Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-09-13
BURNING OF COLUMBIA.
Did shermaa or Hampton Do Isl

A writer in the Atlanta (Ga-l PEonSz-
lion, writing over the signature Of sR. A.
A, says
a lew weeks ago saw the announce
ment OF the sudden deaih of Mr.. I. 81
NIckerson, the former proprietor Of
Nickersons Hotel, at C6lumbia s. G..
and more recently in charge Of TIE
ScTeven House, Savannah. ] saw thiu
news with regret, as he was warm.
hearted, amiable and benevolent man
and his aptitude for his profession was
remarkable. I have heard il said that
there were more men born to make GOOD
Presidents of the United States than there
were TO be good hotel keepers M
Nickerson certainly was one. DURING
the war, he kept the best hozse in the
Confederate States, and although he waa
known to be Unionist, yet his uniform
kindness TO our soldiers made him verY
popular. he accumulated an indenend-
ent fortune, much OF which was invested
N his hotel When Sherman was AZ
Dalton, l happened to be in Columbia.
and Nh. Nickerson asked me if / Thought
Sherman would evsr reach Atlsufa3 =
LOos LAG .uEu eMII-
bis2n
Ireplied: 'Tf he ever passes Ksnhe-
saw Mountain, be viii sWess over the
country Like the waters of q mill.danr
broke loose, and the very point he will
make for will be Columbia. y
At this Mr.. Nickerson looked con
cerned, and he asked me, in very earn
est manner, what / would advise him 10
do, 10 such sn event. Said I.
when Sherman gets here, make
friends of the mammon of baiqhteous
ness; place your house, your horses, yOur
wines, and everything else that you have,
at bis disposal, and ask him to protect
you This is ths 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 Chsr-
lotte, was rsturning home, and in pass
ing through Columbia, called on Nieker
son. He was living in small house or
the outskirts of what was once the city.
He looked haggzrd, and l may almost
say despairing. After bidding me well
come, he said:
'WslL Colonel, took your advice.
When Sherman got here, turned over
all | had to him and his staff. I wore
myself down in waiting on them, aud a.
eight O'Clock in the evening went to NY
room and put on my slippers snd threw
myself on the bed for 8 short nap. /
had scarcely composed myself, when
Isaac, whom you knew well IS my bil-
liard-marker, came rushing into my NON
and said to me: 'sMr. Nickersoa, YOU
had better get Mrs. NickersOn ont of his
hotel; they are going to burn this town AZ
aiue O'clockl' He says he was 30 be-
that he simply remarked:
Great God, noIn ...a.r ,.if-
''Yes, they sre,n said Isaac, '.becsuse
heard Gen. Barnes and the officers say
hat the fire would commence at nine
''clock, while | was waiting on them st
upper" ,
Nickerson said the boys mznner was
10 earnest, and his expression 80 indica-
i've of alarm, that he rushed down snlirs,
md as he approached the Office. be saw
he staff officers examining his horse
blankets. 'AGreat heavens, gentlemen,
what does this meant" They sneer-
ngly replied: ssWe Just thought
We would appropriate these, as you viii
not need them say more" He then went
70 Gen. Barnes and begged him to save
his house, which he agreed 70 do, and or
1ered detachment Of men 10 be in read
mess. Nicksrson then commenced 10
collect all the blankets snd had them sat-
urated, and even procured sn engine.
Sure enough, st o'clock the rockets
went up, and in ten minutes the whole
city was in flames, and thousands of poor
women and children were running 70 and
fro, shrieking and screaming In despair
and alarm Eickerson suecseded in pre-
renting the flames from reaching Ms
house for SUES time, until band of
Ioldiers came rushing into ths house and
:alled for BIN to bring oct CorfederRte
lag which they had hesri he had
t'Bdng Il out, ID you, or we will
murder you" He brought it out and
hey tramped it under foot and then pro-
,eeded to cut the hose aud fire his house.
He said
"Ia ten minutes more i was ruined
nan. [ stood bewildered and broken
.pirr.ed, looking upon the chsrred runs
If sll taat was left me Of long hte OF
lnergy and toll
And yet ebermsp says Hampton
burned Columbisi