The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-30

censure, no punishment" :. .
"Among the first fires that evening was
one about dark, which broke out in a
filthy portion Of low houses, occupied
mostly as brothels. There were then
some twenty fires in full blast, in as
many different quarters, at nearly the
same moment, and while the alarm
sounded from these quarters, a similar
alarm was sent up almost simultaneous
ly from Cotton Town, the northermost
limit Of the city, and from Mainstreet,
in its very centre" - .
'eThe wretches engaged in this appoint
ed incendiarism were we'll prepared
with all the appliances essential to
their work. They carried with them
from house to house pots and vessels
containing eombusible liquids, and
with balls Of fire saturated in this l.
quid, they conveyed the flames with
wonderful d. !, rapidity from ,ilT, dwelling to
NAMED E = the morning, of engines
and hose were brought out by the Sire
men, but these were soon driven from
their labors by the pertinacious hostii-
ty Of the incendiaries. Engines were
tumbled over and disabled, the hose
were hewn to pieces, and the fremen,
dreading worse usage to themselves,
left the field in despair"
''Old men and women
and children were to be seen, often
while the flames were rolling and rag
ing around them-while walls were
cracking and rafters tottering and tum-
bling, in the endeavor to save their
clothing and some of their more valua-
BILE effects. They were driven out head
long, pistols clapped to their heads, VIC
lent hunds laid on throat and collar,
and the rufians seemed to make but
little distinction in their treatment Of
man and woman. Ladies we're hustled
from their chambers under the strong
arm or with their menacing pistols at
their hearts. Their ornaments plucked
from their breasts their bundles taken
from their hands"
"a lady undergoing pains Of labor had
to be borne out on mattrass into the
open air to escape the fire. It was in
vain that her situation was described
to the incendiaries, as they applied the
torch within and without the house.
They beheld the situation of the suffer
or and laughed to scorn the prayer for
her safety. Another lady was but re-
Gently confined: Her life hung upon q
hair. The demons were apprised of
the fact in the case. They
burst into her chamber-took rings
from the lady's finger, plucked the
watch from beneath her pillow; shrek
ed offensive language in her ears, and
so overwhelmed her with terror fhat
she sunk under the treatment, surviv-
ing but day or two"
"The churches were at first saught by
many streams Of population. Thither
the hellish perseverance of the :tfendss
| followed them, and the Churches OF
God were set on fame. Again driven
forth, numbers made their way into the
recesses of Sydney Park, and here fan
cied to find security. But the ingenui-
ty of hate and malice was not to be
bafled, and frebrands thrown from the
height into the deepest hollows ofahe
Park taught the wretched fugitives to
despair of any escape from enemies of
such unwearied and unremitting rage"
But enough of this atrocity, the bare
recital Of which makes humanity shud-
der, the heart grow sick. Surely
enough has been quoted from the mar
rativo Of these horrors to prove that
Gen. Sherman alone is responsible for
the destruction of Columbia, and for
the many other atrocities committed by
his army. He declares that the fires
set by my order consumed the city. I
have shown how false is this statement;
but even if it were true, how does'he
clear himself of the guilt of burning
private dwellings outside of the city
limits Early in the afternoon of the
day he entered Columbia, my house,
which was two miles from the city, was
fired, soon after the houses Of Mr.. Tren-
holm, Gen. Lowell, Mrs. Stark, Mr..
Wallace, Mr.. Arthur, Mr.. Latta and
Mrs. English, all in the same vicinity,
shared the same fate. Gen. Sherman
cannot deny that these houses we're
burned by his men, nor can he deny
that he destroyed, in part, OF in whole
the villages of Barnwell, Blackville,
Graham, Bamburg, Buford's Bridge,
Orangeburg,' Lexington, Alston, Poma-
ria, Winnsboro', Blackstocks Society
Hill, Camden and Cheraw. Does not
the fate CT these unofending towns give
the lie to his disclaimer Of any agency
in burning this city.
A1onp the line of march followed nv