The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-09-08
From the Ne,o York World.l
The Burning OF Columbia.

LETTER FROM HON. ALFRED HUGER-
ELOQUENT AND DESERVED TRIBUTE
TO THE NOBLE HAMPTON.
CHARLESTON, s. O., Aug. %, '66.
To the Editor sr tie World
SIR: 1 most unwillingly leave the
retirement and obscurity which old
age and circumstances have provided;
but n remark in your paper of the
18th seems to demand it. A writer,
signed "S," replying to an article in
Harper's Magazine, for August, intro
duces my name in these words:
'This must refer to Alfred Huger,
for many years postmaster ut Charles
ton" &c, &c. L turn to the Maga-
zine, and, to my surprise, find con-
tributor whose purpose and motive it
is not my business to define, making
capital out of so barren subject as
myself. Beginning with the ''Burn-
ing of Columbia" and the abuse Of
Gen. Hampton, he says: "Among
others to whom was sent to give as
sistonce, was Mr.. Huger, q well
known citizen of South Carolina"
and then recounts an elaborate con-
versation about band of thieves,
calling themselves Wheeler's cavalry,
&C., and in another part of his nara
tive writes: "When the citizens of
Columbia begin their Investigations
of the burning of that city, and the
pillaging Of houses and robbing of
citizens, let them not forget to take
the evidence of Mr.. Huger." I am
thus put on the stand without being
consulted, and shall commence by
saying that if this individual or any
other was ever ''sent" to my "assist-
ance," the mission has been strangely
disregarded. 1 never saw any such
person rs he claims to be, though I
was an eyewitness to the burning of
Columbia. I never had any such in
terconrse with any human being in
Gen. Sherman's army, or out of it;
and if Investigations are made, and
the evidence of Mr.. Huger is called
for, [ shall, with deep consciousness
of what is due to truth, say that,
before Almighty God, all that saw,
all that 1 heard, all that I suffered,
all that I believe, is in direct opposi-
ton to what is affirmed by the writer
for Huper's Nagttzine, and for which
he quotes Mr.. Huger as 4 portion of
his authority; and ask leave to add,
after maturely rejecting upon the
events of that fearful night, when
every feeling Of humanity seemed to
be obliterated, if my ''well being"
here and hereafter depended on the
accuracy of my statement, I would
say that the precision, order, method,
and discipline which prevailed from
the entrance of the Federal army to
its departure, could only emanate
from military authority.
How could I come to any other
conclusion, with the fact, regarded
as indisputable, that the city was
doomed before it was taken? and that,
as the tragedy progressed, everybody
saw the programme carried out, as
they had previously expected? or how
am 1 to believe my own senses when
an individual, pretending to be an
officer, talks of burning the city,
pillaging houses, robbing citizens,
&C., as If "these' were unfounded
charges? Why, sir, I never supposed
/ was dealt with more hardly than
others, because I know that the
"plunder" was universal. Yet Mr.
Huger, who is to bear witness for
one who WAS sent to assist him, now
declares "that he was mercilessly
robbed; that his person was ruth
lessly violated; that food was taken
away from his orphan children, and
that his family were brutally insult
ed by wellmounted and well-armed
men in the uniform of the United
States!" For aught I know, it may
be usual or even necessary to grant
this license; while the denial is equally
absurd and wicked, and the attempt
to- implicate other people is the con
summation of both! But this is the
end that such things come to, and
the natural consequence of calling
witnesses to prove what the witnesses
themselves knew to be false. I saw
those who were apparently plying
their vocation deliberately set fire to
houses, carrying with them combus-
tlble preparations for doing so. Of
the effort made to prevent them I saw
nothing, because / saw nothing. 1t
1t gratifies me, however, to relate
this instance of kindness. My own
house was about to be destroyed by
the firing of an adjoining building.
There We're two Western men looking
on-soldiers in the true sense of the
word. l asked one of them-(their
names were Elliott and Goodman,
one from Indiana. the other from,