Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-10-20
The Late Terrible Fires.

uS IcTTlUle uFeS Wulcu nave ueSlTUyeu
Chicago and swept away farms, barns,
stock and villages over an area of 5000
square miles west of the Mississippi are a
national calamity, and touch the tenderest
chords of the national heart It is to be
hoped that common sorrow will soften
the asperities of sectional feeling, and
reach even such men as Gsorge William
Curtis and Thomas Mast, and such papers
as Harper's Weekly, whose mission has
been to abuse (undoubtedly) great talen s.,
for the purpose Of exciting hatred, instead
of brotherly love, between the North and
the South.
In the South, except New Orleans.
there were no such large cities as Chica-
90; but Atlanta, Columbia, Rome, Mari
eta, the University of Alabama, the farms,
barns, stock and villages, burned by order
of Gen. Sherman, present, in the aggre-
gate. a picture as appalling as Chicago.
Involving in its distress and misery, per-
haps, even greater number of innocent
and hel pless women and children.
In his ''Great March to the Sea-" Maj.
Nichols. Aid de- Camp to Gen. Sherman,
says. on page 81: November 13.-Be-
hind US we leave track of smoke and
fame. Half of Marietta was burned up
for the command is that proper details
shall be made to destroy all property which
can ever be Of use to the rebel armies, x
fs Dwelling houses are levelled to the
ground. x x Yesterday. as some OF
-<.-sst -. aa were marching towards Chetta-
hoochie river. they saw in the distance
pillars of smoke rising along its banks. -
The bridges were in flames. Said one.
hitching his musket on his shoulder. in a
free and easy way: 1 say, Charley. be-
lievn Sherman has set the river on fire. F"
On page 38. ''Atlanta is entirely de-
serted by human beings, excepting few
soldiers here and there. The houses are
vacant; there is no trade or traffic of any
kind; the streets are empty. Beautiful
roses bloom 10 the gardens of fine houses.
but a, terrible stiffness and solitude covers
all, depressing the hearts even of those
who are glad to destroy it. In the peace
full homes of the North there can be no
conception how these people have suffered
for their crimes
"AAanta, night Of the 18th Novenaber.
A grand and awful spectacle is presented
to the beholder in this beautiful city, now
in flames By order. the chief engineer
has destroyed by powder and fire all the
store houses, depot buildings and machine
shops. The heaven is one expanse of lu-
rid fire, the air is filled with flying, burn
ing cinders: buildings covering two hum
dred acres are in ruins or in flames. Ev-
cry instant there is the sharp detonation
or the smotbered booming sound Of ex-
ploding shells and powder. concealed in
the buildings; and then the sparks and
flames shoot away up into the black and
red roof, scattering cinders far and wide. :"
Now that all deplore these national ca
lamities-one directed by bitter hatred,
the other by the hand of Gods it not a
fitting time to smother the fires of hatred
which are ignited and kept alive by Rad
ical oppression of the South Let the
voice Of the people be heard, let the sheen
of the bayonet and glimmer Of the sabre
be no longer seen in the land; and the
whole people will demand constitutional
government, securing prosperity and hap
piness.-E0ening Journal.