Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-04-05

| skill that proved reaOlly tue operative" -"ei
no novices. Whilst the whole army was uni
ted in the great work Of destruction, yet ac
cordinp to the inclinatons of individuals. the,
were diversified in the peculiar manner il
which each lent his cooperation. Wills
thousands. were plundering, pillaging ant
burning, others were abusing, drinking snt
insulting; others again were committing rape
adultery and fornication. { will say here
by way of explanation, that these three las
crimes were perpetrated on the persons o
negro females, land without any regard .tf
their condition, situation, age. or will. The
most brutal and horrid crimes, recorded o.
man inr his. most debased condition, were
committelth night. l willdwell no Ion
ger on this part of the disgusting recital, and
will turn awae. from it after saying that vory
few neg.o females escaped tho brutality Of
the fendish foe.o
In this manner was spent the night of the
17th Of February. About daybreak on the
following morning, General Sherman is re
ported to have, III person, issued orders for
the Immediate cessation of pillage, plunder
incendiarism, &c, and forthwith his orders
were, put into execution. 1t must certainly
be confessed that the. army was we'll disci-
.plned, and yielded Implicit obedience to COM
manding officers.
It is estimated that len thousand people
were rendered houseiess by tho ,incendiary,
and soughtsheltcr in the open lots and ad-
iacent woods.
In houses, have madoa calculation that
nearly three.fourtbs of the city were destroy,
ed, and these, in the aggregate, by ior the
best and most costly. About loo squares or
blocks, each side Of the square All feet, were
destroyed and by allowing 10 houses, not
including negro quarters, outhouses, &c., TO
each burnt square, wouldIgiv grand total
of 1000 houses destroyed. The greatest
.range.of fire was from the Charlotte depot,
East, to the Congaree bridge, West bySouth,
nearly distance oftwo miles, all which is
destroyed, ,.except, the squares which Gen.
Preston occupied. The Nuns, | am inform
ed, requested the use Of the Generals prem
ises, and their request saved hiscity property.
The nekt greatest range of the fire was from
North 10 South, which destroyed every house
on Main street Except one small cottage).
and this measures in length about one and
quarter miles. The area of land on which
houses were built, and extent of streets ad-
Joining; would measure over 600 square acres.
have made the,above calculations as slow
~ as possible, and / have consulted with
others, all of Ehom seem to consider that
they are. as correct as comparison and obser-
vation could render them. 1t is authorita-
lively ascertained that seyen-eighths of the
entire city property is destroyed. In addition
to this, Governments stores, companies stores
and,individual stock to an incredulous extent
became prey to the rapacity of the enemy.
There are not twenty families in the city
who escaped pllage: In many instances ne-
rrocs have been robbed. Watches, rings,
bracelets, and in fact, ali the ornaments used
on the person have, in general, been torn vio-
ently from their places; and in several in
stances, rude aad savage hands have searched
he throbbing breasts of aged matrors and
trembling virgins. To recount the indigni ,
ties and insults offered to indyiduels would
exceed the limits of a letter, and l mist,
therefore, omit relating them. Private libra.
ries of rare value, works of art, and some
magnificent paintings, were destroyed in a
moment.
St. Mary's College, founded in 1852. 10y
the Rev. J. j. O'Connell, Pastor Of the
Catholics in this city, was robbed: pi!hged,
and then given to the flames. The College
was very. fine brick-building, and capable of
accommodating over 100 students. 1t had
an excellent library attached, which ,was Sc
lcc:cd with great care, and with no hmitel
view to expense. 1t also possessed several
magnificent paintings executed in Rome, and
presented to the Institution by kind patrons.
Besides the property belonging IL St. Mary's
College. that of fsar priests, VINO were its
profe sors and lived there, wasal>orconsamed.
Each, rs is always Tho case amongst the
Catholic clergy, had his ;ndiTdual COLLECTION
al books. Ea;stingS, statilary, sscrcd picture,
&C., d.. NG',ody who is noL rigorous stu
len. I'D lover Of literature can possibly
realize the losses suatai-ed !;y tbe-e gcnile
men. Manuscrip'sof rafc va!i::., notes ;ssen
rom lcclnrci OF tue Most einiTlsii: men i,
Europe AID America, orations, sermons, sc.
are treasures not often valued by 'i.a raisa~,
hut to The compiler they 'sr: more pricelcsa
than diamonds OF th"se who ost I'll in It.
Mary's, three are brothers. VIZ: Revs. Jgrs-.
miaifJ. O'Gnnael, Lay enc" p 0'Conna!
and Joseph +. {; Uonhc', D. t. and III.
tiher, ReY. Augustus j. Aicslo,l.
The wfi3cr wai the onir cicrgymen in las
Co!lesc at the t:nlc Of tt.5 lrocudia.isin Q!c
w.s absent GU MS r.l;ssit.n, a..ulhcr. was ~
charge Of the NJ. 3. Sacrament. aud til" Pa
tor was trying to comfort The Nuns. VS.,
by order of :. Licu;enari: laken prisoner anr!
though earnestly legged 10 be alc"ed 10
save the Holy Oils, I,was refused. with curses
aud blasphcmies. Sacscd vestnenis. con,c-
Grated vessels used for tue celebration yf The
Mass, bsnediction Of NJ b. s., and all lhius,
apper.siuips to the. exercise of Sacsrdota!
iunctTns wcro s:niaa, proianal and d.;;rcra-
ted. / wai informed by Yankee Trish
Catholic tiist sacrilegious gang drank rbs.
ke, ison. the Sasred Chalicc anu eSu!ted in
tie conscious crime. OF tho College, lis
property and all it contained, not single
item was saved The Clcrgymea saved ab-
so!ntely nothing, except tho clothes on Their
persons.
: In single moment the Pastor lost tho IT,
hors Of l3 years, which he expended in ren-
dsring his Institution suitable place,for the
education Of youth, aul lie. and The other
Priests were driven out az naked as when
they came into the world.