Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-02-08
YoRKVIIE SOUTH CAROLINA WIDNEsDlY EVENING
Correspondences South Carolinian.

10RKVMLE, SOUTH sGA.Kl
Correspond South carolinian. {
& MACON, January Having travelled
sovera part of the section Of the country
which General Sherman passed from At.
lanta to Savannah, Z thought would give
you brief account Of the effect produced
upon it, and also give q statement as to the
method Of travel to the West by way of
Macon. One in passing through the dis
trict through which: Sherman's route was,
is at once struck with the fact Of the great
exaggerations in reference to the destruo-
ton Of property by the enemy. In fact,
with the exception Of few burnt shouses
and bad roads, there are no other visible
signs ola hostile army ever having passed
through the country. Mills, factories and
pin houses were spared, and but few dwell
sliDgs burnt. ItSis true, that some Of oil
them we're destroyed, but then the inhabi.
stants aaIlege that it was done By struggling
parties, nor did I met one person who
thought that any commanding officer was q
party to the arson. But to- the, contrary,
every citizen who asked, on the spproach
Of the army, for protection was furnished
with guard. Neither did the enemy de-
stroy all the provisions in the country, but
left plenty for years subsistence. !
heard of no man in q adistance Of some forty
miles who had everything taken from him.
TITS true, they helped themselves to horses,
mules and. provisions as they needed them,
taking away q large number Of hogs and
kline, butin no instance was s-a family left
destitute and totally in want: But few.ne-
.groes weretaken off comparatively, and but
few Of these were compelled to go some
Of which have been permitted to return,
and SO loose were they ia their discipline
that many have runaway and returned to
their mastets. The above statement 40.
cords with what I have heard ID reference
to other sections of the country through
which Sherman passed. = Indeed, L have
heard persons who wsre living in the neigh
borhood Of Atlanta, and even between Dal-
ton and Atlanta, state they we're much sur
prised at the small extent Of injury they
had sustained at the hands Of the enemy
Ii connection with statement, and what we
daily here fiom Savannah, is it mot reason
able to suppose that Sherman has inaugu-
rated a new policy--that Of leniency to the
people in order TO- win them back to the
Union Z If notso, it is certainly q great
relief to have an enemy who is 80 different
to many others, who is possessed Of manli-
ness, generosity and humanity, insomuch as
to respect the helplessness of those in his
power, and to extend such protection to
suffering humanity as to prevent total des-:
titution. Another fact il may be worth
the while to state, which y, is, upon Inquiry
] found no one who heard General 5, arman
or any other high official say, atLst in
Georgia he could restrain his men, but in
South Carolina he could not nor would no"
1t is true, this remark was made frequently.
but always by the common soldiery and q
few captains, who were, if possible, . little
meaner than the stragglers who did the In 9, J
jury to dwellings, &c, am forced to the
conviction that:eyen if South Carolina is
never 50 unfortunate as to be oyerrun g 3 BY
the enemy, that Sherman and his command
ing officers will show the same leniency as
he did in Georgia. And if he fails to ere.
ate a ITnion feeling in the countrv--if bv