The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-08
BURNING OF COLUMBIA, s. G.

another Letter from General Hdde Hampton.
The following we'll written letter, addressed
by General Wade Hampton to the Hoo Rever-
DIV johnson in relation to the burning Of Gel
umbia, South Carolina, was read by the latter
in the Senate on Tuesday
WILD WOODS, MISSISSIPPI,
April 81, 1866.
To the Hon Reverdy johnson U. ). SENATE:
SIR "A few days ago saw in the published
proceedings of Congress that petition from
BENJAMIN ROWS, of Columbia, South Carolina,
asking compensation for the destruction OF his
home by the Federal army in February, 1865,
had been presented to the Senate, accompanied
he letter from Major General Sherman. La
this letter General Sherman used the following
LANGUAGE: .They," the citizens of Columbia,
ase1 fire to thousands of bales cotton rolled out
into the streets, and which were burning when
he entered Columbia. [ myself was 10 the city
as early as nine and saw these fires, and knew
that efforts had been made to extiDguish them,
but high and stormy wind kept them alive
l gave orders for the burning of your city,
but, on the contrary, the reverse, and L believe
the confagration resulted from the great lmpru-
dence of cutting the cotton bales, whereby the
contents were spread to the winds, SO that 1t be.
came an impossibiiity to arrest the fire. [ saw
IL your COiuUoid tut piiuteo otoSt
Of General Wade Hampton, that on the ap-
proach of the Yankee army all the cotton should
be burned, aud from what saw myself, have
no hesitation in saying that he was the cause OF
the destruction of your CITY,"
This grave charge made against me by Gene
raj S, having been brought before the Senate
Of the United States, l am naturally most solic-
itous to vindicate myself before the same tribu-
nal. But my State has no repres ,ntative in
that body. Those who should be there are de-
barred the right of entrance. In those halls
there are none to speak for the South-none to
participate in the legislation which governs her
hone to impose the taxes she is called on to
pay-and none to defend her or to vindcate
her sons from misrepresentation, injustice or
SANDER. Under these circumstances | appeal
toyou, in the confident hope that you will use
every effort to see that justice is done ia this
matter.
| deny most empha,cally that any cotton was
fired 10 Columbia by my order-I deny that
her citizens set fire to thousands of bales rolled
out into the streets-I 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 duty
Of ascertaining and reporting all the facts con-
nected with the destruction of Columbia, and
thtS uAihSNpon the proper authoI OF tnat enOr-
nous crime the intamy that he deserves
! am wiling to submit the case to any hon
est tribunal. Before any such | pledge myself
to prove my positive order, by direction of Gen.
Beauregard, that no cotton should be fired
that not one bale was on fire when Sherman S
troops took possession of the city-tbat he posi-
lively promised protection to the city-and that
10 spite of this solemn promise his soldiers
burnt it to the ground deliberately, systemat-
ically, atrociously therefore most earnestly
request that Congress may take prompt and eff
cient measures to investigate this matter fully.
Not only is this due'to themselves and to the
reputation Of the United States army, but to
justice and to truth.
Trusting that you will pardon me Tor troubling
you, | am, &c, WADE HAMPTON.