The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-02-01
IN EagliSAmaa ryp,oring the SOulh.

The last letters Of the correspondent
OF the london Times, who is travelling
III the South, is dated at Columbia, S. c.,
and gives viviG account of the track
of Sherman's army, the ruins Of Colum.
bia, and the suffering Of the people. We
ma!Ic$he following extract:
have hitherto studiously abstancd
from dwelling unnecessarily on the ruin
wEicil Shertpan spread in his track, and
have not repeated one of the countless
stories WHICH have been told to me, of
the personal violence and o2tragcs com.
mirtcd hv drsperadoeS of the army. But
such nee is impossible here, for
ther tally nothing to speak of but
min rcter and complete, probably,
thau yer before worked in n civi.
Gz"d ,.,nuiIy by ~ civilized army
Columbia had the repure OF being one of
the most 5eau;lir;! cities on the cont.
ment, and even amid It's br0s<an walls,
should 70 fkrther and say lllat it must
have brrnrhc most b, aatiful. It is rs
startling. therefore; to, co,fe r,non the
ruins ota tine. city ir .An,rriCa aa it is TO
Sec OH II SuddcA, the oulliuee of q. beat
uitqI temple in the desert whlcR s,,.
rounds the old capital OF the Moeuia,.
Columbia asserts her supremacy still,
amid ali her uneqnalrd leSointion. NI!sn
streets are broad anl hing. and planis,M
wiIh a row Of fair trRas. un alnh sirlp;, ami
"!;tn another row DOWN ibemiilHIp:. SHE
shnds on lUll, so thar IA dymmnnl!i,n
view OF II Picturesque country around
may easily be gained from. any bar. Of
1T. But now, turn where one will, there
is absolutely nothing TO strikd the eve
hut shattered walls aud pillars of church,
rs, schools, and private dwelling Peo.
pie who 90 to Fompeii to see rlie irnr.
mcnts OF a destroyed city should come
TO Columbia, and see one still standiur
stark and mburicd i'll the sunlight. il
any one can imagine a good English
town of23,000 inhabitants left with no,
third of its, houses standing IN it. he
may form some idea of the appearance Of
this unfortunate city Gru walk down
streets, between groves OF trees. and see
'N"h!ng but ruins OF houtcs and laroc
buildings on 2llher side. Nor were
these ho0scS Ii'ail wooden structures.
easily hurnt down. They we're buiIl of
stout red brick, or granite. withmarble
Steps lending into many of them. which
the flames left. black and Shivcred.
At'the highest part OF the town there
was handsome cdiiice known us tho
State Capitoi, .: 'whick not one stone
stands upon another Near this WAS
new capto, ncarly finished, bull; of
marble, The pillars and oruiGos Of which
wcre'orn down and hammered in,, trag.
mnntS thas no%Strcw the ground. Nhrrr
Of four Spleudjl churches and rs many.
rhnpc!s, 4 spacious convent in which
many poor ladies' fled for shcltarrill they
were driven forth by the soldierv, a.
SIatc library, many schocls-all we're
burned TO the ground There were
nearly l4OO houses thus DESTROYED, the
rich and the poor sharing in the common
wreck. The miserable work was ac.
compIIshed on the day and might of the
l7th OF February last, and the horrors
OF that night can never be forgotten BY
those who witnessed them. More than
$4,000 persons, mostly women and ;hil.
drco, many OF them sick, took to the
outskirts. with hardly. rag to cover
them, and with not Il mouthfurof food TO
elt. Gen. Sherman promised TO leave,
behind him cattle enough to sustain
them, but the cattle hclcft died at the
rate of twenty head each dav, from
sheer exhaustion, and those that were
killed were ficshlcss and bloodlcs$.
a III