Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-02
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA,
letter of Gen. Wade Hampton to the Hon,
ReVerdy Johnson

ReVerdy johnson.
The following letter, addressed by General Wade
Hampton to the Hon. Reverdy johnson in relation
to the burning of Columbia, S. c., was read by the
latter in the Senate yesterday:
WILD WOODS, Miss, April q, 1866
To the Hon. Reuerdy Johnson, Eited States Senate:
SRA few days ago saw in the published pro-
eeedings Of Congress that petition from Ber jamin
ROwls of Columbia, South Carolina asking com
Rensation for the destruction of his home by the
Federal army IN February, 1860, had been pre-
sented to the Senate, accompanied by a letter from
Major General Sherman. In this letter General
S. used the following language. They" the citizens
of Columbia. set fire to thousands of bales of cotton
rolled out into the streets and which were burning
when he entered Columbia. l, myself, was in the
city as early as nine and these fires and knew
that efforts had been made to eXtingush them; but
high and stormy wind kept them alive | gave no
orders tor the burning of your city, but on the con-
uary the reverse, and l believe the cOnhagration
resulted from the great imprudence of cutting the
cotton bales, whereby the contents spread to
the winds, so that 1t became an impossbity to ar
Rest the ire.
Il saw in your Columbus newspapers the printed
order OF General Wade Hampton, that on the ap-
proach OF the Yankee army all the cotton should be
burned, and from what myself, | have no hesi-
taton IN saying that he was the of the desruc
sion of your city"
This grave charge made against me by General S.
having been brought before the Senate of the nted
States, am naturally most solicitOus to vhdicate
myself before the same tribunal; But my State has
there debarred the right of entrance. In those
halls there to speak for the SOuth-none to
participate in the legislation which governs her
none to defend her to vndicae her sons from mis-
aton, injustice SANDER. Under these cir
cumstances | appeal to you, in the confident hone
that you will use every effort to that justice is
done in this matter.
deny most emphatically that any cotton W as fired
in Columbia by my order-I deny that her citzens
set fire to thousands Of bales rolled out into the
Streets-l deny that any cotton on fire when the
Federal troops entered the city. And l most re-
specttuily ask OF Congress to appoint committee
charged with the duty of sscertainng and reporting
all the facts connected with the destruction of Co
lpmbla, and thus fixing upon the proper author of
that enormous crime the infamy that he deserves.
am willing to submit the case to any honest tri-
bunal. Before any such pledge myself to prove my
positive order, by direction of General Beauregard,
that cotton should be ired-that not one bale
on fire when Shermans troops took possession OF the
city-that he positively promised protection to the
cty-and that in spite of this solemn promise his
soldiers burned it to the ground deliberately system
atically atrocously. therefore most earnestly
quest that Congress may take prompt "a and eticient
measures to investigate this matter fully. Not only
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 for troubling
YOU, am &c, WADE HAMPTON,