The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-16
The Terrific Fire at charlottesville
Citadel Of Secession Laid Waste.


Charleston is in ruins. The avenging hand
Of retribution has fallen upon the citadel of Sc
cession, and terrible has been the visitation.
The steamship Illinois, which left Port Royal
at six O'Clock on Wednesday evening last the
1lth instant, reports at Fortress Monroe that
in passing by Charleston (Which must have
been ab0ut ten O'Clock the same EVENING" the
whole city appeared to be ehveiopcd in flames.
Owing to the bars at the outlet of Charleston
Bay, the Illinois, in passing along the outer
coast probably came not nearer the city than
the distance Of eight or ten miles. The con-
migration, then, must indeed have been ter
rii'c when from the deck Of the ship, il appeared
as if the whole city was wrapped in sheet of
fire. We have thus every reason TO believe
that our illustrative map and its accompanying
details, which we published yesterday, from the
scanty outlines Of our Geographic dispatches
via Norfolk, were deficient in failing to cover
The area Of the city destroyed
That this devastating fire was also the work
Of an incendary and Of negro conspiracy
there is reason to suspect, frcm very remark
able coincidence. The Illinois reports that
during the night of the iltb, and while size was
passing by Charleston, strong gale was blow
ing from the nortbward, 50 strong that 1t mate
rally impeded the progress OF the ship. 1t was
q dry wind, and from the northward, and the fire
broke out in the very spot from which the wind
would most surely carry the flames the hyl-
siness and wealthy portion of the city. This is
the condolences; and IL would seem to involve
design and . selection Of The time and place
best adapted TO secure The required co opera
ton Of high wind in carrying out this design.
This suspicion Is reduced almost to conyic-
ton, in connection with our first reports and
rumors from secession sources Still the fire
may have been the result Of an accident, al
though the facts point strongly 20 the other
presumption.
From the negroes on the Sea Islands con-
tguous to those occupied by the troops Of Gene.
raj Sherman We may safely assume that The
blacks Of Charleston have been excited, IL not
inaamed, by the widest reports and theories
of coming jubilee, Tho slaves all along The
coast between Beaufort and Charleston, on tLc
one hand, and Savannah on the other, have
lately been witnesses TO- If not assistants in the
cotton corn and rice, to prevent their falling
into The hands Of q the Yankees There have
doubtless, too, been such scenes of confusion
and dsmay Of late among the whites Of Charles
Ton. and such an aggrayatiDg pressure of terror
ism and desitntion there upon all classes. that
they have operated seriously to dGmoraiizc the
black population. Tho contrabands coming
into The camps Of General sherman, when esked
individually Where is sour MASTER have
! answered " Massa RIM off. Got no massa aow
Free man, now, massa;" and this idea may have
inspired the ncgrocs Of Charleston 70 tie cot,o
Il etGi Of fire in behalf of " the Yankees and
their own deiiverancc
But should this prove 10 BE- the truth, we still
earnestly protest against this disorganzing abo-
ition idea that it is our policy and our neccs-
sity to turn loose the slaves Of the South and
make them our incendiary allies in the work Of
supprcssing this rebellion. II we were waging
this war for the destruction and depopulasion OF
Tie South, This abolition programme would
serve our purposes; but, as II is the policy Of
the government to rescue the South from de-
struction, aud TO restore ii TO the protection Of
! convince our Southern people that these are
! our purposes. and this rebellion will soon col
| lapse and fall to pieces Its elements of terror,
| cxortion. spoiation, discord and dissolution are
! 50 abundant, and have become so formidable,
| that jeff Davis and bis wrctched dcspotism
| cannot much longer hold out against them,
! with OF without q great battle. Let Presi-
dent Lincoln adhere 10 his honest and infalliblc
| Union war policy and lei General Mcclellan
go on quietly with his grand Gordon Of military
combinations, and we shall have this rebellion
put down before the end Of tie winter. Il is
consuming It's own sitals, and it cannot live.
Meantime this destructive FIRE ct Charleston,
whether from accident or human design, or q
visitation of Providence, is . deadly blow to
secession. We may deplore the sniferings which
il will bring upon thousands Of destitute fan's
lies; but We hope that millions viii soon realize
| its advantages, in view Of ths suppression Of
this misery producing, rebellion Al over owe tho
( land. Now Il the time for forward moseh.ens
! bv General Sherman and CowWodQre DuDopt