The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-04-10

i e'ieet "uen the work OF llliiaSe was UeSun.
Stores were broken open in the presence of
thousands within the first hour after their arrv
al No attempt was made to arrest the burg
lars. The authorities, officers, soldiers, ali
seemed to consider it matter of course And
woe to him who carried watch with gold chain
PENDANT, or who wore choice hat, or over coat,
or boots, or shoes. lie was stripped by ready
experts In the twlnkIing OF eye.
About twelve O'Clock the Jail was discovered to
be on ire from within This building was im.
mediately In the rear ot the Market or City
Hall, and in densely built portion of the
city. The fire in the Jail had been pre-
ceded by that of some cotton piled in the streets
Both fires were soon subdued by our fremen
At about l ! o'clock P. NJ, that OF the Jail was
rekindled and was again extnguished. *
The experience of the fremen in putting out
the fire In the cotton in the Jail was of a sort to
discourage their further efforts. They were
thwarted and embarrassed by the continued in
reference of the soldiery. Finally, their hose
was chopped with swords and axes, and pierced
with bayonets SO as to be rendered useless The
engines in some cases demolished also
And so the miserable day on in pfllage
insult, and constant confusion and alarm We
have shown that the robbery of the persons of
citizens and the plunder of their houses CON-
menced within one hour after they had reached
the Market Hall. 1t continued without inter-
mission throughout the day. Sherman travers
ed the streets everywhere, did his officers, yet
they saw nothing to rebuke restrain *
Robbery was going on at every corner, in every
house, yet there was 30 censure, punishment
: < x Among the first fires at evening was
one about dark, which broke out in filthy por-
ton of low houses, occupied mostly as brothels
There were then some twenty fires in full blast
in as many different quarters, similar alarm
sent up almost simultaneously from Cotton
Town, the uorthernmost limit Of the city, and
from: Main street, IN its very centre. The
wretches engaged in this appointed iocendiarism
were well prepared with all the appliances es-
sential to their work. They carried with them
from house to house pots aud vessels containing
combuStib1e liquids, and with balls of fire satu-
rated in this liquid, they conveyed the flames
with wonderful rapidty to dwellings," What
remained from the morning Of engines and hose
were brought out by the hremen, but these were
soon driven from their labors by the pertna-
cious hostility Of the incendiaries. Engines
were tumbed over and disabled, the hose was
hewn to pieces, and the fremen, dreading worse
usage to themselves, left the field In despair
Old men and women and children were to be
seen, often while the flames were roaring and
raging around them-whle walls were cracking
aud ratters tottering and tumbling-in the en-
deavor to their clothing and some Of their
more valuable effects They were driven out
headlong, pistols cIapped to their heads, violent
hands laid on throat and collar, and the rufians
seemed to make but little distinction n their
treatment Of man aud woman. Ladies were
hustled from their chambers under the strong
arm or with their menacng pistol at their
hearts. Their ornaments plucked from their
heir hunAleS al from tbair
a lady undergoing pains of labor had to be
borne out on a mattress into the open air to es-
cape the fire. 1t was in vain that her situation
was deserted to the inctndiaiies, as they ap-
piled the torch within and without the house
They beheld the situation of the sufferer and
laughed to scorn the prayer for her safety. An
other lady was but recently confined. Her life
hung upon hair. The demons were applised
Of the facts in the case. They burst into her
hamber-took rings from the ladys finger,
plucked the watch from beneath her pillow,
shrieked offensive language in her ears, and
overwhelmed her with terror that she sunk
der the treatment surviving but day or two
The churches at first sought by many
streams Of population Thither the hellish pei
severance of the feDds followed them, and the
churches of God were set on fanre. Again
driven forth, numbers made their way in the
security. But the Ingenuity of hate aud malice
was not to be bafhed, and frebiands thrown
from the height into the deepest holiows of the
Park taught the wretched fugltives to despair
of any escape from enemies Of such unwearied
and unremitting rage!'
But enough Of this atrccity, the bare recital
of which makes humanity shudder, the heart
grow sick. Surely enough has been quoted
frop he al fo hal
General Sherman alone is responsible for the
destruction of Columbis, and for the many other
atrocities committed By his army. He declares
that the fires set by my order consumed the city.
have shown how false is this statement; but
even if it were true, how. does he clear himself
Of the guilt Of burning private dwellings out.
side of the city limits? Early in the afternoon
Of the day be entered Columbia, my house,
which Was two miles from the city fired;
soon after the houses Of Mr. Trenholm, Gen.
Lowell, Mrs Stark, DIR Wallace, Mr. Arthur, Mr
Latta and Mrs English all 10 the same vicinity,
shared. the same fate General Sherman cannot
deny that these houses were .burned by his men,
nor can he deny be destroyed, in part, or whole,
the villages of Barnwell, BackVille, Graham,
Bamberg, Bufords Bridge, Orangeburg, Lex
ing,ou, Als,on, Pomaria, Winnsboro', Black
stocks, Society Hill, Camden aud Chcraw.
Does not the fate Of these unoffending towns
give .he lie to his disclaimer OF any agency in
burning this city?
Along the line of march followed by him
there is scarcely one house left standing, from
the Savannah River to the Pee Dee, and yet be
dared to declare solemnly that he did not burn
Columbia! do not wonder that he should
strive TO escape the infamy which, like the lep'
rosy Of Gehazi, shrll cleave unto him and unto
his seed forever for the commission of this dark