Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-20
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lots. No fires occurred on Thursday, saw
such as were ignited by our own officials
The first alarm on Friday Was given soor
after the entry of the enemy, and proceed
cd from the burning Of row Of cotton on
Main street, between Washington and
Lady streets. In fifteen or twenty minutes
Afterwards, the jail, which had been used
IS Confederate prison, was set on IRE
fhe bells rang, the engines promptly raj
leo, and proceeded as usual 70 their work
which was uninterrupted except by drunken
soldiers, who, here and there, cut the hose
with their pocket knives; but ali efforts 70
stay the names were unavailing. Among
the prisoners released were Morris. who
murdered Hicks, several men confined on
tho charge of counterfeiting, and, it is said,
a F,S1eral prisoner. Why he was not re-
moved With his comrades does not appear
It is reported hat he subsequently married
lady in Columbia.
The grand conhagralion which destroyed
the city commenced about dusk. The hre
started near the rear Of the jau. A nigh
wind prevailed, and in short TINE tne
flames were IN full and uneonquersole pro
gress, spreading rapidly in three direc-
tions-up and down Main street and east
wsrdly. The fire department. sgain ral-
lied, and from ten until three O'Clock IN
the morning the scene is described as sp-
pslling. The sky was one broad sheet Of
flame, above which, amid the lurid smoke,
drifted, in eddying circles, myriad Of
sparks. These falling, scattered the seeds
Of eonfagration on every side. The mono--
tone of the roaring, lesping, Kissing tongues
of fame, as they csreered on their wild
course, alone filed hearts with dismsy.
The air was like that of furnace. Many
of the streets were impossible. Brighten
ed men, women and children ran In sll
directions, some only to fee again from the
fresh attacks Of the destroying element.
Property thrown out of houses was either
burned or stolen. Many of the Federal
soldiers, maddened by liquor, dashed
through the city with lighted torches TO
infame the dwellings untouched. HelPs
furies appeared to have broken loose, and
to be indulging in diabclicsl revel.
Morning revealed, to some extent, the
broad sweep of destruction-fcur thousand
or more citizens were houseless and home
less. From the state house TO Cotton Town,
and an average of two or three squares on
each side of Main street, nothing but black
ened ruins remained Every Yestige Of the
once busy street was gone
INCIDENTS, ETC.
The Sisters of Mercy we're removed from
the convent to the residence of General
Preston during the eOnhagration, by order
Of General Sherman, who is reported to
have been "burned out" no less than three
times during the night. If true, ne Ger
tainly ought to be purified man,
Several Yankees who were too much IN
toxicsted to escape from the flames were
burned to death. One Of these WAS found
In the Office of the South CaToEiaia1I by our
foreman.
Twenty-seven Yankees were instantly
killed, and about twenty more dangerously
wounded on Saturday, while moving am
from the arsenal magazine, an
event which, with others that had occurred,
threw 8 gloom over the entire army. One
of their officers told our informant that
they had lost more men in Columbia than
during the entire campaign elsewhere.
During the stay of the enemy in Colum-
bia there was little communion between
them and the citizens. About four hun
dred Of the latter, mostly foreigners, are
understood to have departed with them
The army left on Sunday evening, quietly
and without demonstration of any kind,
and with such secrecy that the soldiers
themselves did not know their destination.
A few stragglers remained behind, who
were captured by the citizens. General
Sherman left with the citizens between
four and five hundred beef cattle for their
support.
THE OCCUPATION OF WRNsBoRo.
The editor of the Winnsboro Nslos fur
nishes the following incidents Of the occu-
patton of that town;
The main army was preceded by body
of "bummers," as the call themselves, who
rode into town helter-skelter, and proceed
ed to rsnssck public and private property.
A few hours afterwards, the 10th Corps,
under General Geary .msde its appearance
stationed guards in and around the town,
and re,established order. The 18th, Cen
eral Blair, followed and passed through,
bands in full blast, colors flying and men
cheering. Persons standing on the side
walks were unmolested, and no personal
insult was offered. This was on Tuesday.
The other corps of the Federal army Oc-
cupied positions to the right and left Of
Winnsboro. The burning Of stores and
the business portion Of the town took
place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Be
tween eight and ten stores we're burned
the first day, and on the second the torch
was applied to several private dwelling
houses on Main street-probsbly ten or
eleven in number.
The pillage was done principally before
the arrival of the main army, and was not
authorized or permitted. As an instance
of this, one soldier stole halEbsked loaf
from the oven Of our friend, the editor; but
while making of with his pastry, the man
was met by a General, who compelled him
to return his plunder to the kitchen, which
he did. Spoons, money, provisions and
clothing were all, to use an expressive but
inelegant phrase, ineontinently "gobbled
up" BY the "bummers, and personal prop
erty disposed of in that hasty manner
which betokened practieed adroitness st
the business. One Of these gentry had the
bad tssle TO take 3 new winter bonnet from
a ladv and fill it with dried spples-the
sacreTgious villain. May they swell on
his cerulean stomach
We congratulate our neighbor Britton
that they merely "1ooked in" on him and
his newspaper establishment without dis
turbing a single case or pieing form.