The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-04-04
The Destr uction of Colunbia, c
VINO Is .REsPOysIBLE?
LETTER FROM GEN. WADE HAMPTON.


. LETTER FROM GEN. WADE HAMPTON.
. IE4Yesterday' S issue of the News we pub
slishsd Che letter of Major, General Sherman, on
the burning Of Columbia, S., Z. To day We.
present the bold aud outSpoken letter of Gen.
Wade Hampton. Bothof these we have given
Egutire, as important records that will be
handed down 10 .posterity IN the history Of
the war Just ended We do not feel called
upon to make any comment on General Hamp-
sUn 5 letter, aS it certainly speaks for itself in
- remarkably ptafa manner: In regard to
5 General IIamptan'S s statement in relation to
she atraeities committed in Columbia by Gen
seral Sherman S troops, we would only remark
thst III uSandS sof witnesses can attest the
truth thereof sWi5h this brief introduction
Sl,8e submit the letter to ours readers:
ColCaBT&, S. c., june 19, 1865.
70. tke Eaiitoss Of TIE New York leg BOOK:
GESTS::zl your paper ot 9th May / have
Just seen General Sherman'S official report of
his n(arch through the two GarO|inaS. AS,
this report JRiSFepreSeRtS me III the gf0SSeSt
and talSeSt manner, trust that YOU will not
<slelty me the right to yindieatc7 myself 1t is
sslsIssta history, if NOT TO me- that the false
x shoo2s of GcneraE Sherman In reference to the
6estructiotEof This city should be exposed.
TAiS shall be done in tic briefcst possible
salSailer. lers8 yss ~, -.
5Fsle report says: st1;cneral n atIe Hampton,
: who commended the Confederate rear guard
cf cavalry, had, In aatici atiea Of nue capture
=. 1lf E0iurIkia, ordered that all cotton, pubic
= sud psiyate, should be uturcd into the street
and fired To prevent our making use Of 1t.
= - 8 = 2 Some Of these pies Of
vottoa were burning. especially IN the very
hcafz If the cIty, 9te;fr the court heu<c, but
t-ie fire vas l,aftislly sabQned by tssc labor OF
4.se SoliterS. sseSsF s123ss4s5s Be'yre one
gia, ptIllic Sliil,liJlg had been fred hy order,
ssil.s Sil,aatierig fires set by llaaptouS order
we're rckiuiiedby the wiMd, AID communicated
td the buildings around. About dark lircy
l,eg2is. 60 Spieai and gct beyond. contrui of the
ilriyItlc ais <iiItg niiiia the City. The 6ole
sS4f Wood s al liSto,, was broughti:,, but it was
f.IslIltl iRbt1s>iaie 10 c8eesk tie flames, Ekich,
G by nItlisIt, had hecune Interchangeable, and
8 RACED slisIii stlsdt four O'Clock, 4. NJ, wien
.GiIe wi,ltI Sti,>iill.g they were got under cou-
~s&Fef s*@s22 l diSclaim, on the
porlaf nly arfuy,, any agency III this fire, hut,
The contrary. claim that We saved what OF
sfsOlnnlia reEiaitlS iIAc0 aSWHaed.[ And without
hesitation, charge 6eii. II atlez Hampton With
having burned his owu city qf Col9ntbia, not
asjtlt naIici0uS intent, as the manifestation: of
i silly 'RUufaa steiciSIn, bat from folly. al'd
wsnt af sense in filing it with lint, cotton
and Under Our officers aud lueR--oa duty
- worked we'll to extiaggiSlf the tiatnes :. - -
:. - sFtswauld DC difficult, if not impossible, to
Saxprcss; zeqaals s,,llulber of paragraphs,
greater number OF falsehoolS than are con-
-ztained In the above extracts, There IS not
fOiie word Of truth treail that basbeen Qneted,
except the statement that General Hampton
commanded the Confederate rear guard Of
caYaIry.'',r He did not order any cotton
s.ulayed into tae streets and fire1aG"0n the
contrary, mY first act en- taking command Of
5Hhe eagalry--to which was assigned only the
might before the evacuation OF Colambia-
as 60 represeatte General. Beaaregard the.
dagger 20 the1to1n Of firing cotton in< the
streets. Upon this representation, he author
aixed me to give orders that no cotton in the
town SIoGld be Fred, which order was strictly
carried out I left the city after the head aoi
- ;;Shrrniaa's columa entered 1t, and assert
: what can be proved by thousands, that not
+one bale Of cottoE was on iGe when he took
seoatFaI.y Is false and he knoWsit to beso. A
aIstIagaished seitizea of et6iS State-whose
name, were at liberty to gise1it, would be a
arash Of aug statement made by him-haS
sgiYen ia the Publiesa minute history OF the
zsiStslctioR Of the city. as2,sEzyzs.
Fao@ this document, which is too long for
insertion in your paper, will make few cx-
ET5StS fwiHch viii show how true is General
SHERMAN lSsolemh disclaimer Of 'tany agency
an this fire, ," and his claim to have :tSaVed
what Of Columbia remains unconsumed." The
o. Mayer had been informed that he would be
HGIEed when to surrender the city, kHowing
that ineaectaal resistance on our part would
furnish the ready excuse For all iawleSsness on
Etiepart of the enemy. would not allow my
TROOPS to secome engaged in the city, and
eSsey were GithdTawn On the morning Of the
18th Of February. =.
At sire clock A. H., on that day, the
Mayor, at the head of the deputation from the
Sity Council, went cut to meet General Sher'
man for the purpose Of sarrendesaag the city,
which be did in this following letter:
tCoaUgBrA, S. c., February II, 1853.
- To Mai0r-G General Sherman:
asThe GeHfsderate forces having evacuated
Golumbia, deem st my duty, as Mayor and
representative of the eisy, teo ask for its ci.i
Aeas the treatment accorded by the usages q
.efrilized warfare I, therefore, respectfully
request that you will send a sufficient guard
IN advance Of the army, to maintain order II
the city. aad TO protect the persons and pro
fpersy of citizens. II. .z.r - =
cry respectfully, =, -.s .
Your obedient servant
sisnedl z. G.. .G00DN YN, Mayor"
Ihc dcputatioa met the advance guard o
the 1DenY, under CUI0uel Stcne --E.3teentI