Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-09-14
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA, s. G.

rom tho Atlanta Plantation. 4

sf' Ha Who Did 1t? h
From the Atlanta Plantation.l
A few weeks ago Isaw the announce
ment of the sudden death of Mr. Il. s.
Nickerson, the former proprietor Of
Nickerson's Hotel, at Columbia, s. C3
and more recently in charge of the
Screven House, Savannah. saw this
news with regret, as he was warm
hearted, amiable and benevolent man,
and his aptitude for his profession was
remarkable. | have heard it said that
there were more men born to make good
Presidents of the United States, than
there were to be good hotel keepers
Mr.. Nickerson certainly was one. Dur
ing the war he kept the best house in
the Confederate States, and although he
was known to be Unionist, yet his uni
form kindness to our soldiers made him
very popular. He accumulated an in
dependent fortune, much of which was
invested in his hotel. When Sherman
was at Dalton, happened to be in Col
umbia, and Mr., Nickerson asked me il
| thought Sherman would ever reach
Atlanta? | replied, yes. He then
said. N7l 5t alN
Do you think hewill get to Colum-
bia2 III r.. pI
replied, If he ever passes Kenne-
saw Mountain, he will sweep over the
country like the waters of a mill-dam
broke loose, and the very point he will
make for will be Columbia. 4i
At this Mr.. Nickerson looked con-
cerned, and he asked me, in very earn
est manner, what | would advise him to
do in such an event. Said L; ,Egsta
When Sherman gets here, make
friends of the mammon of unrighteousi
ness; place your houses, your horses,
your wines, and everything else you
have, at his disposal and ask him to pro-
tect you. This is the only course for
you to pursue, This may save you; !
know of nothing else. " t.,.,
In due time Sherman reached Colum-
bia; the city was sacked and burned, and
Nickerson, like everybody else, lost all
he had, After the surrender at Char
lotte, was returning home, and in pass
lixg through Columbia, called on Nicker-
SON. He was living in a small house ON
the outskirts of what was once the city.
He looked haggard, and l may almost
say despairing. After bidding me wei
come, he said;
swell, Colonel, | took your advice.
When Sherman got here, turned over
all l had to him and his staff wore
myself down in waiting on them, and at
eight o'clock in the evening | went to
my room and put on my slippers and
threw myself on the bed for a short nap.
had scarcely composed myself, when
Isaac, whom you knew well as my bill
lard marker, came rushing into my room
and said to me- Mr.. Nickerson, you
had better get Mrs. Nickerson out of this
hotel, they are going to burn this town
at nine o'clock He says he was so
bewildered that he simply remarked:
Great God, nor i't
Yes they are,' said Isaac, "because
| heard General Barnes and the officers
say that the, fire would commence at
nine o'clock, while | was waiting on
them at supper.
Nickerson said the boys manner was
SO earnest, and his expression so indica-
tive of alarm, that he rushed down stairs,
and as he approached the Office, he saw
| the staff officers examing his horse blan-
kets. Great heavens, gentlemen, what
does this mean2' They sneeringly re-
piled: 1--WE just thought we would APP
propriats these, as you will not need
them any more. He then went to Gen
eral Barnes aud begged him to save his
house, which he agreed to do, and or
dered detachment of men to be in
readiness. Nickerson then commenced
to collect all the blankets and had them
saturated, and even procured an engine.
Sure enough, at 3 o clock, the rockets
went up, and in ten minutes the whole
city was in flames, and thousands of
poor women and children we're running
to and fro, shrieking and screaming in
despair and alarm. Nickerson succeeded
in preventing the flames from reaching
his house for some time, until a band of
soldiers came rushing into the house and
called for him to. bring out Confeder-
ate flag, which they had heard he had.
"Bring it out, d-n you, or we will mur-
der you" He brought it out and they
trarnpled it under footand then proceeded
to cut the hose and fire his house. He
said: O. rl na-i a-ifead $3.50
"In ten minutes more was ruined
man, / stood bewildered and broken
spirited, looking upon the charred runs
of all that was left me of long life OF
energy and toll. " eI ir 8re
And yet sherman says Hampton
burned Columbia X. A. a.