Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-03-29

MAINTAIN 0rQer 10 tue eiey, auo W ptotect
the persons and property of citizens.
every respectfully,
"Your obedient servant,
TSigned] I. J. GOODWIN, Mayor" Z"
The depuation met the advance guard of
the enemy, under Colonel Stone-Fifteenth
Corps-outside of the city, and Colonel
Stone returned with them to the town in
their carriage.
The Mayor reports that on surrendering
the city to Colonel Stone, the latter assured
him of the safety Of the citizens, and the
protection of their property while under
his command. He could not answer for
General Sherman who was in the rear, but
be expressed the conviction that he weuld
fully confirm the assurances which he (Col.
Stone) had given. Subsequently General
Sherman did confirm them, and that night,
seeing that the Mayor was exhausted by
the labors of the day, he couuselled him to
retire, saying, "Nota fingers breadth, Mr..
Mayor, of your city shall be harmed. You
may lie down to sleep, satisfied that yorr
town shall be as safe in my hands as if
wholly in your own "
uAt about eleven o'clock the head of the
column reached Market Hall. Hardly had
the troops reached the head of Main.street
when the work of pillage was begun
Stores were broken open in the presence of
thousands within the first hour after their
arrival. No attempt was made to arrest the
burglars The authorities, officers, soldiers,
all seemed to consider it a matter of course.
And woe to him who carried watch with
gold chain pendant, or who wore a choice
hat, or overcoat, or boots, or shoes. He
was stripped by ready experts in the twink
ling of an eye" x X "About
twelve o'clock the Jail was discovered to be
on fire from within. The building was i'm
mediately in the rear Of the market or City
Hall, and in densely built portion of the
city. X. The fire in the jaik
had been preceded by that of some cotton
piled ia the streets Both fires we're soon
snbdued by our 6remeu. At about J
o'clock P. NJ, that of the Jail was rekin
died and was again extinguished." X
"The experience of the 6remen in put
ting out the fire in the cotton in the Jail
was of sort to discourage their further
efforts. They were thwarted and embar-
assed by the continued interference Of the
soldiery. Finally, their hose was chopped
with swords and axes, and pierced with
bayonets SOFAS to be rendered useless The
engines were in some cases demolished also
And so the miserable day wore on in pill
lage, insult, and constant confusion aud
alarm. We have shown that the robbery
of the persons of citizens and the plunder
of their houses commenced within one hour
after they had reached the Market Hall
1t continued without in,ermissiou' through
out the day. Sherman traversed the streets
everywhere, so did his officers, yet they
saw nothing to rebuke or restrain" X
* = "Robbery was going on at every
corner, in every house, yet there was 20
censure, no punishment. ~
"Amoug the irst firoo ss orouing wac ono
about dark, which broke out in a filthy
portion of low houses, occupied mostly as
brothels. There were then some twenty
fires in full blast, in as many different quar-
ters, at nearly the same moment, and while
the alarm was sounded from these quarters,
q similar alarm was sent up almost simulta
neously from Cotton Town, the northenuost
limit of the city, and from Mains street, in
its very centre" 'The wretch
es engaged in this appointed incendiarism
were well prepared with combustible ma
terial and the flames spread with wonderful
rapidity from dwelling to dwelling" x
"What remained from the morn
ing of engines and hose, were brought out
by the fremen, but these were soon driven
from their labors by the pertinacious hos
tility of the ineendiaries. Engines were
tumbled 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 chill
dren we're to be seen, often while the flames
we're rolling and raging around them
while walls were cracking and rsf,ers tot
tering and tumbliug, in the endeavor to
save their clothing and some of their more
valuable effects. They were driven out
headlong, pistols clapped to their heads,
violent hands laid on throat and collar, aud
the ruf6ans seemed to make but little dis
tinction in their treatment of man and wo.
man. Ladies were hustled from their
chamber under the strong arm or with their
menscing pistols at their hearts. Their Or
naments plucked from their breasts, their
bundles taken from their hands" *
GA lady undergoing the pains of labor had
to be borne out on mattress into the open
air to escape the fire. 1t was in vain that her
situation was described to the incendiares,
as they applied the torch within and with
out the house. -Thoy bsbeld the situation
of the sufferer and laughed to scorn the
prayer for her safety. Another lady was
but recently confined. Her life hung upon
hair. The demons were apprised of the
facts in the case. They burst into her
chamber-took rings from the lady's finger,
plucked the watch from beneath her pill
low, shrieked offensive language in her ears,
and so overwhelmed her with terror that
she sunk under the treatment, surviving