Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-09-15
WHO BURNED CoLumBIa
A New VersiOn of am Old stor


A writer in the Atlanta, Ca, PIantot.
writing over the signature of "R.
says: a.
A few weeks ago I saw the anno,
nent OF the sudden death of Mr.. n g
Nickerson, the former proprietor Of N;.S
erson's Hotel. at Columbia. g n NICK
more recently in charge of the Sc,o aug
House. Savannah. saw this news ,s!s1
regret, as he was a hearted. a,,;ot,n
and benevolent man, and his aptitnda sN
his profession was remarkable. T Lr
heard it said that there were more lave
born to make good presidents of the IT,; u
ted States than there were to be ooo,
hotel-keepers. Mr.. Nickerson certe;nIa
was one. During the war, he kent tbs
best house in the Confederate States anS
although he was known to be Union;ae
yet his uniform kindness to our soId;as,'
made him very popular. He accumnIatas
an Independent fortune, much of Whit
was invested in his hotel. When Sha. u
man was at Dalton, I happened To ha =
Columbia, and Mr.. Nickerson asked mo e
l thought Sherman would ever reach A.
lanta I replied, Yes" He then sais,
lumbia.?"
L replied eff be evar passes Kama
saw Mountain, he will sweep over tbo
country like the waters of a mill dam broke
loose, and the very point he will make for
will be Column ia."
At this Mr.. Nickerson looked concerned
and he asked me, in very earnest man
ner, what would advise him to do. in
such an event. Said I
''When Sherman gets here, make friends
of the mammon of unrighteousness place
your house, your horses, your wines, and
everything else that you have, ut his dis
posal, and ask hiCa to protect you. This
is the only course for you to pursue. This
may save you; know of nothing else."
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 Charlotte. 7
was returning home, and in passing
through Columbia called on Nickerson.
He was living in small house on the out.
skirts of what WIS once the CITY. Hs
looked haggard, and may almost saw
despairing. After bidding me welcome.
he said:
"Well, Colonel, I took your advice.
When Sherman got here, I turned over all
had to him and his staff. I 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 @ short nap. I mad scarcely
composed myself when Isaac, whom you
knew we'll as my billiard-marker, came
rushing into my room and said to me:
"Mr. Nickerson, you had better get Mrs.
Nickersou ont of this hotel; they are going
to burn this town at nine O'Clock % He
says he was so bewiIdered that he simply
remarked: "Great God, nc -
eyes thew are - Raid Isaac SshacaueaT
heard General Barnes and the officers say
that the fire would commence at 8 O'Clock,
while was waiting on them at supper"
Nickerson said the boys manner was 50
earnest, and his EXPRESSION so indicative Of
alarm. that he rushed down stairs, and as
he approached the office, he saw the staff
officers examining his horse blankets
"Great heavens, gentlemenf what does
this mean ?" They sneeringIy replied
eve just thought we would appropriate
these, as you will not need them any
more" He then went to General Barnes
and begged him to save his house, which
ment of men to be in readiness. Nicker-
son then commenced to collect all the
blankets, and had them saturated, and
even procured an engine
Sure enough, at nine o'clock, the rock.
cts went up, and in ten minutes the whole
city was in flames, and thousands of poor
women and children were running to and
fro. shrieking and screaming in despair
and alarm. Nickerson succeeded in pre-.
venting the flames from reaching his
house for some time, until band of SOL
diers came rushing into the house and
called for him to bring out q Confederate
flag which they had heard he had. :
bring it out, d-n you, or we will MUIR
der you. He brought it out, and they
trampled it under foot and then proceed
ed to cut the hose and fire his house. He
said
"In ten minutes more I was q ruined
man. I stood bewildered and broken.
spirited, looking upon the charred ruins
of all that was left me of long life OF
energy and toll"
And yet Sherman says Hampton burn.
ed Columbia