Journal and confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-03-10
The Occupation Of, Camden
by the Enemy.

been made to undergo, in. her turn,all the hor-
ro!s Of a Yankee invasion = The raid, though
sczptcted, was so suddeR, and its duration so
brief that we feel stunpcd, as it were, and
hardly able to realize that Yankee force. has
actually been in our midst, plundering and de-
stroymg, as is their want, although the black
tned and srnouldering ruins around us too pain
| fully attest thsact. God grant that it may
be long ere such scenes of horror are again re-
enacted in our peaceful quiet town.
Most Of our citizens having sought refuge in
the az sne neighboring swamps, from which they are
only now. yenturipg to return. and small.bodiss
Of the Yankees being still reported lowering
at no great distance from the town, render it
somewhat unsafe to stir abroad, hence we have
|aots sbeensable, up to the dsteof this writing,
ITO gatherfull particulars Of the inrasion and
lscaptnre Of Camden. Such items as we have
been able ito glosn, we throw hastily together
forfhe beneft.of our readers. ;s;si:.s :Ze S
1 The enemy made; their first appearance in
sour midst on Thursday evening the le instant,
thaying crossed the Waterec, sat PeaYs and
EJonG ferries, about twe9ty miles aboye Cam.
Eden. They we're in small numbcr-sane thir-
ty-;and formed "a line INar Major JOAN ,Wnlr;,
AKkE's residence, where the militia, under tho
command Of Col. JoNEs, confronted them, bu.
afer d Jev Slots We're ezclahsSd, tic enemy
withdrew, wouuding and capturing Mr.. r. G.;
pEAKEFoRD, Of Flat Rock, They returned on
the day following (Fridsy) and reached Cam
den ab9nt p. m, entering the town from the
north, with a force consisting Of two detach-
ments Of cavalry and QUE OF infantry, number
ing in all, porhsps two hundred and fifty men.
A portion Of the cavalry and the bulk Of the
infantry proceeded directly down Main street
into the heart of the town. The remainder
stopped, by the way, to plunier All tie
houses OH the road wesc entered and piIaged
more or less thoroughly, according to the CT
price Of the robbers. But of this hereafter
Soon after. the main body reached JUNG
BLuTH's hotel, which, WAS, we believe, their
headquarterss the work of destroying the goy-
ernment stores and public buildings was begun.
The first building. fred was the passenger de-
pot, next the freight depot at the railroad !;
then the CORVALLIS house and the building
occupied as a commissary store house aud Of
flee, on the corner efDcKab:and Main streets,
was ntxt fired. From this latter, tho flames
communicated to the adjoining buildings, and
all the houses fronting on Main street On that
square were totally destroyed. They also
burnt Mr.. GEO. DOUGLAS storo, the cotton
sheds in the rear of Mr.. :GER1LD's and BELLS
stores, and the bridge over the Wateree, The
Masonic Hall, the :thrcc-story brick dwelling
adjoining, occupied as the enrolling Office of
Capt. CoLcLoUGH and residence efMr:, S. Or
PENnE1M, McKA1N's drug store, and the three
wooden buildings to the; south, we're also
burned; bnt there is reason to believe that the
Yankees:woro not the incendiaries in this case:
All the stores were broken open and pillagcd.
The Yankees took what they wanted, and
tArcw.the balance Of the goods il the street,
Whence they were carried off by the negroes,
who were cncouragedfand urged by the Yam.
|: l,es to appropriate whatever they fancied.-
uta dostrn,.t;on of nronertv ba;.. bhn yor,,,
hi aYyy, and years Of patient labor will be re-