The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-04-04

riage.
The Mayor reports that on surrendering
the city to Culonel Stone, the latter assured
him of the safety of the citizens, and the pro-
lection of their property while under MS COM
nand. He could not answer for General
Sherman. who was In the rear, but he express
ed the conviction that he would fully confirm
the assurances which he Colonel Stone) had
given. Subsequently General Sherman did
confirm them, and that night, seeing that the
Mayor was exhausted by the laboTs of the
day, he counselled bilns to retire to rest, say-
ing, "Not fingers breadth, Mr.. Mayor, Of
your city shall be harmed. You may lie down
to sleep, satisfied that your town shall be as
safe in my hands as if wholly in your own" I"
4 = AT about eleven
o'clock the head of the column reached Mar
ket Hall. Hardly had the troops reached the
head of Main-steet when the work of pillage
was begun Stores were broken open in the
presence Cf 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 matter OF
course And woe to him who carried watch
with gold chain pendant, or who wore choice
hat, or overcoat or boots, or shoes. He was
stripped by ready experts in the twinktng OF
an eye" e ......-. .'.. -. " =
About twelve o'clock the Jail was discovered
to be on fire from within. Th:s building was
Immediately in the rear Of the market or City
Hall, and in densely built portion. of the
city. -.
The fire in the Jail had been preceded by that
of some cotton pied in the streets Both fires
were soon Sabdued by our tirenen. At about
II o'clock P, NJ, that Of the Jail was reki"dled
aud was again cxtiagui>hed." =
@The experience of the ffeIuen 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 con-
tiuued interference Of the Soldiery. Finally,
taeir hose was chopped with swords and axes,
aud pierced with bayonctS so as TO DC render
cd useless The engines were in some cases
demolished also. And so the miserable day
wore Oh in riiage, insult, and constant con-
fusion and alarm. We haze shown that the
robbery Of the persons Of citizens and the
plumdcr Of their houses commenced within
nne hour after they had reached. the Market
Hall. 1t continued without inter'piSslo
throughout the day. Sherman traverscd the
streets everywhere, so did his officers, yet
they saw nothing to.rebuhe or restrain. -. :
Robbery WAS gaiug en at every corner, IN
every hUaSe, yet there was no ccHsure, no
snaiiishment." x - Among the hrSt
fires at evening was one about dark which
broke euti in u filthy portion of low houses,
occupied mostly as bfothelS. There were
then $ou,e twenty fires in full blast, IN as
many different quarters, at nearly the same
moment. and while the alarm sounded from
these quarters, a similar. alarm was sent up
almost simultaneously from Cotton Town; the
nortlicrnp:ost Ii:uit Of the city, and from Marin
street, in its very centre. 2 : = '"lhe
.wsetehes engaged in this, appointed inccEdi-
cariSIn were we'll prepared wtthaii the appl-
auces csSentialto their work. They carried
with them from house to house pots and YES
sells containing coulhusfible liquids, and with
balls of fire saturated in this liquid, they con-
Yeyed the flames with wonderful rapidity
from dwelling 10 dwelling. ''Wh hat
remained from the morning Of engines and
hose were brought out by the firemen, but
these were soon driven from their, laSors by
the pertinacious hostility of the incendiarleS.
Engines were tumblcd over and disabled, the
hose was hewn, to pieces, and the fireinen,
dreadig worse usage to themselves, left the
field in despair. ...s-. -.,.trs.z .
,*-s* = 't0ld men and women and
children were to be seen, often while the
flames were rolling and raging around them
while walls were cracking and raaers totter-
iag apd tumbling, in the endearor to save
their clothing and some Of their more vaiua-
bic effects. They were driyen out headlong,
pistols clapped to their heads, violent hands
laid on throat aud collar, and the .rufhans
+ seemed to make but little distinction in their
treatment of man aud worhar9 Ladies were
| hustled from their chambers under the strong
arm or with their menacing pistol at their
! hearts Their ornaments plucked from their
E.breasts-their bundles taken from. their
hands" Y "a lady undergoing pains
| Of labor had to BE- borne out, on, nattrass
into the open air to escape the fire. 1t was
in vain that her situation was described to
| the incea liaries, as they applied the torch
within add without the house They beheld
I the situation of the sufferer ard laughed to
kscorns the prayer for her safety Another
lady was but recently confined. Her life hung
Rk4Rpon hair. The demons were apprised OF
the facts in the case They burst into her
ehamber-took rings from the lady's fngsr,
plucked the watch from beneath her pillow,
shricked offensive language in her ears, and
so Overwhelmed her with terror that she sank
under the treatment, Surviving but a day or
two" 4 : "rhe churches were at fist
sought by many streams of population.
Thither the helish perseverance of the 6ends
followed them, and the Churches of God were
st on fame. Again driven forth, numbers
made their way into the reccsses of Sydney
Park, and here fancied to find security But
the ingenuity of.hate and malice was not te
be bafHcd, and frebrands thrown from the
height into the deepest hollows Of the Park
tsugnt the wretched fugitiyes to despair o
any escape from enemies Of such unweariec
and unremitting rage! ss..5. s. :
But cnoughsof this atrocity, the bare recita
Of which makes humanity shudder, the hear
grow sick. Surely enough has been qaotet
from the narrative of these horrors to prove
that General Sherman alone is responsible fo
the destruction of Columbia, and for the many
+ other atrocities committed By his army. II
: declares that the fires set by my order con
sumed the city. have shown how false /
3 this statement; but even i! it were true, hoy
! does he clear himself of the guilt Of burning
,l,,,aiiiy,YS n,,fSi6a Of fhe tjfv limits