Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-05-16

In the United States Senate, on Tuesday.
Mr.. Johnson resd the following, and moved
lis reference to the Committee on Military
Affairs:
WILD WooDs, Miss, April 81 SEC.
70 Hon. Rcre'dy JOhasom, United '&utss
SIs:-A few days ngo saw in the pub
lished proceedings Of Congress that a petit
ton from Denjamin Rawls, of Columbia, s.
c., sslsing compensation for the destruction
of his house by the Federal army in Frbrua
ry, 1860, bad been pre- sented TO tic Senate.
accom- panied liyea letter from Maj General
Sherman. In this letter General Sherman
used he t,li. wing language: "They," the
ciliz.;.s ul Columbia, "set fire to Lonsanhs
Of bales Of cotton rolled ont into the stiee;a,
an,l which were burning before he entered
Colmnt.ia. .nyscl was in the citv ;is early
as ninc. and saw these fires and knew CT
Io,ts hai been made TO eXlinguish then, bat
a high and strong wind kept them alive. !
gave 10 or;ers for the burning OF ,onr CITY,
but. on Tie contrary, the reverse. and be-
lieye tie coullasra:icn resulted from i C great
in: prudence OF cutting the cotton bales,
wind, so that it became an imposS;bi!lty To
arrest the fire. ! SAW in your Columbia
newspaper the printed order Of General Wade
Hampton. HAT on the approach of the YAM
kee army al the cotton should thus be buried
and from What saw myself, have no hcsi-
taton in say,ng that he was the cause t'i the
destruction of.your city"
This grave charge made agains: ne hy
General Sherman having bcrn brought Before
tue Senate Of the U;i;ed States: an natu-
raliy most solc;tous to vind:cate myself be-.
fore the SAME tribunal. But MY State Las no
representative IN That city. Those who shonh
bc there are dcbaircd tie riea; Of entrance.
In these hatls there are hone TO speak for the
Sonih-n, ne to participate in t.e legislation
which governs her-none to impose il;o taxes
which She IS called on to pay. ana aorc to dc
(cud i,er or 10 yindicate her Sors from mis-
representation, injustice, or sl:nd'r. uder
these circumstances appeal to yon in tic
confident hope thai you Will use every effort
to see that Justice is done in this matter. ]
deny most emphatically that any cotton was
fred in Columbia by my.crdcr. | deny that
her citizens set fire TO thousands OF bales
rolled out into the streets. deny that any
cotton was on fire when the Federal troops
entered the city. And | most respectfully
ask of Congress to appoint committee
charged With the d6ty OF ascertainng and re-
porting all the facts connected with the de-
struction of Columbia, and TINS fixing upon
the proper author of that enormous crime the
infalny that he deserves.
| am willing to submit the case to any hon
est tribunal. Before any such ! pledge my
SELF to prove my positive order, ty direction
of General Beaursgard, that no cotton should
be fired; that not one bale was on fire when
sherlhan' 'stroops took possession of the city
that he positively promised protection to the
city; and that, in spite of this soempp prom
se, his soliiers burned it to the ground, de,
l;berately, systematically, aud alrociously. l
therefore most earnestly request that Con-
.gress may takeproup: and efficient measures
to investigate this matter fully. Not only is
this due to themselves, and 10 the reputation
of the United States army, but tojastcc and
truth.
Trusting that you will pardon me for tropb
| ling you, am, &c. oo>-