The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-03-27

house, yet there was no censure, no pun.
ishment" ~ "Amonp the first
fires at evening was one 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, III as many different quarters,
at nearly the same moment and while
the alarm sounded from the, quarters, a
similar alarm was sent up almost simul.
taneously from Cotton Town, the north.
ernmost limit of the city, and from
Main street, in its very centre" n n
The wrctches engaged in this appoint.
eel incendiarism were well prepared
with all the appliances essential to their
work They carried with them from
house to house pots and vessels contain.
ing c>mbustible liquids, and with balls
of fire saturated in this liquid, they con.
veyed the flames with wonderful rapidi.
ty from dwelling" = Il "What
remained from the morning of engines
and hose were brought ont by the fire.
men, but these were soon driven from
their labors by the pertinacibus hostility
of the incendiaries. Engines were tum.
bleo over and disabled, the hose was
hewn to pieces, and the frsmen, dread.
ing worse usage to themselves, left the
field in despair" N' VI
4 "Old men and women and
children were to be seen, of,en while the
flames were roaring and raging around
then-while walls were cracking and
rafters toltering and tnmblng, in the en-.
deavor to save their clothing and some
Of their more valuable effects. They
were driven out headlona pistols clap.
ped to their heads, violen; hands laid ON
throat and collar, and the rulfians seem.
ed to make but little distinction in their
treatment OF man and woman. Ladies
were hustled from their Chambers under
the strong arm or with heir menacing
pistol at their hearts. Tleir ornaments
plucked from their breaIts-their bun
dies taken from their hanks" X
"A lady undergoing pain Of labor had
to be borne out on matlrvss into the
open air TO escape The fire. 1t was in
vain that her situation was described to
the incendiaries, as they applied the
torch within and without the house.
They beheld the situation o the sufferer
and laughed to scorn the rayer of her
safety. Another lady was hut recently
confined. Her life hung upon hair.
The demons were appriscd of the facts
in the case. They burst in b her cham.
ber-took rings from the iaiy's finger,
plucked the watch from beealh her pil
low, shrieked offensive Ian nuage in her
ears, and so overwhelmed Ter with ter.
ror that she sunk under tie treatment,
surviving but day or wo."
"The churches were at frt sought by
many streams of populatiIn. Thither
the hellish perseverance, { the fends
followed them, and the ch,t tches of God
were set on fame. Again driven forth,
numbers made their way il the recesscs
of Sydney Park, and her fancied to
find security. But the ingenuity of
hate and malice was not , be baflled.
and firebrands thrown fror the height
into the deepest hollows of the Park
taught the wretched fugitlss to despair
OF any escape from enemid of such un.
weared and unremitting raeW
But enough of this atro(ty, the bare
recital of which makes huaanity shud
der, the heart grow sick. Srely enough
has been quoted from the narrative of
these horrors to prove tht Geperal
Sherman alone is responsible Tor the, de.
struction of Columbia, and fol the msny
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 il,
it were true, how dses he clear himself
of the guilt OF burnng private dwellings,
outside of the city yfmits2 Early in the
afternoon of the day he entered Colum.
bia, my l,ousG which was two miles
from the citytwas fred /; soon after the
houses of NJ. Trenholm, Gen. Lowell
Mrs. Starr, nr. Wallace, Mr.. Artlu,
Mr.. Lalta and Mrs. English all ia Ms
same vicinity, sas'sa ,se samepafe.-