Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-24

De Bow, Wis &C the "RsyewpF;o Mrs.. Gov, Al.
ken. and others Of South Carolina first CIRCLES
wealthy place. With these Haditions from Charles
ton, the town. when our troops entered IL, held
many things dear TO high rebels. Considerable
plumber vas removed from the town. surreptitious-
w. / am serry to say. The court house was not
our ned neither storessnor hotels were robbed and
soldiers were kept out OF private dwellings. e,
TIE BURNING OF COLUMBIA.
Another correspondent thus describes some of
the scenes attendant upon the burning of Columbia
by the Yankees:
ass M MONT IN c6LUMBIA. ga
spent the evening in the Capitol looking over the
archives and libraries. Part OF Colonel Stones
brigade think the Thirteenth Iowa, Colonel
kennedy's regiment-were on duty there.
Gol0nel Stone and Colonel Kennedy had earned
an enviable fame In being the hrst to hoist the flag
Of freedom over Columbia. ta
Coming ON night, crowds Of our escaped prisoners,
soldiers and negroes Intoxicated with their new
born liberty, which they looked upon as license 10
do as they pleased, were parading the streets in
groups. .fr, ae
indeed The suburbs were first set ON fire, some
assert by the burning cotton which the rebels had
Iilea along the streets. Pilaging gangs tired
the Heart OF the town. then entered the houses in
many Instances carrying of articles Of value. The
faae soou burst OUT in eli parts OF the city, and the
streets were quickly crowded With helpless women
ana OhildrsA-some in their night clothes. Agon-
ized mothers seeking their children, all aHrlghted
and terrified were rushing ON all sides from the
raging flames and falling houses. lnyalids had TO
be dragged from their beds, and lay exposed to the
flames and smoke that swept the streets, or TO the
| cold of the open air in back yards taa
The scene IL the convent was u sad one indeed.
The flames we're fast encompassing the Convent,
and the Sisters and about sixty terrified young Ia
dies huddlsd on the streets. Some OF these had,
come from che North, previous TO the war, for their
| education, and were not able to return. The Sa-
psrlorsss OF The Convent had educated Gen. Shcr-
man's daughter Minnie. He had assigned them
special guard Of six men, so they felt secure and
wero totally unprepared for the dreadful scene
that ensasd.. Some christian people formed guard
sround this AGonized group OF ladies' and conduct
ed them to tAe Park. m q. .4gt. tIg
cay. HAHN CONES TO THE RESCUE.
Toward morning Gen. Hazen, who lay encamped
outside the town, hearing OF the sad of affairs
ordsreA Dol. 0lliner and his brigade to clear ont
the cItV and restore order at the point ofthe bayo
net. This they did, taking couple Of hundred
prisoness bsyoneting some and killing one. Though
u,Ien has proved himself true and tried soldier
an nj any a battle held Such act does more ere.
an 20 hts heart than victory over the enemy
Several sfioers, too, yentured their lives in this
charitable attempt 70 restore order. COL York.
OF Cen Logaas staff, was fired at while thus en-
gagged. 1t is to lie regretted that the burning of
me CITY was aecC mpanied by many riotous scenes.
sherman and hrs generals are very much hurt about
it, as it was auitO against their orders.
WHO Is To BLAMEi 49,.
The negroes and escapedIprisoners were tnebris-
ted and easily melted the inebriated soldiers 10
ioi,, them In their work of vandalism. Goyernor
NcGrsth and General Wade Hampton are partly
accountable for the destruction of their city,
General Beauregard. the Mayor. Mr.. Goodwin and
others wanted 70 send deputatioh as far as Or
sngeburg TO surrender the city, and when evae
ing to destroy all the liquors, In both Of these
wise views they were oyerruled by the Governor
and Wade Hsmpton--the latter stating that he
would defend tho town from house TO house:
Tie houses of the Prestons, Hony stdns and other
wealthy sscesh lwere occupied official quarters
aud were preserved. During the fire IL was nelan-
choly to witness the agOnized torture Of the sick
and wounded IN the rebel hospital, which contained
over three hundred. The stress and buildings
around IL we're on fire, but fortunately il escaped.
Several soldiers and citizens must have been bu-
red In the ruins OF falling houses or caught by the
devouring James, Next morning saw a lady, a
crazy inmate Of the asylum whose child had been
burned during tho night
COLUMBIA NEXT DAY.
The 18th Of February dawned upon a city of
ruins All the business portions-the main streets
the old Capitol, two churches and several public
and private buildings were one pile of rubbish and
bricks Nothing remained but the tall spectre
looking chimneys. The noble looking trees that
shaded the streets, the flower gardens that graced
them, were blasted and withered by fire. The
streets were full Of rubbish, broken furniture and
groups Of crouchng, responding, weeping, helpless
women and children.
The park and lunatc asylun, as afordlng the
greatoss chance Of safety we're crowded with thu
miserable ostcasts. In one place saw lady richly
dressed with three pretty little children clinging
70 her She was sitting on mattrass; while round
her we're strewn some rich paintings, works of art
and yirtu. IL was picture Of hopeless misery
surrounded By the IrappiDgs of refined taste and
wealth. Gen. Sherman ordered six hundred head
of cattle aud some stores to be left for the nuns
and the destitute. 49,. ..--.... 49, rs
SUNDAY farsH
was day Of quiet in the city. The Sabbath els
tolled from the few churches remaining, but there
was something solemn and melancholy In their
chime, and sorrowing hearts kneit to the Lord for
hope and comfort. e1sf - a.,ers d, aa