Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-05-03
Letter Of Gen. Wade Hampton to the Hon Rever-
-, DIV Johnsan.


Il dy johnson. ~
The following we'll written letter, addressed
( BY General Wade Hampton to the Hon: Rey-
eray Johnson nIelation to the burning OF Co.
lumbia, South Carolina was read BY the latter
in the Senate yesterday:
~ Nv IT'D WOODS; Miss; A pri1 2l77ls66..:
To the Hon, ,Reuerdy johnson. unsted States
S1R-A few days ago I saw il the published
proceedings Of Congress that a petition tom
BENJAMIN ROWS, Of Columbia, South Carolina,
asking compensation fer the destruction Ibis
| home by the Federal armyin February, 1862,
had been presented TO The Senate, aucompan-
| led by latter from Maj. Gen. Sherman. In
this letter General S,tiused the following Ian
guage: They, the citizens Of Columbia
E:seG fire to thousands Of bales Of cotton rolled
out into the streets, and which were burning
| when [ entered Columbia. /, myself, was IN
the city as early as niue and saw these tires and
knew that efforts had teen made to extln-
guish them;. bat high and stormy wind Kept
| them alive | gave no orders Tor the burning
| ofyour city, but, on the contrary, the reverse
and L believe the confagrauon resulted from
| the great imprudence OF cutting the cotton
bales whereby the contents were spread to the
|
| rest the fire.
II saw in your Columbus newspapers the
printed order Of General Wade Hampton, that
| on the approach OF the Yankee army all the
cotton should be burned, and from what i 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, am naturally most soil
citous to vindicate myself before the same tgl
| bunaL But my State has nc representative
| in that city. Those who should be there are
debarrcd the right of entrance. In those halls
there are none to speak for the South-Done to
| participate in the legislation which governs her
none to impose the taxes she is called on to
pay-and none to defend her or to vindicate her
sons from Misrepresentation, injustice or SIAN
| der. Under these circumstances / appeal 10
you, in the confident hope that you will use
every effort 20 see that justice is done in this
| matter.
! L deny most emphaticaly thata any cotton was
| fired in Columbia by my order--l 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 duty
nected Win the destruction Of Columbia, and
thus fixing upon the proper author Of that en-
ormous crime the iniamy that he deserves.
am "ll4ng 70 submit the case 10 any honest
~, ,,os;t,o crder he arsnt,nn nf
al Beaureeard, that no cotton should be fred
that not one bale was on ire when Sherman's
troops took possession of the city--that he pos
.tisey p;tt,to +h eoar1 ,>ron,;so u. s,la;ars
burned If 10 The ground deliberately, sv,temat
icalN, atrociopsly. therefore, most earnest
| ly request that Congress may take prompt and
ethclent measures 10 investigate lhiS matter
fully. Not only Is THIS dqe 10 thenseiFe5 aho
| TO the reputation OF the Ch!teo p1aleS army;
but 10 JuslcG ahc 10 I'm. ,.- ,-,
Trusting that you VIII pardon me lof tfouo-
ling you, am, &C, WADE HAMPTON
| - =,
CoSFEDEhArE ColIoN boSps.-iHc '2ocrc-
tary OF State, by direction OF the President, has
examined certain papers submitted to him re-
1.,;nc 70 the lato Confederate loan Am,ro
|
tnel Is d coll.i'uiic.io, ua'eu Aonoo o, a!c
| TO-, 1866, and signed Dy oroer O. DE fIo'o
Wallis, K. G. D.. E. Morgan, Secretary; Fran
cs> Pb;Il;ns C Nj r. -Teston " Nf hIorran
r ar uo--o,.--rrbo ,lo, ,rb; ob ,bor rr,,,o.o
a. W. hio"ey 10 p''''' il1''i 'i'oS pi'poS0
IS that the Ohitea States Government shal
furnish to that committee copy of the contract
which they say was made between E:langer &
n, ofpa,;. ona .,o ,ato ro,foao-,+o Co.
ment, at k!chmond; together with particulars
OF the same The committee promise that
outstanding Confederate Cotton Loan bonds
shall be delivered up to agents Of the United
States for cancellation. the hond holders +,
,,,,ron+.o hot o;thar ,bor ~ b.;r +-;o~as r,;,
Subscribe forthwith to > new loan to he cra.t,
by the cotton and tobacco States for five million
pounds IS, 900, O00) at fifty per centum, pay
able 10 London, The money to be used solely in
redeveloplng the revenues of these States In