Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-20

liquids, and with balls of fire saturated
with this liquid, they conveyed the flames
with wonderful rapidity from dwelling to
dwelling" "What remained
in the morning of engines and hose were
brought out by the fremen, but these were
soon driven from their labors by the peril
nacious hostility Of the incendiaries En-
gines were tumbled over and disabled, the
hose was hewn to pieces, and the firemen,
dreading worse usage 10 themselves, left the
field in despair"
"Old men and women and chill
dren were to be seen, often while the Aaales
were rolling and raging around dthem-while
walls were cracking and rafters tottering
and tumbling, in the endeavor TO save their
clothing and some Of their more valuable
effects. They were driven out headlong,
pistols clapped to their heads, violent hands
laid on throat and collar, and the rufians
seemed to make but little distinction in their
treatment of man and woman. Ladies were
hustled from their chamber under the strong
arm or with their menacing pistol at their
hearts Their ornaments plucked from their
brelsts-their bundles taken from their
hands," "a lady undergoing
pains Of labor, had to be borne out on a
matrass into the open air to escape the fire.
1t was in vain that her situation was des-
cribed to the incendiaries, as they applied
the torch within and without the house.
They beheld the situation of the sufferer and
laughed to scorn the prayer for her safety.
Another lady was but recently confined.
Her life hung upon hair. The demons
were apprised of the facts in the case. They
burst into her chamber-took rings from
the lady's finger, plucked the watch from be-
meath her pillow, shrieked offensive Ian
guage in her ears, and so overwhelmed her
with terror that she sunk under the treat
ment, surviving but day or two"
"The churches were at first sought by many
streams of population. Thither the hellish
perseverance of the fends followed them,
and the churches Of God were set on fans.
Again driven forth, numbers made their
way into the recesses of Sydney Park, and
here fancied to find security. But the inge-
nuity of hate and malice was not to be baf-
fled, and firebrands thrown from the height
into the deepest hollows Of the Park taught
the wretched fugitives TO despair of any es-
cape from enemies of such unwearied and
unremitting rage"
But enough of this atrocity, the bare reci-
tai of which makes humanity shudder, the
heart grow sick. Surely enough has been
quoted from the narrative of these horrors
TO prove that Gen. Sherman alone is respon-
sible 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. 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.. Trenholm, Gen.
Lowell, Mrs. Stark, DIR. Wallace, Mr.. Ar
thur, Mr.. Leatta, and Mrs. English, all in
the same vicinity, shared the same fate
General Sherman cannot deny that these
houses were burned by his men, nor can he
deny that he destroyed, in part or in whole,
the villages of Barnwell, Blackville, Gra-
ham, Bamberg, Buford's Bridge, Orangeburg,
Lexington, Aston, Pomana, Winnsboro',
Blackstocks, Society Hill, Camden and Che
raw. Does not the fate of these unoffending
towns give the lie to his disclaimer of any
agency in burning this city.
Along the line of march followed by him
there is scarcely one house left standing,
from the Savannah river to the Pedee, and
yet he dared to declare solemnly that he did
not burn Columbia! L do not wonder that
he should strive to escape the infamy which,
like the leprosy of Gehazi, shall cleave unto
him and unto his seed forever, for the COM
mission of this dark deed. Nor am l sur
prised that he should naturally seek to
escape by taking refuge behind falsehood.
But he shall not with impunity make me
the scapegoat for his sins. Wherever he has
taken his army in this State, women have
been insulted or outraged, old men have
been hung to extort from them hidden
treasure. The fruits of the earth have been
destroyed, leaving starvation where plenty
once reigned, and the dwellings Of rich and
poor alike have been laid in ashes. For
these deeds history will brand him as a
robber and incendiary, ard will deservedly
" damn him to everlasting fame"
am your obedient servant,
WADE HAMPTON,
Lieut.. General.