The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-05-08


WILD WOODS. Miss.
April u, 1866.
TO Tie lion. Rsverdy johnson, United STAKES
Senate:
SIR: a few days ago, l saw in the pub
lished proceeding of Congress- that n pe,i-
ton from Benjamin Rawls, of Columbia, s.
c., asking compensation for the destruction
of his home by the Federal army in Feb.
ruary, 1865, had been presented to the Sen
ate, accompanied letter from Major
General Sherman. In this letter General
Sherman used the following language:
''They," the citizens of Columbia, "set
fire TO thousands of bales of cotton rolled
out into the streets, aud which were burn
ing when entered Columbia. myself
was III the city as early as o'clock, and
saw these fires, and knew that efforts had
been made to cXtnguish them, but n high
and stormy wind kept them alive. | gave
no orders for the burning of your city, but,
on the contrary, the reverse, and believe
The oonfiagsaton rcsultcd.rrom the great i'm
prudence OF cutting the cotton bales, where.
by the contents were spread TO the winds
50 that 1t became an impoSsiOiiity to arrest
the fire.
Il saw in your Columbia newspapers the
printed orders of General Wade fintnpion.
that on the approach of the Yankee army
all the cotton should he burned, and, from
what saw myself, | have no hesitation in
saying that he was the cause of the dcstruc.
ton vi your city,"
This grave chGrgenade against me by G en-
s., having been brought before tic Senate
oi nc United States, L am naturally most
soicitons to vindcatc myself before the
samA tribunal But my State has 10 repre-
in t1,nf ,.tt, 4,
be there are dcbarred the right of entrance
In those halls, there are none 10 speak for
The Sonth---none TO participate in the legis-
lhlion which governs her none to impose
the taxes she is called on to pay-.and none
to defend her on TO vindicaie nsr sons from
Misrepresentation, injustice or slandcr.
lhocr these circumstances, | appeal to you,
IN the confident hope that you will use
every effort TO see that Justice is done in
this matter.
deny most emphaiicnlly that any cotton
was fired in Columbia by my order--I deny
that her citizens set lire to thousands OF
bales rolled out into the sreets-I deny
that any cotton was on fire when the Fcde. .
raj troops entered the city. And most re.
spectiully ask of Congress to appoint a com
mittee charged with the duty OF ascertain.
ing and reporting all the facts connected
win he destruction of Columbia, and thus
liking upon the proper author of that enor-
nous crime the infamy that he deserves.
am willingto submit tho case to any
honest tribunal. Before any such, pledge
myself to prove my positive order, by di-
rection of General Bcaurcgard, that no cot
ton should be tired-that not one bale was
on fire when Shcrman's troops took posses.
SION OF the ciiy--that he positively promis-
pd nrOtpctiIn IN rho f.itN -,
OF this solemn promise, his soldiers burned
IT to the ground deliberately, sysreL:atical
", atroc'ously. |, therefore. most earnest :
~ request that Congress may take prompt
and ciiicint measures TO investigate This
matter fully. Not only is this due 10 them
selves and to the United States army, but to
justice and truth.
Trusting that you will pardon me for
troubling yop, | am, &C..
WADE HAMPTON.
.
H. -. ~