The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-16
The Burning Of Columbia, S. G.
LETTER FROM WADE HAMPTON.

In the Senate, on the LIST, Mr.. Johnson
(Md.) read the following letter from Gen
Wade Hampton, on the subject Of Colum'
bia, 8. c.:
WILD WOODS, Miss, April 81, 1866.
To the Hon. Reverdy johnson, United
States Senator:
Sn-A few days ago saw in the pub
lished proceedings Of Congress that a petit
ton from Benjamin Rawles, Of Columbia
S. c., asking compensation for the destruc
ton of his house by the Federal army in
February, 1865, had been presented to the
Senate, accompanied by letter from Ma
|jor Gen. Sherman.
In this letter Gen. Sherman uses the fol-
lowing language:
"The citizens of Columbia set fire to
thousands of bales of cotton rolled out into
the street, and which were burning before
we entered Columbia. I, myself, was in
the city as early as 9 o'clock, and saw
these fires, and knew that efforts were
made to extinguish them, but high and
strong wind kept them alive.
II gave no orders for the burning of your
city, but on the contrary the conaagration
resulted from the great imprudence of cut
ting the cotton bales, whereby the contents
were spread to the wind, so that it became
an impossibility to arrest the fire.
II saw in your Columbia newspaper the
printed order of Gen. Wade Hampton, that
on the approach of the Yankee army all the
cotton should thus be burned, and from
what saw, myself, have no hesitation in
saying that this was the cause of the de-
struction of your city"
Ths same charge, made against me by
General Sherman, having been brought be-
fore the Senate of the United States, am
naturally most SOLICITORS to vindicate my.
self before the same tribunal. But my
State has no representative in that body
Those who should be her constitutional
representatives and opponents there are de-
barred the right of entrance into those halls
There are none who have the right to speak
for the South none to participate in the
legislation which governs her; none to i'm.
pose the taxes which she is called upon to
pay, and none to vindicate her sons from
Misrepresentation, injustice or SANDER
Under these circumstances, I appeal to you
in the confident hope that you will use ev-
cry effort to see that justice is done in this
matter.
deny emphatically that any cotton was
fred in Columbia by my order.
l deny that the citizens "set fire to
thousands of bales rolled out into the
streets"
l deny that any cotton was on fire when
the Federal troops entered the city.
/ most respectfully ask Of Congress to
appoint committee, charged with the duty
Of ascertaining and reporting all the facts
connected with the destruction of Colum.
bia, and thus fix upon the author of that
enormous crime the infamy he richly de.
serves.
] am willing to submit the case to any
honest tribunal. Before any such / pledge
myself to prove that Igave positive order
by direction Of Gen. Beauresard, that NO
cotton should be fred; that not one bale
was on fire when Gen. Sherman's troops
took possession of the city; that he prom
Used protection to the city, and that in spite
of his solemn promise he burned the city to
the ground, deliberately, systematically and
atrociously.
], therefore, most earnestly request that
Congress may take prompt and efficient
measures to investigate this matter fully
Not only is this due to themselves and to
the reputation of the United States army
but also to justice and to truth.
Trusting that you will pardon me 70,
troubling you, / am, very respectfully, your
Obedient servant, WADE HAMPTON.