded the army of the Tennessee, constituting 
 the right wing of Gen. Sherman's army. 
 
 Q. Operating in the State of South Carolina? 
 
 A. Yes, sir. 
 
 Q. Please state the principal points through which your com- 
 mand passed in the march from Savannah to Goldsboro'. 
 
 A. The principal portion of my command was transported to 
 Beaufort, South Carolina; thence [marched] northward through 
 Pocotaligo, Orangeburg, Columbia, Cheraw, Fayetteville; sub- 
 ordinate columns swept into different towns; General Slocum 
 had the left wing; he was at the north of me; mine was the 
 right line of march. 
 
 Q. During the march under what orders from General Sher- 
 man were you acting in respect to private property.'' 
 
 A They were to take such provisions as were necessary for 
 the subsistence of the army, but generally to spare private 
 property, with some few exceptions; cotton was excepted; I 
 -was directly instructed again and again to destroy the cotton. 
 
 >lc ric >1< * ^ ;}; * 
 
 'Q. On what day did you enter the town of Columbia your- 
 self? 
 
 A. The 17th of February, 1865. 
 
 Q Please slate, in your own way, your recollection of the 
 circumstances attending the occupation of that city and the de- 
 struction of a portion of it ? 
 
 A. Oa the 15th of February, in the vicinity of Columbia, 
 opposite thereto, across the Congaree, we met with much resis- 
 tance at Congaree creek, and had to push our way very slowly, 
 the enemy retiring before us; when we arrived opposite Colum- 
 bia we found the b'-idge across the Congaree destroyed by fire; 
 we moved up to where the two rivers, the Saluda and the Broad, 
 conjoined to form the Congaree; the bridge across the Saluda 
 was destroyed by fire by the enemy; we bridged that and 
 crossed our troops; the other bridge, when we reached the 
 land intervening between the two rivers, was still standing, 
 but as we attempted to cross it it was set on fire by the enemy^ 
 and, having been covered with rosin, was in flames in a mo- 
 ment, so that even the Confederate cavalry rushed northward 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? lOI 
 
 to save themselves, some of them without crossing; our troops 
 spent the whole night in getting across the Broad, which was 
 a very difl&cult river; we ferried over a brigade at the begin- 
 ning by means of ropes and boats; that brigade was the brigade 
 of Colonel Stone, and pushed its way up the hill slowly against 
 the enemy, retiring; the enemy passed through Columbia, and 
 the mayor came to the outside of the city aud surrendered the 
 city, I think between lo and ii o'clock, say lo o'clock; in the 
 meantime a regular bridge was laid across the Broad river, and 
 General Sherman and myself crossed over, riding side by side, 
 before any other troops from this leading brigade had passed; 
 it was about half-past ten that General Sherman and I rode 
 over ahead of all the remaining portion of the troops that had 
 not been ferried over, and rode directly on to the city, a dis- 
 .tance of about three miles, entering it in what we called the 
 the main street; I believe the name as it appears on the map, 
 is Richardson street; it was the one which led directly to the 
 capitol; at every corner of the street we met crowds of people, 
 principally negroes; not very far from the market house we 
 met the maj'or of the city, who had a short conversation with 
 General Sherman; as my troops alone were to have charge of 
 the city, 1 observed veiy carefully the disposition of the guards 
 of the leading brigade. Colonel Stone's; sentinels were located 
 in front of buildings of any considerable importance, aud on the 
 main street the principal portion of the brigade was in rest, 
 waiting for orders; there was only that one brigade; we were 
 ahead of all the rest; near the brigade was an immense pile of 
 cotton, bales were broken open in the middle of the streets, 
 and were on fire; au engine was playing upon the fire, and 
 soldiers and citizens were engaged apparently in extinguishing 
 it; General Sherman was met with much enthusiasm by a com- 
 pany of soldiers; observing them closely I saw that some of 
 them were under the influence of drink. 
 
 ^ * :^i * >)< * * 
 
 (Continued.) We rode to a foundry where guns had been 
 cast, and observed that, and went afterwards through several 
 streets together, when I separated from General Sherman, 
 selected my headquarters, and gave the necessary orders for 
 
I02 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 the thorough care of the troops and of the city for the night; 
 General Sherman took his headquarters at the house ot Blan- 
 ton Duncan and I mine at a house near the University, belong- 
 ing to one of the professors, after this disposition I lay down 
 to take a little rest, and was awaked first about dark by one of 
 my aides, who said the city was on fire; I sent the aide. Captain 
 Gilbveth, immediately to ascertain where the fire was and to 
 call upon General Charles R. Woods, the division commander, 
 who had the immediate command of the city, to prevent the 
 extension of the fire; I then at once dressed myself and went 
 to the scene; there I met General John A. Logan, who was my 
 next in rank and who commanded the corps; we consulted to- 
 gether, and took every precautionary measure we could think 
 of to prevent the extension of the flames, sometimes ordering 
 the tearing down of sheds and small buildings, protecting the 
 citizens, assisting them in the care of their property, and guard- 
 ing it; much of the property was thrown into the streets; per- 
 sonally I set a great many soldiers, during the night, to extin- 
 guishing the flames from the houses, and they went to the top 
 of the houses where water was passed up to them; nearly every- 
 thing in my immediate vicinity was saved; a perfect gale from 
 the northwest had commenced about the time we crossed the 
 bridge, or before that and continued all night, or until, I should 
 say, between two and three o'clock in the morning; it seemed 
 at first utterly useless to attempt to stop the flames, they were 
 so hot that many of our own soldiers were burnt up that night; 
 when the wind changed, however, it was easy to prevent any 
 further extension of the fire; it was done; some of our men be- 
 haved badlj' on account of being under the influence of drink, 
 but they were replaced by fresh men as soon as their conduct 
 came to the knowledge of the officer in charge; the first brigade 
 — Stone's — was relieved by another brigade of General Wood's 
 division, and finally the entire division of General Hazen was 
 brought into the cit> to assist; all the men who misbehaved 
 that we could seize upon were kept under guard until the next 
 day and punished; there were quite a number of our men who 
 had been taken prisoners and were held by the Confederates; 
 they appeared in the streets of Columbia soon after our arrival; 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? I03 
 
 I do not know myself where they were confined; the peniten- 
 tiary was also opened and all its prisoners loosed; I found dur- 
 ing the night a reckless mob very often, sometimes insulting 
 ladies, and sometimes rushing into houses and pillaging; I did 
 not see anybody setting fires; General Sherman himself stayed 
 up with us for the most of the night; General Logan and Gen- 
 Woods were on the ground all the time until the fire abated, 
 and I believe did everything they could to prevent it. Gen- 
 eral Sherman's order to me to destroy certain classes of prop- 
 erty is a part of our record, and I remember the tenor of it. 
 
 Q, State your recollection of it. General Howard. 
 
 A. It was that certain buildings of a public nature should be 
 destroyed, such as arsenals, armories, powder-mills, depots; but 
 that private property and asylums, so-called, should be pro- 
 tected; I saw that the wind was so high that it would be im- 
 possible to destroy that class of buildings by fire on the evening 
 of the 17th of February, and therefore, refrained at that time 
 from putting the order into practical execution On the i8th 
 and 19th those buildings of that class that were left from the 
 flames were destroyed. 1 have in my report an accurate list of 
 them; the flames of this burning of the night of the 17th had 
 destroyed a part of these other buildings included in the order. 
 We destroyed also the railroad track. Though the order was 
 to destroy cotton in South Carolina, yet no cotton remained 
 that I know of after this fire to be destroyed; none was de- 
 stroyed, according to my recollection. 
 
 Q. Do you know anything about some rockets having been 
 sent up in the vicinity of the State Honse on the night of the 
 17th of February? 
 
 A. I do. 
 
 Q. State what you know about that? 
 
 A. The rockets were sent up by the signal corps; the left 
 wing was quite a distance from us. General Blair's corps was 
 located outside of the city, and one half of General Logan's, 
 and it was customary for the signal officers attached to each 
 division or corps to communicate with their neighbors as to 
 
I 04 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 where they were, or to give any events of the day; they did it 
 in the day time by flags, and at night by rockets, and this was 
 done that night; the signals meant nothing else that I know of. 
 
 >{c >i< * >}J * * * 
 
 Q. Do you know of any barns, cotton gins, mills, machin- 
 ery, or any property of that nature, destroyed upon planta- 
 tions on your line of march? 
 A. I do know of it. 
 
 Q. There was quite a large amount of it destroyed, was 
 there not? 
 
 A. Yes, sir, quite considerable. 
 
 Q. Are you cognizant of the fact that large numbers of 
 houses of private citizens were destroyed during that march? 
 A. Yes, sir, they were — a very large number. 
 Q. By troops of the United States? 
 A That I do not know, but I presume so; by soldiers. 
 O, You presume they were destroyed by the troops of the 
 United States? 
 A. Yes, sir. 
 
 Q. Please state whether your experience was — 
 A. Let me modify my last answer; sometimes they were not 
 destroyed by our troops; sometimes the Confederates destroyed 
 them themselves prior to our coming; it was a curious thing 
 that our troops and the Confederates were often destroying the 
 same class of property; that was a curious fact that I remem- 
 ber distinctly, particularly in the case of that cotton you 
 speak of. 
 
 Q Are you not aware that in parishes close to Pocotaligo 
 there is scarce a dwelling house left from the ravages of the 
 United States army? 
 
 A. Not altogether; no sir; but from both armies; I am per- 
 fectly aware of the desolation, and beheld it with my own 
 eyes. 
 
 Q. Do you not believe a large portion of this destruction of 
 private property to have been by troops of the United States? 
 A. No; I think the Confederates left us precious little. 
 Q. Of residences, I mean? 
 A. Well, residences; that one thing alone I could not say of 
 
GEN. W. T. SHERMAN. 
 
 "Having utterly ruined Columbia the right 
 wing began its march Northward, towards 
 Winnsboro on the 20th." — Sherman'' s Memoirs, 
 vol. 2, page 288, Charles L. Webster & Co., 
 New York, i8g2. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 105 
 
 my own knowledge; you know that generally when our troops 
 destroy private property, they were not ordered to destroy it. 
 
 Q_. I ask you to state from your belief? 
 
 A. If you wish me to state what I know with reference to 
 the absolute destruction, I know that I saw it; I saw chimneys 
 standing with my own eyes after the houses were burned. 
 
 ^ >{; * ^ * 5}: * 
 
 Q. Were not most of the places through which you passed 
 on your route to Columbia, through South Carolina destroyed 
 by some one, you do not say whom? 
 
 A. No; not so; Midway, when I left it, was in good condi- 
 tion ; Mr. Simms' property was left in good condition; I sent 
 through General Blair and protected his library by a sentinel. 
 
 Q. But don't you know a great many that were destroyed? 
 
 A. I went over the country aflerwards and it was pretty 
 completely cleared out; I saw the chimneys and scarcely any-^^ 
 thing left in a great portion of the country (passing) through 
 there; I went down through it, and that was what I observed. 
 
 * >i< :^ >[; if; ^ -^ 
 
 (The witness testifies here as to Orangeburg and Blackville.) 
 
 O. O. HOWARD. 
 
 Deposition of Wm. T. Sherman. 
 
 The deposition of Wm. T. Sherman, a witness produced, 
 sworn, and examined on the part and behalf of the United 
 States, in the cause above entitled, now depending before the 
 above-named Commission, taken before me, James O. Cle- 
 phane, United States Commissioner for the District of Colum- 
 bia, at the city of Washington, D. C, on the nth day of De- 
 cember, 1872, pursuant to a notice to that effect duly given by 
 the agent and counsel of the United States. 
 
 ****** ;K >i< 
 
 Q_; Please state whether in your march through South Car- 
 olina, you at any time authorized the destruction of private 
 property. 
 
 A, I did; corps commanders were at all times authorized to 
 destroy private property, where it fulfilled any military uses, and 
 the commanders of all detachments. 
 
 * * * * 5l< * * 
 
I06 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 Q. I will now repeat the question I asked you, and that is 
 whether at any time in your march through South Carolina, 
 you authorized the destruction of private property; and if so, 
 in what instances and for what purposes ? 
 
 A. I required the destruction of all railways, depots, foun- 
 dries, and arsenals; I generally, in person, saw that they 
 were so destroyed; I never gave an order for the destruction 
 of a private dwelling, more especially if it were occupied by a 
 family. 
 
 >|< * >!; * >i< % ^ 
 
 Q. Were you at any time before crossing the Savannah river, 
 or before reaching Columbia, aware of a strong spirit of ven- 
 geance — a desire for vengeance — animating yonr troops to be 
 wreaked upon South Carolina? 
 
 A. I was; the feeling was universal, and pervaded all ranks. 
 
 Q.. Officers and all f 
 
 A. Officers and all; we looked upon South Carolina as the 
 cause of our woes. 
 
 Q. And thought that she thoroughly deserved severe treat- 
 ment ? 
 
 A. Yes, sir; that she thoroughly deserved extirpation. 
 
 Q. Did you see any stores along Main street being broken 
 into? 
 
 A. No, sir, I did not; Main street was crowded full of ne- 
 groes, escaped prisoners, and officers of our army who had been 
 imprisoned there, but who had succeeded in making their 
 escape; there must have been 300 there; I met the'mayor. Dr. 
 Goodwyn, there, an old gentleman; I was still mounted, and 
 he came up to my horse, and we had a conversation about one 
 thing and another; and afterwards, on a second meeting, he 
 told me which house he had selected for my occupation, namely, 
 the house of Blanton Duncan, on a street at right angles with 
 this main street and removed trom it, I should suppose about 
 
 one thousand yards. 
 
 * * >1< % * ^t * 
 
 Q. You have staled to me that there was a general feeling 
 through the army, pervading all ranks of a desire to wreak 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? I07 
 
 vengeance — to extirpate, if I may be permitted to use your 
 own words, South Carolina? 
 
 A. There was, 
 
 Q. Was that feeling shared in by your superior officers? 
 
 A. Not at all, unless it may be inferred from a paragraph in 
 a letter of General Halleck to me, which was published — pub- 
 lished in the ofl&cial documents — in which he said in case I 
 took Charleston he hoped I would sow salt upon it, so that it 
 would never resurrect; that is the only paragraph I can recall 
 in any letter of instruction or communication to me during the 
 time I was in Savannah or before. 
 
 Q. What was your reply? 
 
 A. My reply was, that if we took Charleston I supposed 
 there would be very little left of it when we got through with 
 it, but I did not intimate that I was going to Charleston, be- 
 cause I had made up my mind what course to pursue before 
 that time; still my letter is a public letter, and is of record; it 
 has been printed, I suppose; I can find it if you desire it. 
 
 Counsel. I am not particularly anxious to see the letter, if 
 3'ou can give me the substance of your reply. 
 
 Witness. I refer to the testimony given by me before the 
 committee on the conduct of the war, in which I extract many 
 of my own letters. 
 
 I think I used the language in a letter to General Hal- 
 leck. 
 
 (Witness looked over a printed volume.) 
 
 I am now trying to see if I can find it. My language is: 
 
 "I will bear in mind your hint as to Charleston, and don't 
 think salt will be necessary. When I move the 15th corps will 
 be on the right of the right wing, and their position will bring 
 them naturally into Charleston first, and if you have watched 
 the history of that corps, you will have remarked that they 
 generally do their work up pretty well. The truth is, the 
 whole army is burning with an insatiable desire to wreak ven- 
 geance upon South Carolina. I almost tremble at her fate, 
 but feel that she deserves all that seems in store for her. 
 Many and many a person in Georgia asked me why we did not 
 go to South Carolina, and when I answered that I was en route 
 
I08 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 for that State, the invariable reply was, 'Well, if you will 
 make those people feel the severities of war, we will pardon 
 you for your desolation of Georgia.' 
 
 "I loak upon Columbia as quite as bad as Charleston, and I 
 "doubt if we shall spare the public buildings there, as we did at 
 Milledgeville." 
 
 Q. You feel a great interest in the question of the burning 
 of Columbia, do you not? 
 
 A. I do. 
 
 Q. Far beyond the value of money? 
 
 A. The value of money is nothing compared with the eluci- 
 dation of the historic truth. 
 
 O. You felt as soon as you saw the first signs of a general 
 conflagration in Columbia that the authorship of it would be 
 visited upon you? 
 
 A. Certainly; I knew I would be held responsible for it by 
 everybody. 
 
 Q. And as a matter of deep personal interest to yourself, 
 you are glad to testify today? 
 
 A. Perfectly so; it is my pleasure to testify at any time on 
 that subject or any other, especially on this. 
 
 Q. You have, therefore, a warm personal interest in this 
 question? 
 
 A. I have. 
 
 Q. And in vindicating yourself and the United States forces 
 from the charges which have been and which you knew would 
 be brought against you? 
 
 A. If I had made up my mind to burn Columbia I would 
 have burnt it with no more feeling than I would a common 
 prairie dog village; but I did not do it, and I therefore want 
 that truth to be manifested; that is the interest I have in it; it 
 is not a question of houses, of property, or anything of the 
 kind. 
 
 Q. And you feel an interest in vindicating your army from 
 the charge? 
 
 A. Yes, sir. 
 
 Q. You told me some time ago that you know in no way of 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? lOQ 
 
 houses being set fire to by individuals in Columbia during the 
 night of the 17th of February, 1865? 
 
 A. I saw no soldier engaged iu any act of conflagration ex- 
 cept this young man who appeared to be drunk and running 
 about, suspecting that he was engaged in some mischief — 
 Q. You did see one? 
 
 A. He was behaving badly; he was the man whom my aide- 
 de-camp shot and brought to; I saw no soldier engaged in any 
 act of incendiarism that night. 
 
 Q. Do you know of any individual firing private property 
 on the night of the 17th of February? 
 
 A, I do not; he should certainly have been summarily dealt 
 with. 
 
 O. Do you not believe — I do not want what people told you 
 — but do you not believe that individuals assisted in spreading 
 that conflagration ? 
 
 A. My own judgment was that the fire originated from the 
 imprudent act of Wade Hampton in ripping open the bales of 
 that cotton, piling it on the streets, burning it, and then going 
 away, that God Almighty started wind sufiicient to carry that 
 cotton wherever he would, and in some way or other that 
 burning cotton was the origir- of the fire; after the fire began, 
 I have heard it intimated that some of our soldiers were en- 
 gaged in spreading it; that is the answer to the question; my 
 belief is, some soldiers, after the fire originated, may have 
 been concerned iu spreading it, but not concerned at all in 
 
 starting it. 
 
 >l< * * * ^ ' ^ * 
 
 Q. You have given us your suppositions in regard to the 
 origin of this fire; although you personally may not have or- 
 dered the burning of the city, would it surprise you if it could 
 be proven to you that your army actually did it ? 
 
 A. It would surprise me very much indeed if any officer, 
 Howard, Logan, Woods, or any commissioned officer was privy 
 to the setting fire to any house in Columbia that night, but it 
 would not surprise nie if some vagabond did it without orders, 
 and merely for deviltry; it would not surprise me if some of 
 our escaped prisoners, or some of our own soldiers, aided in 
 
no WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 spreading the flames; I would be perfectly prepared to believe 
 it if the evidence w s spread before me that some one or more 
 of our soldiers — because in an army of that size we had men 
 capable of doing anything — might have assisted in the work 
 of destruction; that it was concealed by their fellows: but that 
 any of my officers had a hand in it, either directly or indirectly, 
 I do not, and will not believe. 
 
 Q. If I were to submit to you now the testimony of some 
 individuals in South Carolina, whose integrity you have no 
 doubt of, that they witnessed the firing by Federal soldiers in 
 the presence of officers? 
 
 A. Well, they would have to state the names of the officers, 
 and if the officers denied it, I would accept their denial rather 
 than any evidence of people in South Carolina; if the officers 
 present were mentioned by name, or anything by which we 
 could trace them down — say the officer of the guard at a certain 
 point— then I would believe it; I would not, upon the mere say 
 so, or even the oath of any person in Columbia that night, 
 when he would state that he saw a fire kindled in a house, or 
 in a shed, whereby it spread to the adjoining propert}', I would 
 not believe it, unless it were confirmed by some of my own 
 people. 
 
 ^^ Tp "^F 7F ^ ^ ^ 
 
 Q. On the 17th and i8th of February, 1865, who was em- 
 powered to order the destruction of cotton, or other property 
 in Columbia. 
 
 A. First myself, and next the commanders of the two wings, 
 Howard and Slocum; next the commanders of the four corps; 
 then the commanding officer of any detachmentsent out from the 
 main body, to whom was committed the destruction of any 
 property from the necessity of the case. 
 
 Q. I meant to limit my question to property in the city of 
 Columbia? 
 
 A. First myself; then General Howard, General L,ogan, and 
 General Chas, R. Woods; no one else. 
 
 Q. If soldiers, or subordinate officers without orders from 
 those you have named, destroyed property in Columbia on the 
 night of the 17th February, it was unauthorized? 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? IH 
 
 A. Yes, sir; I do not think it was done except by detach- 
 ments sent out for the purpose with orders. 
 
 Q. You have stated that you now feel a personal responsi- 
 bility in regard to this matter; did you feel that personal re- 
 sponsibility on the night of the 17th of February, when you 
 first saw on the wall of your room the light of the fire? 
 
 A. I did. 
 
 O. What effect had it on you then and during the rest of the 
 night? 
 
 A. To do my duty to prevent the extension of that fire, so 
 as not to disturb the families of people living in Columbia, the 
 quiet inhabitants of the place, and to prevent the usual clamor 
 where a city was burnt, as in Pennsylvania. 
 
 W. T. SHERMAN, General. 
 
GENERAL SHERMAN AND GENERAL LEE. 
 
 What Sherman practiced in his march through Georgia and 
 South Carolina in 1864-65, he preached as early as 1863. In 
 a letter to General Halleck, dated September 17th, 1863, he 
 says that "we (the army) will, if need be, take every life, every 
 acre of land, every particle of property, every thing that to us 
 seems proper," and that he would keep up war, pure and sim- 
 ple, and make the southern people "so sick of war that genera- 
 tions would pass away before they would again appeal to it." 
 This is in the same vein as the declaration, a year later, that 
 he would "make Georgia howl," and that the Fifteenth Corps 
 does its work well. 
 
 A simple perusal of the letters of Sherman, published by 
 himself, will show that such crimes as the burning of Columbia 
 were, in his view, legitimate and proper acts of v.'ar. But 
 against this we can set the opinion of a better soldier and bet- 
 ter man than Sherman, whose judgment was as cool and dis- 
 passionate in things which came home to him and his people 
 as in things with which he and his had no personal concern. 
 When General Lee visited this State, not long before his death, 
 a gentlenian who knew him well asked his opinion of Sherman's 
 conduct. This, it must be remembered, was several j'ears after 
 the war, when there were the same means that there are now 
 of forming a true judgment. What passed is given as follows: 
 
 D. H. "General Lee, I desire to ask a question, which you 
 will please not reply to if there is any impropriety in it." 
 
 General Lee. "Ask it, sir." 
 
 D. H. "Was General Sherman in his march through the 
 country justified, under the usages of war, in burning our homes 
 over the heads of our women and children while we were in 
 the field?" 
 
 General Lee arose from his chair with hig eyes brightened 
 and said: "No, sir! no, sir! It was the act of a savage. He 
 was not justified under the usages of war. " 
 
 This we have from the lips of the general to whom General 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? II3 
 
 lyCe said these words. They are worthy of note, and the phrase 
 that General Lee used in speaking of Sherman will be remem- 
 bered to Sherman's shame when every other bitterness of the 
 war is forgotten: "It was the act of a savage!" 
 
LETTER OF JAMES WOOD DAVIDSON. 
 
 The New York World publishes the following article written 
 by Mr. James Wood Davidson, of Columbia, who is engaged in 
 journalism in New York : 
 
 The publication of his "Memoirs" by General Sherman makes 
 for the third time an occasion for the country to ask, Who 
 burned Columbia? The first occasion was the publication of 
 his official report just after the event; and the second was in 
 September, 1873, when he published a letter in the Washington 
 Chronicle, apparently designed to influence the decision of the 
 Mixed Claims Commission. 
 
 In his "Memoirs" just published General Sherman uses this 
 language concerning the burning of the capital of South Caro- 
 lina : "Many of the people think this fire was deliberately 
 planned and executed. This is not true. It was accidental, 
 and in my judgment began from cotton which General Hamp- 
 ton's men had set fire to on leaving the city (whether by his 
 order or not is not material), which fire was partially subdued 
 early in the day; but when night came the high wind fanned 
 it again into full Maze, carried it against the frame buildings, 
 which caught like tinder, and soon spr«.ad beyond our control." 
 
 In his letter to the Washington Chronicle in 1873 General 
 Sherman says: "I reiterate that, no matter what his (General 
 Hampton's) orders were, the men of his army, either his rear 
 guard or his stragglers, did apply the fire, and that this was a 
 sufficient cause for all else that followed." By "all else," of 
 course. General Sherman means the destruction of the city. 
 
 In his official report of the event itself in 1865 General Sher- 
 man says: "And without hesitation I charge General Wade 
 Hampton with having burned his own city of Columbia, not 
 with a malicious intent, or as the manifestation of a Roman 
 stoicism, but from folly and want of sense in filling it with lint 
 cotton and tinder." 
 
 I have thus given in his own words General Sherman's three 
 statements of his version of the story of Columbia's burning. 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? Il5 
 
 They show a toning down as we come on from 1865 to 1873, 
 and finally to 1875, but this discrepancy is not the matter be- 
 fore me just now. The general idea of the three statements is 
 that the burning of Columbia was an accident. 
 
 Sixth. Adjutant S- H M. Byers, in a pamphlet entitled 
 "What I Saw in Dixie, or Sixteen Months in Rebel Prisons," 
 says: ."The boys, too, were spreading the conflagration by 
 firing the city in a hundred places." The "boys" seem to 
 have done that night exactly as General Sherman told General 
 Halleck they generally did, that is, "do their work up pretty 
 well" ; for no one should complain of a hundred separate appli- 
 cations of the incendiary torch as not being "pretty well" in 
 its way. 
 
 Seventh. Mr. Whitelaw Reid's "Ohio in the War" says of 
 this destruction of Columbia: "It was the most monstrous 
 barbarity of the barbarous march." This opinion bears upon 
 
 the character of the act, not upon the question of who did it. 
 
 ******* 
 
 Twelfth. The following towns and villages in South Caro- 
 lina in some of which at least there was no cotton in the streets, 
 were burned either in whole or in part during the same cam- 
 paign: Robertsville, Grahamville, McPhersonville, Barnwell, 
 Blackville, Orangeburg, Ivcxington, Winnsboro, Camden, lyan- 
 caster, Chesterfield, Cheraw and Darlington. 
 
LETTER OF AUGUST COMRAD. 
 
 Mr, August Conrad (Felix Clacius) having in his "lyights 
 and Shadows of American L,ife During the War of Secession" 
 described the occupation and the sack of Columbia, by the 
 United States troops, gives an account of the horrible acts that 
 followed : 
 
 Night with her sable pall covered Columbia usually so quiet 
 Bnd peaceable, but tonight full of tumult and disorder. Night 
 came on for the evil foe, who was laboring wdth many thous- 
 and busy hands at her destruction. Night was unwelcome to 
 the unfortunate people who looked to the near future in anxiety 
 and distress. There was rest and recuperation for no one this 
 night. 
 
 As it was getting dark the soldiers camped in the streets and 
 made fire to cook their supper. I spoke to the Captain quar- 
 tered in our house, representing the danger of this course— so 
 much cotton lying near, and many other easily inflammable 
 substances. I had for my trouble my pains. The Captain 
 sneeringly asked me what I had to do with the soldiers? 
 whether I had a kitchen where they could prepare their meals? 
 1 said no more. I could not afford to offend this man, who 
 still had a spark of decency and authority. I invited him and 
 the two Lieutenants to partake of our frugal supper. But be- 
 fore it was readv a new event attracted our attention. A 
 mighty pillar of fire and smoke arose at some distance. One 
 of the railroad depots situated at the lower end of the city was 
 burning, and the cotton stored thCxC furnished ample food for 
 the flames. But in the excitement of the hour it made little 
 or no impression till flanies were seen in the opposite direction 
 also; and, when a few minutes afterwards a house standing 
 next to ours was burning, the conviction began to dawn on us 
 that the firing of the city m^as premeditated, its extent incalcu- 
 lable; and this thought filled us with dismay. 
 
 When we noticed that the enemy made not the slightest 
 effort to extinguish the flames, but rather seemed to enjoy the 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 11/ 
 
 sight, we were confirmed in our suspicions that the fire had 
 been set. But I do not to this day know whether the fire set 
 by this rabble had been ordered or only suffered by the mili- 
 tary authorities. 
 
 The Satanic horde plundered and destroyed within the 
 houses and upon the streets. Pandemonium let loose is but a 
 faint image of what was transpiring here before my eyes. 
 
 Heartrending cries of distress were heard amid this tumult 
 from persons robbed or otherwise molested, or from people 
 threatened by the fire. Here and there you would see unfor- 
 tunates, with little children upon their arms, or with some few 
 valuables or necessaries, running from these human devils and 
 from the fire, looking for safety, but only to find fresh misery 
 and destruction in the place they had thought safe. 
 
EXTRACTS FROM SOUTHERN HISTORICAL SO- 
 
 Letter from General Hampton on the Burning' of 
 
 Columbia. 
 
 We propose at some future daj^ to publish in full the facts 
 concerning the burning of Columbia, and to fix beyond all 
 controversy the responsibility for that outrage upon the laws 
 of civilized warfare. But in the meantime we put on record 
 the following letter which Gen. Wade Hampton addressed to 
 Senator Reverdy Johnson, and which be read in the United 
 States Senate at the time: 
 
 Wild Woods, Mississippi, April 21, 1866. 
 
 To Hon. Reverdy Johnson, United States Senate: 
 Sir: A few days ago I saw in the published proceedings of 
 Congress that a petition from Benjamin Kawles, of Columbia, 
 South Carolina, asking compensation for the destruction of his 
 house by the Federal army in February, 1865, had been pre- 
 sented to the Senate, accompanied by a letter from Major- 
 General Sherman. 
 
 In this letter General Sherman uses the following language: 
 "The citizens of Columbia set fire to thousands of bales of 
 cotton rolled out into the streets, and which were burning be- 
 fore we entered Columbia. I, myself, was in the city as early 
 as 9 o'clock, and I saw these fires, and knew that efforts were 
 made to extinguish them, but a high aud strong wind kept 
 them alive. 
 
 "I gave no orders for the burning of your city, but, on the 
 contrary, the conflagration resulted from the great imprudence 
 of cutting the cotton bales, whereby the contents were spread 
 to the wind, so that it became an impossibility to arrest the 
 fire. 
 
 "I saw in your Columbia newspaper the printed order of 
 Gen. Wade Hampton, that on the approach of the Yankee 
 
WHO BURNT COI^UMBIA? II9 
 
 array all the cotton should thus be burned, and from what I 
 saw m5^self I have no hesitation in saying that he was the 
 cause of the destruction of your city." 
 
 This same charge, made against me by General Sherman, 
 having been brought before the Senate of the United States, I 
 am naturally most solicitous to vindicate myself before the 
 same tribunal. But my State has no representative in that 
 body. Those who should be her constitutional representatives 
 and exponents there, are debarred the right of entrance into 
 those halls. There are none who have the right to speak for 
 the South; none to participate in the legislation which governs 
 her; none to impose the taxes she is called upon to pay, and 
 none to vindicate her sons from misrepresentation, injustice or 
 slander. 
 
 Under these circumstances I appeal to you, in the confident 
 hope that you will use every effort to see that justice is done 
 in this matter. 
 
 I deny, emphatically, that any cotton was fired m Columbia 
 by my order. 
 
 I deny that the citizens "set fire to thousands of bales rolled 
 out into the streets." 
 
 I deny that any cotton was on fire when the Federal troops 
 entered the city. 
 
 I most respectfully ask of Congress to appoint a committee, 
 charged with the duty of ascertaining and reporting all the facts 
 connected with the destruction of Columbia, and chus fixing 
 upon the proper author of that enormous crime the infamy he 
 richly deserves. 
 
 I am willing to submit the case to any honest tribunal. 
 Before any such I pledge myself to prove that I gave a positive 
 order, by direction of General Beauregard, that no cotton 
 should be fired; that not one bale was on fire when General 
 Sherman's troops took possession of the .ity ; that he promised 
 protection to the city, and that, in spite of his solemn promise, 
 he burned the city to the ground, deliberately, systematically 
 and atrociously. 
 
 I, therefore, most earnestly request that Congress may take 
 prompt and efficient measures to investigate this matter fully. 
 
I20 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 Not only is this due to themselves and to the reputation of the 
 United States army, but also to justice and truth. 
 Trusting that you will pardon me for troubling you, 
 I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 WADE HAMPTON. 
 ******* 
 
 Times have changed since 1866. General Sherman, in his 
 Memoirs published in 1875, maintains that Columbia was 
 burned by accident and not by design, and makes this most 
 remarkable admission [Memoirs, volume II, page 287]: "In 
 my official report of this conflagration I distinctly charged it 
 to Gen. Wade Hampton, and confess I did so pointedly to 
 shake the faith of his people in him, for he was in my opinion 
 a braggart, and professed to be the special champion of South 
 Carolina." 
 
 In other words General Sherman coolly admits that he de- 
 liberately made in his official report a false charge against a 
 soldier opposed to him in order to injure him with his own 
 people. We expect at the proper time to show that this ad- 
 mission is fatal to some other statements made by "the General 
 of the Army." 
 
 But, fortunately, the character of Wade Hampton was 
 always above reproach, and now, after a career which has 
 made hira the idol of his people and the admiration of the 
 world, he goes to take his seat on the floor of that Senate, 
 which, in '66, denied him the simplest justice. 
 
 General Sherman's Latest Story Examined. 
 
 The following is taken from the Charleston News and 
 
 Courier of June 15th, 1881: 
 
 ******* 
 
 In the Memoirs of Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, by himself, (page 
 226) we find a dispatch of General Sherman to Gen. W. H. 
 Hal leek, dated headquarters in the field. Savannah, December 
 24, 1864. It is given in full. General Sherman says: 
 
 "This war differs from European wars in this particular: 
 We are not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people, 
 and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 121 
 
 hand of war, as well as their organized armies. I know that 
 this recent movement of mine through Georgia has had a won- 
 derful effect in this respect. Thousands who had been de- 
 ceived by their lying newspapers to believe that we were being 
 whipped all the time now realize the truth, and have no appe- 
 tite for a repetition of the same experience. To be sure Jeff 
 Davis has his people under pretty good discipline, but I think 
 faith in him is much shaken in Georgia, and before we have 
 done with her. South Carolina will not be quite so tem- 
 pestuous. 
 
 "I will bear in mind your hint as to Charleston, and do not 
 think it will be necessary. When I move the Fifteenth Corps 
 will be on the right of the right wing, and their position will 
 bring them into Charleston first; and if you have watched 
 the history of the corps, you will have remarked that they 
 generally do their work [jretty well. The truth is, the whole 
 army is burning with insatiable desire to wreak vengeance 
 upon South Carolina. I almost tremble at her fate; but feel 
 that she deserves all that seems in store for her." 
 
 This is susceptible of but one meaning: That General Hal- 
 leck had hinted that Charleston should be laid in ashes, and 
 the ruins sowed in salt. Sherman avows that he was ready 
 for this, and that nothing was too bad for South Carolina. But 
 for what follows, it might have been urged that Charleston 
 was especially singled out as the scapegoat of the State. In 
 the very same letter from which we have quoted, Sherman 
 says: "I look upon Columbia as quite as bad as Charleston," 
 Mark Sherman's words, and the wholesale destruction uf iirop 
 erty in South Carolina. Join to this the fact that it was the 
 Fifteenth Corps that entered Columbia and occupied it. Can it 
 be doubted for a moment that the corps again did its work 
 "pretty well," and that Shernian acted upon the feeling, which 
 animated him from the moment that he crossed the State line, 
 that South Carolina deserved all that was in store for her, by 
 reason of his own wishes and the insatiable desire of his troops 
 for vengeance! 
 
 General Sherman forgets — or he says what is untrue. We 
 are constrained to believe that he wilfully misstates the facts. 
 
122 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 This, we believe, because he has done it before. In his Memoirs 
 (page 287) and, in substance, in his Hartford speech, General 
 Sherman says that the fire, which destroyed Columbia, was 
 "accidental." On the same page he says: "In my official re- 
 port of this conflagration I distinctly charged it to Gen. Wade 
 Hampton, and confess I did so pointedly, to shake the faith of 
 his people in him, for he was, in mv opinion, a braggart, and 
 professed to be the special champion of South Carolina." 
 Knowing, by bis own account, that the fire was accidental, Gen. 
 Sherman charged it on General Hampton— not because he be- 
 lieved him to be guilty, but to shake confidence in him. Even 
 our Northern brethren, or some of them, will reluctantly admit 
 that a commanding general who will boast that he accused an 
 opponent of a crime of which he knew him to be innocent is 
 capable, at this late daj^ of lying squarely to gratify his spite 
 and save himself from blame. 
 
 One Trutlifal James in Sherman's Army. 
 
 Columbia, S. C, October 25. 
 There was one truthful man in Sherman's army, and Sena- 
 tor Hampton has discovered him. The Senator has handed 
 the News and Courier bureau here the following fragment of 
 an article in the Fulton Signal, of Canal Fulton, Ohio, edited 
 and published by J. P. Yockey. 
 
 ADDRESS DELIVERED BY J. P. ZELLERS AT THE ANNUAL RE- 
 UNION OF HIS REGIMENT, 76TH, O. V. I., AT NEWARK, O. 
 
 "My capture, imprisonment, release and return home will 
 be the theme of my address. 
 
 "Every American citizen is familiar with Sherman's famous 
 march to the sea, and all will agree that its success broke the 
 backbone of secession. 
 
 "Arriving at Savannah on the 20th day of December, 1864, 
 the hero ot this world renowned campaign gave us a few 
 week's rest. This hero soon became restless, and perching 
 himself upon an elevated spot, cried: 'Attention creation. By 
 kingdoms, forward march.' And we did. Little did we think, 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 1 23 
 
 however, that our march was 'on to Richmond.' The first 
 important act of this campaign was the seige and capture of 
 Columbia, South Carolina — the place where secession w'as born, 
 bred and mothered, and every patriot of that brave band swore 
 that not one stone should remain on the other in that beauti- 
 ful city, and the promise was well carried out." 
 
 This precious extract is cornmended to the attention of the 
 arch incendiary, Tecumseh Sherman. 
 
 Extracts from a Reply to the Cliarg-e of the New York 
 
 Tribune that Hampton Burned Columbia. 
 
 * ^v * % ^ * * 
 
 In a letter published in the proceedings of Congress about 
 April, 1866, General Sherman says: "The citizens of Colum- 
 bia set fire to thousands of bales of cotton rolled out into the 
 streets, and which were burning before we entered Columbia. 
 I myself was in the city as early as 9 o'clock, and I saw these 
 fires." 
 
 The general accusation, it is seen, is here transferred from 
 Hampton to the citizens of Columbia; but the inquiry is now 
 as to the facts in regard to the burning cotton — thousands of 
 bales of which General Sherman says he saw, and which he 
 adds, had been burning at least twelve hours before any sol- 
 diers belonging to my army had gotten within the limits of 
 the city." Where were these burning bales? In an afiBdavit 
 made by General Sherman in 1872 he swears: "Col. Stone's 
 brigade were crossed [over the river] on the night of the i6th 
 and 17th of February, and were the first troops to enter Co- 
 lumbia." This Col. Stone was Brevet Brig. Gen. George A. 
 Stone, of Iowa, who in a letter to the Chicago Tribune, which 
 was published in January, 1873, testifies that soon after its 
 entrance "the entire brigade was distributed through the city," 
 and adds: 
 
 "Up to this time no fires occurred in any part of the city 
 save those of public buildings and quartermasters' stores, fired 
 by the enemy the day before we entered, I think, but which 
 fires had not extended and did not extend to any other part of 
 the city. The streets in some places contained bales of cotton, 
 
124 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 whicli had been cut open, and these caught fire twice or three 
 times during the day, but these fires had been promptly put 
 out by some of the firemen, aided by a detail of soldiers under 
 charge of an ofi&cer. " 
 
 General Stone was in charge of the whole city, as his com- 
 mand was assigned to provost duty, j-et he saw no smouldering 
 fires where General Sherman saw thousands! This disposes 
 of the cotton theory; but General Stone goes farther and tells 
 who did burn the city. He says: 
 
 Col. D. J. Palmer, commanding my regiment, the 75tli 
 Iowa, and to whom I had entrusted the charge of the mos^t 
 dangerous part of the city, confirmed my opinion that there 
 was a plot to burn the city by telling me several fires had 
 started in his district; that he haa succeeded in putting them 
 out so far, but could not hold out much longer, and that, in 
 his opinion, the next one would fire the city. The wind after 
 sunset had increased in violence, and about 9 o'clock was blow- 
 ing almost a hurricane from Colonel Palmer's district right to- 
 wards the heart of the city. All at once fifteen or twenty 
 flames, from as many different places along the river shot up^ 
 and in ten minutes the fate of Columbia was settled." * * * 
 "The next morning it was discovered the guard had been too 
 small; and although a square mile of the heart of the city had 
 been eaten out, and the men's appetite for revenge satiated, yet 
 it was then considered that a division of troops was necessary 
 for provost duty." 
 
 In a "Narrative of Military Service," which he published a 
 few years ago, Gen. W. B. Hazen says: "I have never doubted 
 that Columbia was deliberately set on fire in more than a hun- 
 dred places." 
 
 In his "Memoirs," (page 288), General Sherman says: 
 "Having utterly ruined Columbia, the right wing began its 
 march northwest to Winnsboro on the 20th;" and Winnsboro 
 was likewise "utterly ruined" — burnt — the next day. 
 
 * * * * ^ >i< ^ 
 
BURNING OF COLUMBIA. 
 
 Copy of the Letter of Dr, T. J. Goodwyn, Mayor of 
 Columbia, to Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman. 
 
 Mayor's Office, 
 Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. 
 To Maj. Gen. Sherman: 
 
 The Confederate forces having evacuated Columbia, I deem 
 it my duty, as Mayor and representative of the city, to ask for 
 its citizens the treatment accorded by the usages of civilized 
 warfare. 
 
 I, therefore, respectfully request that you will give a suffi- 
 cient guard, in advance of the army, to maintain order in the 
 city, and protect the persons and property of the citizens. 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 T. J. GOODWYN, Mayor. 
 
 A public meeting of the citizens of Columbia was called, 
 April 22d, 1867, at Carolir.a Hall, at which Hon. E. J. Arthur 
 presided. A committee was appointed to collect evidence as 
 to the burning of the city on the night of February 17, 1865. 
 The names of the committee are as follows: 
 
 Chancellor J. P. Carroll, Chairman, Hon. Wm. F. de Saus- 
 sure, Hon. E. J. Arthur, Dr. John Fisher, Dr. Wm. Reynolds, 
 Dr. D. H. Trezevant, Dr. A. N. TaHey, Prof. W. J. Rivers, 
 Prof. John LeConte, Col J. T. Sloan, Col, E- D. Childs. 
 
 The committee decided to accept only the testimony of those 
 who could m.ake sworn aflBdavits as to the events of which they 
 were eye-witnesses. As stated in the subjoined Report, more 
 than sixty (60) depositions and statements in writing, from as 
 many individuals, were placed in the hands of the committee, 
 
 from which the following Report was compiled. 
 
 ******* 
 
 S. P. C. 
 
126 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? ' 
 
 Report of the Committee Appointed to Collect Testi- 
 mony in Relation to the Destruction of Colum- 
 bia, S. C, on the 17th of February, 1865. 
 
 The committee who were charged with the duty of collecting' 
 the evidence in relation to the destruction of Columbia by fire, 
 on the 17th of February, 1865, submit the following report: 
 
 By the terms of the resolution appointing them, the com- 
 mittee do not feel authorized to deduce any conclusion, or pro- 
 nounce any judgment, however warranted by the proof, as to 
 the person responsible for the crime. Their task will be accom- 
 plished by ]tresenting the evidence that has been obtained, with, 
 an abstract of the facts established by it. 
 
 More than sixty depositions and statements in writing, from 
 as many individuals, have been placed in the hands of the com- 
 mittee. The array of witnesses is impressive, not merely be- 
 cause of their number, but for the high-toned and elevated 
 character of some of them, the unpretending and sterling prob- 
 ity of others, and the general intelligence and worth of all. 
 The plain and unvarnished narrative subjoined is taken from 
 the testimony referred to, solely and exclusively, except so much 
 as refers to certain declarations of General Sherman himself, 
 widely circulated through the public press, and to the ravages 
 of his army in this State, after their departure from Columbia: 
 matters of such notoriety as, in the judgment of the committee^ 
 to dispense with the necessity of formal proof. 
 
 The forces of General Sherman's command while in Georgia 
 seem to have anticipated that their next march would be 
 through South Carolina. Their temper and feeling towards 
 our people, a witness, Mrs. L. Catharine Joyner, thus describes: 
 "The soldiers were universal in their threats. They seemed 
 to gloat over the distress that would accrue from their march 
 through the State. I conversed with numbers of all grades, 
 belonging to the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps. Such ex- 
 pressions as the following were of hourly occurrence : 'Caro- 
 lina may well dread us. She brought this war on, and shall 
 pay the penalty. You think Georgia has suffered, just wait 
 until we get into Carolina; every man, woman and child may 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 1 27 
 
 dread us there.' " Of General Sherman himself, the same wit- 
 ness informs us that, addressing himself to a lady of his ac- 
 quaintance, he said to her: "Go off the line of railroad, for I 
 will not answer for the consequences where the army passes." 
 
 The threats uttered in Georgia were sternly executed by the 
 troops of General Sherman upon their entrance into the State. 
 For eighty miles along the route of his army, through the most 
 highly improved and cultivated region of the State, according 
 to the testimony of intelligent and respectable witnesses, the 
 habitations of but two white persons remain. As he advanced, 
 the villages of Hardeeville, Grahamville, Gillisonville, McPher- 
 sonville, Barnwell, Blackville, Midway, Orangeburg and Lex- 
 ington were successively devoted to the flames. Indignities 
 and outrages were perpetrated upon the persons of the inhabi- 
 tants. The implements of agriculture were broken; dwellings, 
 barns, mills, gin-houses, were consumed; provisions of every 
 description appropriated or destroyed; horses and mules carried 
 away; and sheep, cattle and hogs were either taken for actual 
 use, or shot down and left behind. The like devastations 
 marked the progress ot the invading army from Columbia 
 through this State to its Northern frontier, and the towns of 
 Winnsboro, Camden and Cheraw suffered from like visitations 
 by fire. If a single town or village or hamlet within their line 
 of march escaped altogether the torch of the invaders, the com- 
 mittee have not been informed of the exception. The line of 
 General Sherman's march, from his enlering the territory of 
 the State up to Columbia, and from Columbia to the North 
 Carolina border, was one continuous track of fire. 
 
 The devastation and ruin thus inflicted were but the execu- 
 tion of the policy and plan of General Sherman for the subju- 
 gation of the Confederate States. Extracts from his address 
 at Salem, Illinois, in July last, have appeared in the public 
 prints, and thus he announces and vindicates the policy and 
 plan referred to: "We were strung out from Nashville clear 
 down to Atlanta. Had I then gone on stringing out our forces, 
 what danger would there not have been of their attacking the 
 'little head of the column and crushing it. Therefore, I resolved 
 in a moment to stop the game of guarding their cities, and to 
 
128 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 destroy their cities. We were determined to produce results, 
 and, now, what were those results? To make every man, 
 woman and child in the South feel that, if they dared to rebel 
 against the flag of their country, they must die or submit." 
 The plan of subjugation adopted by General Sherman was fully 
 comprehended and approved by his army. His officers and 
 men universally justified their acts by declaring that it was 
 "the way to put down the rebellion, by burning and destroy- 
 ing everything." 
 
 Before the surrender of our town, the soldiers of General 
 Sherman, officers and privates, declared that it was to be de- 
 stroyed. "It was," deposes a witness, Mrs. Rosa J. Meetze, 
 "the common talk among them, at the village of Lexington, 
 that Columbia, was to be burned by General Sherman." At 
 the same place, on the i6th of February, 865, as deposed to 
 by another witness, Mrs. Francis T. Caughman, "the general 
 officer in command or his cavalry forces. General Kilpatrick, 
 said, in reference to Columbia : 'Sherman will lay it in ashes 
 for them.'" "It was the general impression among all the 
 prisoners we captured," says a Confederate officer. Captain J. 
 P. Austin of the Ninth Kentucky Reg. Cavalry, "that Colum- 
 bia was to be destroyed." On the morning of the same day, 
 February i6th, 1865, some of the forces of General Sherman 
 appeared on the western side of the river, and, without a de- 
 mand of surrender, or any previous notice of their purpose, be- 
 gan to shell the town, then filled with women, children and 
 aged persons, and continued to do so at intervals throughout 
 the day. The Confederate forces were withdrawn, and the 
 town restored to the control of the municipal authorities, on 
 the morning of the 17th of February. Accompanied by three 
 of the Aldermen, the Mayor, between eight and nine o'clock 
 A. M., proceeded in the direction of Broad river, for the pur- 
 pose of surrendering the city to General Sherman. Acting in 
 concert with the Mayor, the officer in command of the rear 
 guard of the Confederate cavalry. General M. C Butler, for- 
 bore from further resistence to the advance of the opposing 
 army, and took effectual precautions against anything being 
 done which might provoke General Sherman or his troops to 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 1 29 
 
 acts of violence or severity towards the town or its citizens. 
 The surrender of Columbia was made by the Mayor and Alder- 
 men to the first general officer of the hostile army whom they 
 met; and that officer promised protection to the town and its 
 inhabitants until communication could be had with General 
 Sherman, and the terms of surrender arranged. 
 
 By eleven o'clock A. M. the town was in possession of the 
 Federal forces, the first detachment entering being the com- 
 mand of the officer who had received the surrender. Thej had 
 scarcely marched into the town, however, before they began to 
 break into the stores of the merchants, appropriating the con- 
 tents or throwing them in the streets and destroying them. As 
 other bodies of troops came in, the pillage grew more general, 
 and soon the sack of the town was universal. Guards were, 
 in general, sent to those of the citizens who applied for them, 
 but in numerous instances they proved to be unable or unwill- 
 ing to perform the duty assigned them. Scarcely a single 
 household or family escaped altogether from being plundered. 
 The streets of the town were densely filled with thousands of 
 Federal soldiers, drinking, shouting, carousing, and robbing 
 the defenceless inhabitants, without reorimand or check from 
 their officers; and this state of things continued until night. 
 In some instances guards were refused. Papers and property 
 of great value were in the vaults of one of the city banks, vv'hile 
 the apartments above and in the rear were occupied by women 
 and c' ildren with their food and clothing. For a guard to pro- 
 tect them, application was made by one of our worthiest and 
 most respectable citizens, Edwin J. Scott, Esq., first to the gen- 
 eral officer, who had received the surrender of the town, Colonel 
 Stone, and then to the Provost Marshal, Major Jenkins. The 
 response made to the applicant by the former officer, though 
 standing idle in the crowd, was that he "had no time to attend 
 to him," and the answer of the latter was, "I cannot under- 
 take to protect private property." Between two and three 
 o'clock P. M., General Sherman in person rode into Columbia, 
 informed the Mayor that his letter had been received, and 
 promised protection to the town. Extraordinary license was 
 allowed to his soldiers by General Sherman. In the afternoon 
 
130 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 of the 17th of February, r865, and shortly after his arrival in 
 Columbia, the Mayor of the town, at the request of General 
 Sherman, accompanied him on a visit to a lady of his acquaint- 
 ance. While proceeding to her residence, General Sherman 
 began to express his opinion very freely upon the subject of 
 our institution of slavery. In the midst of his remarks he was 
 interrupted by the sudden and near report of a musket. Im- 
 mediately before them, in the direction they were going, they 
 observed a group of Federal soldiers seeming to be excited, and 
 upon approaching they saw a negro lying dead directly in their 
 path, being shot through the heart. "General Sherman (the 
 Mayor, Dr. T. J. Goodwyn, narrates) asked of the soldiers: 
 'How came the negro shot?' And was answered that the negro 
 had been guilty of great insolence to them, and that thereupon 
 General Sherman remarked: 'Stop this, boys. This is all 
 wrong Take away the body and bury it.' General Sher- 
 man," continues the Mayor, "then stepped over the body of 
 the negro, and observing to the deponent that 'in quiet times 
 such a thing ought to be noticed, but in times like this it could 
 not be done,' General Sherman resumed his conversation in re- 
 lation to slavery, and no arrest was ordered or any censure or 
 reprimand uttered by him, except as above stated. About sun- ^ 
 down," as the Mayor deposes, "General Sherman said to him: 
 'Go home, and rest assured that your city will be as safe in my 
 hands as if you had controlled it." He added, that he was 
 compelled to burn some of the public buildings, and in so doing 
 did not wish to destroy one particle of private property. This 
 evening," he said, "was too windy to do anything." An es- 
 teemed clergyman, Rev. A. Toomer Porter, testifies that the 
 same afternoon, between six and seven o'clock. General Sher- 
 man said to him: "You must know a great many ladies — go 
 around and tell them to go to bed quietly; they will not be dis- 
 turbed any more than if my army was one hundred miles off. 
 He seemed oblivious of the fact that we had been pillaged and 
 insulted the whole day. In one hour's time the city was in 
 flames." 
 
 Meanwhile the soldiers of General Sherman had burned, that 
 afternoon, many houses in the environs of the town, including 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? Ijf- 
 
 the dwelling of General Hampton, with that of his sisters, 
 formerly the residence of their father, and once the seat of 
 genial and princely hospitality. Throughout the day, after 
 they had marched into the town, the soldiers of General Sher- 
 man gave distinct and frequent notice to the citizens of the- 
 impending calamit5% usually in the form of fierce and direct' 
 threats, but occasionally as if in kindly forewarning. A lady 
 of rare worth and intelligence, and of high social position, Mrs. 
 I^. S. McCord, relates the following incident: "One of ray 
 maids brought me a paper, left, she told me, by a Yankee 
 soldier; it was an ill-spelled, but kindly warning of the horrors 
 to come, written upon a torn sheet of my dead son's note book, 
 which, with private papers of every kind, now strewed my 
 yard. It was signed by a Lieutenant — of what company and 
 regiment, I did not take note. The writer said he had relatives 
 and friends at the South, and that he felt for us; that his heart 
 bled to think of what was threatening. Xadies,' he wrote, 'I 
 pity you. Leave this town — go anywhere to be safer than 
 here.' This was written in the morning, the fires were in the 
 evening and night." One of our citizens of great intelligence 
 and respectability, William H. Orchard, was visited about 7 
 P. M. by a squad of some six or seven soldiers, to whose dep- 
 redations he submitted with a composure that seemed to im- 
 press their leader. Of his conversation with this person, the 
 gentleman referred to testifies as follows: "On leaving the 
 yard he called to me, and said he wished to speak to me alone. 
 He then said to me in an undertone: 'You seem to be a clever 
 sort of a man, and have a large family, so I will give you some 
 advice: If you have anything you wish to save, take 
 
 care of it at once, for before morning this d d town 
 
 will be in ashes — every house in it.' My only reply was: 
 can that be true? He said, 'yes, and if you do not believe me 
 you will be the sufferer; if you watch you will see three rockets 
 go up soon, and if you do not take my advice you will see 
 h — 11." ' Within an hour afterwards, three rockets were seen 
 to ascend from a point in front of the Mayor's dwelling. But 
 a few minutes elapsed before fires, in swift succession broke 
 out, and at intervals so distant that they could not have been 
 
132 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 communicated from the one to the other. At various parts of 
 the town, the soldiers of General Sherman, at the appearance 
 of the rockets, declared that they were the appointed signal 
 for a general conflagration. The fire companies, with their 
 engines, promptly repaired to the scene of the fires, and en- 
 deavored to arrest them, but in vain. The soldiers of General 
 Sherman, with bayonets and axes, pierced and cut the hose, 
 disabled the engines and prevented the citizens from extin- 
 guishing the flames. The wind was high and blew from the 
 west. The fires spread and advanced with fearful rapidity, and 
 soon enveloped the very heart of the town. The pillage began 
 upon the entrance of the hostile forces, continued without 
 cessation or abatement, and now the town was delivered up to 
 the accumulated horrors of sack and conilagration. The in- 
 habitants were subjected to personal indignities and outrages. 
 A witness, Captain W. B. Stanley, testifies that several times 
 during the night, he saw the soldiers of General Sherman take 
 from females bundles of clothing and provisions, open them, 
 appropriate what they wanted and throw the remainder into 
 the flames. Men were violently seized and threatened with 
 the halter or the pistol to compel them to disclose where their 
 gold or silver was concealed. 
 
 The revered and beloved pastor of one of our churches, Rev. 
 P. J. Shand, states that, in the midst and during the progress 
 of the appalling calamity, above all other noises, might be 
 heard the demoniac and gladsome shouts of the soldiery. 
 Driven from his home by the flames, with the aid of a servant 
 he was bearing off a trunk containing the communion plate of 
 his church, his wife walking by his side, when he was sur- 
 rounded by five of the soldiers, who requested him to put down 
 the trunk and inform them of its contents — which was done. 
 The sequel he thus narrates: "They then demanded the key, 
 but, I not having it, they proceeded in efforts to break the 
 lock. While four of them were thus engaged, the fifth seized 
 me with his left hand by the collar, and, presenting a pistol to 
 my breast with his right, he demanded of me my watch. I had 
 it not about me, but he searched my pockets thoroughly, and 
 then joined his comrades, who, finding it impracticable to force 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 1 33 
 
 open the lock, took up the Lrunk and carried it away. These 
 men," he adds, "were all perfectly sober." 
 
 By 3 o'clock A. M., on the night of the 17th of February, 
 1865, more than two-thirds of the town lay in ashes, compris- 
 ing the most highly improved, and the entire business portion. 
 Thousands of the inhabitants, including women delicately 
 reared, young children, the aged and the sick, passed that 
 winter night in the open air, without shelter from the bitter 
 and pierceing blasts. About the hour meiitioued (3 o'clock 
 A. M.,) another highly esteemed clergyman. Rev. A. Toomer 
 Porter, personally known to General Sherman, was at the 
 corner of a street conversing with one of his ofScers on horse- 
 back, when General Sherman, in citizen's attire, walked up 
 and accosted him. The interview is thus described: "In the 
 bright light of the burning city. General Sherman recognized 
 me, and remarked: 'This is a horrible sight!' Yes, I re- 
 plied, when you reflect that women and children are the vic- 
 tims. He said: 'Your Governor is responsible for this.' How 
 so? I replied, 'Whoever heard,' he said, "of an evacuated city 
 to be left a 'iepot of liquor for an army to occupy? I found one 
 hundred and twenty casks of whiskey in one cellar. Your 
 Governor, being a law) er or a judge, relu>ed to have it de- 
 stroyed, because it was private property, and now my men 
 have got drunk and have got beyond my control, and this is 
 the result ' Perceiving the ofBcer on horseback, he said: 
 'Captain Andrews, did I not order that this thing should be 
 stopped.'" 'Yes, General,' said the Captain, 'but the first 
 division that came in soon got as drunk as ihe first regiment 
 that occupied the town.' 'Then, sir,' said General Sherman, 
 'go and bring in Ihe second division. I hold you personally 
 responsible for its immediate cessation.' The officer darted 
 off, and Sherman bade me good evening. I am sure it was not 
 more than an hour and a half from the time that General 
 Sherman gave his order that the city was cleared of the de- 
 stroj'ers." From that time until the departure of General 
 Sherman from Columbia (with perhaps one or two exceptions), 
 not another dwelling in it was burned by his soldiers, and, 
 during the succeeding days and nights of his occupation, per- 
 
134 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA ? 
 
 feet tranquility prevailed throughout the town. The discip- 
 line of his troops was perfect, the soldiers standing in great 
 awe of their officers. 
 
 That Columbia was burned by the soldiers of General Sher- 
 man, that the vast majority of the incendiaries were sober, that 
 for hours they were seen with combustibles firing house after 
 house, without any affectation of concealment, and without 
 the slightest check from their officers, is established by proof, 
 full to repletion, and wearisome from its very superfluity. 
 After the destruction of the town, his officers and men openly 
 approved of its burning, and exulted in it "I saw," deposes 
 the Mayor, "very few drunken soldiers that night; many who 
 appeared to sympathize with our people told me that the fate 
 and doom of Columbia had been common talk around their 
 camp-fires ever since they left Savannah." It was said by 
 numbers of the soldiers that the order had been given to burn 
 down the city. There is strong evidence that such an order 
 was actually issued in relation to the house of General John S. 
 Preston. The Ursuline Convent was destroyed by fire, and 
 the proof referred to comes from a revered and honored mem- 
 ber of that holy Sisterhood, the Mother Superior, and it is 
 subjoined in her own words: "Our convent was consumed in 
 the general conflagration of Columbia. Ourselves and pupils 
 were forced to fly, leaving provisions, clothing, and almost 
 everything. We spent the night in the open air in the church- 
 yard. On the following morning General Sherman made us a 
 visit, expressed his regret at the burning of our convent, dis- 
 claimed the act, attributing it to the intoxication of his soldiers, 
 and told me to choose any house in town for a convent, and it 
 should be ours. He deputed his Adjutant- General, Colonel 
 Ewing, to act in his stead. Colonel Ewing reminded us of 
 General Sherman's offer to give us any house in Columbia we 
 might choose for a convent. We have thought of it, said we, 
 and of asking for General Preston's house, which is large. 
 'That is where General lyOgan holds his headquarters,' said he, 
 'and orders have already been given, I know, to burn it to- 
 morrow morning; but, if you say you will take it for a convent I 
 will speak to the General and the order will be countermanded.' 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? I35 
 
 On the following morning, after many inquiries, we learned from 
 the officer in charge (General Perry, I think,) that his orders 
 were to fire it, unless the Sisters were in actual possession of 
 it, but, if even a 'detachment of Sisters' were in it, it should 
 be spared on their account. Accordingly, we took possession 
 of it, although fires were already kindled near, and the ser- 
 vants were carrying off the bedding and furniture, in view of 
 the house being consigned to the flames." 
 
 Although actual orders for the burning of the town may not 
 have been given, the soldiers of General Sherman certainly 
 believed that its destruction would not be displeasing to him. 
 That such was their impression, we have the authority of a 
 personage not less distinguished than the officer of highest 
 rank in the army of invaders, next after the Commander-in- 
 Chief himself. The proof is beyond impeachment. It comes 
 from the honored pastor of one of our city churches, Rev. P. 
 J. Shand, to whom reference has already been made, and it is 
 thus expressed in his written statement, in the possession of 
 the committee: "As well as f recollect in November, 1865, I 
 went, in company with a friend, to see General Howard, at 
 his headquarters in Charleston, on matters of business. Before 
 we left, the conversation turned on the destruction of Colum- 
 bia. General Howard expressed his regret at the occurrence, 
 and added the following words: 'Though General Sherman 
 did not order the burning of the town, yet some how or other, 
 the men had taken up the idea that, if they destroyed the 
 capital of South Carolina, it would be peculiarly gratifying to 
 General Sherman.' These were his words, in the order in 
 which I have set them forth. I noted them down as having 
 great significancy, and they are as fresh in my remembrance 
 as they were immediately after they were spoken. My friend 
 (whose recollection accords fully with my own) and myself, on 
 our way home, talked the matter over, and could- not but be 
 struck by the two following facts: First, that although General 
 Howard said that General Sherman did not order the burning, 
 he did not state that General Sherman gave orders that the 
 city should not be burned. Second, that it was surprising, if 
 General Sherman was opposed to the burning, that his oppo- 
 
136 WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? 
 
 sition should have been so disguised as to lead to the convic- 
 tion, on the part of his soldiery, that the act, so far from in- 
 curring his disapprobation or censure, would be a source to 
 
 him of peculiar gratification." 
 
 -* * * * ^ * * 
 
 Of the suffering and distress of the individual inhabitants, 
 some conception may be collected from the experience of one 
 of them, Mrs. Agnes I^aw, a lady more venerable for her vir- 
 tues even than for her age, whose narrative, almost entire, we 
 venture to introduce: ''I ara seventy-two years old," she de- 
 poses, "and have lived in this town forty-eight years. My 
 dwelling was a brick house, three stories, slate roof, with large 
 gardens on two sides. When Columbia was burned, my sister 
 was ^vith me, also a niece of mine, recently confined, who had 
 not yet ventured out of the house. When General Sherm.an 
 took possession, I got four guards; they were well-behaved and 
 sober men; I gave them supper. One lay down on the sofa, 
 the others walked about. When the city began to burn, I 
 wished to remove my furniture ; they objected, and said my 
 house was in no danger. Not long afterwards, these guards 
 themselves took lighted caudles from the mantel-piece and 
 went up stairs; at the same time other soldiers crowded into 
 the house. My sister followed them up stairs, but came down 
 very soon to say : 'They are setting the curtains on fire.' Soon 
 the whole house was in a blaze. When those who set fire up 
 stairs came down, they said to me: 'Old woman, if you do not 
 mean to burn up with your house, you had better get out of 
 it.' My niece had been carried up to the Taylor House, on 
 Arsenal Hill. I went to the door, to see if I could get any 
 person I knew to assist me up there. I had been very sick. I 
 could see no friend, only crowds ot Federal soldiers. I was 
 afraid I should fall in the street, and be burned up in the 
 flames of the houses, blazing on both sides of the streets. I 
 had to go alone I spent that night at the Taylor House, 
 which a Federal officer said should not be burned, out of pity 
 for my niece. The next two nights I passed in my garden, 
 without any shelter. I have been for over fifty years a mem- 
 ber of the Presbyterian church. I cannot live long. I shall 
 
WHO BURNT COLUMBIA? I3/ 
 
 meet General Sherman and his soldiers at the Bar of God, and 
 I give this testimony against them, in the full view of that 
 dread tribunal." 
 
 The committee have designed, by the preceeding summary 
 of the more prominent events and incidents connected with the 
 destruction of Columbia, to present only an abstract of the 
 numerous depositions and proofs in their possession. The 
 proprieties imposed upon them by the very nature of the duties 
 to which they have been assigned, have precluded their doing 
 more. In the evidence thus collected may be read, in all its 
 pathetic and heart-rending details, the story of the tragic fate 
 that has befallen our once beautiful city, now in ashes and 
 ruins. 
 
 Impressed with the historic value of the proofs referred to, 
 and their importance to the cause of truth, and with a view to 
 their preservation, the committee respectfully recommend: 
 That they be committed to the guardianship of the municipal 
 authorities, and be deposited with the archives of the town, 
 trusting that, in after and better times, they will yet be found 
 effectual, as well to vindicate the innocent as to confound the 
 guilty. 
 
 J. P. CARROIvL, Chairman. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Augusta Sends Aid, ^ 17 
 
 A Fearful Night, = 9 
 
 After the Conflagration, -- . . . 11 
 
 Butler, Gen. M, C, 4 
 
 Banks, Treasu re in, 4 
 
 Beauregard, Gen. G. T., 5 
 
 Boozer, Mrs , 18 
 
 Boozer, Miss Mary, 20 
 
 Brooks, Capt. U. R., 
 
 Extracts from Account of, . 86 
 
 Berry, Milo H., Deposition of, 89 
 
 Bates, Orlando Z., Deposition of, " • 93 
 
 Conflagration Begins, 9 
 
 Conditions After Conflagration, 11 
 
 Convent, Catholic, 
 
 Warned of Destruction 28 
 
 Conyngham's Story of the Destruction of Columbia, 62 
 
 Conrad, August, Letter of 116 
 
 Davidson, James Wood, 
 
 Letter of to New York World, 114 
 
 Feaster, Mrs., 20, 21 
 
 Following the Army, 21 
 
 Fire Begins 30 
 
 Gibbs, James G , 
 
 Letter to Philadelphia Times, 3 
 
 Rescues ladies from Yankee Soldiers 34 
 
 Acts as Mayor of City, 47) 48 
 
 Effort of to Prevent Burning of Gas Works, 80 
 
 Deposition of, 95 
 
 Gibbs. Dr. R W., 
 
 House Burning, . 19 
 
 Glaze, William, Deposition of, 90 
 
 Goodwin, T. J., Mayor, 
 
 Surrenders City, 26 
 
 Howard, Gen. O. O 15 
 
 Version of Origin of Fire 44 
 
 Favors Burning of Gas Works 80 
 
 Deposition of, 99 
 
 Hidden in a Mattress 20 
 
 Huger, Hon. Alfred, 
 
 Letter of, 49 
 
Hampton, Gen. Wade, 
 
 Command of Department Turned Over to, 5 
 
 Residence Burned by Yankee Soldiers, 7 
 
 Evacuates City, ... 10 
 
 Letter of, 54 
 
 Order of in Regard to Burning of Cotton , 72 
 
 Letter from on Burning of Columbia, 118 
 
 Huger, Hon. Alfred, Deposition of, . . 92 
 
 Jackson, Charles F , Deposition of, 97 
 
 Libraries, Destruction of, 35 
 
 Lee, Gen. R. E., 
 
 Opinion of in Regard to Burning of Columbia by Sherman, . 112 
 
 Law, Mrs. Agnes, Narrative of, 136 
 
 Mother Superior, 
 
 Promised protection by General Sherman, 18 
 
 Myers, Thomas G., 
 
 Letter of 61 
 
 McKenzie, John, Deposition of, 91 
 
 Negroes, Treatment of by Yankee S ildiers, ..,.,. 38 
 
 Nichols, Major, 
 
 Account of Sherman's March Through South Carolina, ... 65 
 
 Slander of Gen. Hampton, 83 
 
 Origin of Fire, 
 
 Gen. Sherman's Versions of, 42,43 
 
 Orchard, Wm. H., Treatment of 131 
 
 Public Property Destroyed, 10 
 
 Protection Against Plunderers, 15 
 
 Pillage of City Begins, 27 
 
 Private Residences Destroyed, No. of, 39 
 
 Porter, Rev. A. Toomer, 47,i33 
 
 Report of Committee Appointed to Collect Testimony in Relation to 
 
 the Burning of Columbia, , 126 
 
 Sill, Dr . F., 
 
 Treatment of by Federal Soldiers 32, 33 
 
 Scott, E. J., 
 
 Es-tracts from Book of, 40 
 
 Stanley, Wm. D., Deposition of, 80 
 
 Sherman, Gen. W. T., 
 
 Opens Fire on Columbia, . 5 
 
 Gives 500 Head of Cattle to Citizens of Columbia, 11 
 
 Gives Old Muskets to Citizens of Columbia, 15 
 
 Letter of to Gen. Wheeler, 85 
 
 Deposition of, 105 
 
 Latest Story Examined. Editorial News and Courier, ... 120 
 
INDEX III 
 
 Stone, Col , 
 
 Receives Surrender of City, 6 
 
 Saved by Stratagem, 7 
 
 Searching for Silver, 14 
 
 Satisfying Meat, 17 
 
 Simms, William Gilmore, 
 
 Account of, 23 
 
 Soldiers, Discipline of, 28 
 
 Soldiers, Conduct of During Fire 30, 3 ^ 
 
 Treasure, Piles of, 4 
 
 Trezevant, Dr. D. H., 
 
 Extracts from Account Written by, . 62 
 
 Tribune, New York, 
 
 Reply to Charge of that Hampton Burned Columbia, .... 123 
 
 Various Incidents, 18 
 
 Witherspoon, Capt., 5 
 
 What Time is it? 12 
 
 Wheeler, Gen. J , 
 
 Letter of to Gen. Howard, 85 
 
 Yates, Rev. William, 
 
 Statement of, 78 
 
 tellers, James P., Address of, 122 
 
/ 
 
 / 
 
11 1