New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-01

disorerly elements to disturb the peace ana quos vi
the city. He said that he had not the eaSs iuo', V
Gen. sherman any ono else would nave uon'OD 80
the Federal troops had burnt the city until nc 50" "on
shermans nf ia report in which no states that the
cotton which Hampton had ordered to be pieu III 'no
streets and which had been hrod by mn uiamptoW'
had fired the town. The citizens OF Ooiunoi" "o'o
very INDIGNANT t this charge OF Gen. sherman, and they
called public meeting and appointed very large com
mitteee of which On lncellor Carroll was maze Char-
man 20 collect testimony as to the facts' Ihey
did collect facts from Mayor GOODWIN and other
leading citizens Among others who testified in regard
IN this matter was a negro named William Beverly
Nash at present Senator from Richmond county, ana
who was a delegate 10 the Philadelphia Convention
which renominated Gen. Grant. He makes an affidavit
that the Federal troops did fire the City OF Columbia ana
that Gen. Hampton had nothing TO do with it, In the
published correspondence of Gen. Sherman there Is
letter from Gen. Halleok in which he expresses wish
that IL Sherman took Charleston by some accident the
city should destroyed and that If Sherman would SOW II
with SALT might prevent the growth OF future crops OF
nuhhoation and secession TO which Gen. sherman re-
Piled that he had noticed what Gen. Halleck had sau
about Charleston. and that when he entered that city
the Fifteenth Corps would be the right wing ana so
enter the city first and II Gen. Haeck had observed
the course of that corps during the war; he must have
noticed that it generally did its work pretty WELL and ne
did not think an assault would be necessary, that no
thought Columbia bad as Charleston ana ne
doubted If he would spare the public buildings there
Gen. Hampton in his testimony quoted passage from
Mr. whtelaw Red's work, Ohio in the War;, IN rela-
ton to the burning Of Columbia:
At nightfall there suddenly came cries OF
alarm from different quarters Inc ed was En rge G morn
ton of the city was in ruins; thousands of helpless
women and children were suddenly made homeleSs-Ht
an hour in the night IN the Winter 1t was the most
monsrols barbarty the barbarous march. There Is
no reason to think that Gen. sherman knew thng vi
the purpose to burn the city which had been freely
talked about among the soldiers through the afternoon
there is 70 think that no knew wen enoHS
punish Instead no sought ndeed to shoT 1ha5
malicious intent bat from folly and want OF sense senses
Yet In the same paragraph he admits everything e1cept
the original starring of the first fire. Ocers and men
not on duty, including the officers who had long peen
imprisoned there may have assisted IN spFeauins 'o
fire after 1t had begun, and may have lndugeu IN
uncOncealed JOY at seeing the ruin OF the capai Vi
| South Carolina.
Gen Hampton went on TO state that in conversation
with Gen. o. o. Howard, the latter said that his
Howards) troops burned the city, This conversation
took place in the executive Office of the Hon. James
Orr who is now United States Minister to Russia, but
who waa then Governor Of South Carolina Gen. Howard
introduced the subject Of the burning of Columbia ana
expressed great regret that it had been DONE He SAID
that he did all he could prevent it and that no one
was certainly authorized TO that our troops ala not
! set fire to it, for saw them do so myself"
Cen Howard further stated that Sherman knew per-
fectly well that Hampton did not burn Columbia. AT
this interview with Gen. Howard, there we're present,
| Gov. Orr Gen. John S. Preston, Gen. Scott who was
| afterward Governor Of South Carolina, and Mr.. DE
| FOntaine.
In support OF this statement Gen. Hampton produced
letters from Gov Orr, Gen. Preston, and others. Gov
| Orrs letter is as follows: -. .. GOV,
DEAR SIR have received your letter, inquiring as to
my recollection OF conversation that occurred IN tne
Executive Office In Columbia in 1867, between y0urseIf
S anu ~ Coinmbja do not remember ali that was
said, but Gen. Howard sac IN substance that tne cry
fire many houses and that he tried the con
Migration he regretted the destruction Of the
going contains the substance of what he said relative to
| the destruction OF Columbia. Very respectfully o.
COLUMBIA, Jan. ?, 1878.
MY DEAR SIR: have your note asking me to state my
recollection of the conversation between Nade hampt9a
ana Gen Howard, ID the presence Oh uo,' OIl ~!
and others The substance OF the conversation was that
Gen. Howard said ana reiterated ~, tnaG no one WAS
Columbia, and he saw ihem DONG 50 IA numerous III
stances and in various localities in the town. Tue con-
versauon was almost exclusively between Gen; Hamp-
ton Gen. Howard the ether persons present sayn
OI Dr r9 Tgeze e,t9 JOHN F. PRESTON.
GEN sHERmAS's ADMISSIONS.
Dr. Goodwin the Mayor of Columbia at the time Of its
occupation by the Federal troops, in bis affidavit test
fed that with number Of leading citizens ne called
upon Gen. Sherman days after the evacuation and
in course conversation in relation to the burning OF the
city, Gen. Sherman said that he thought that his troops
burned the city, but excused them because, as he
alleged the citizens had given them liquor and made
them drunk whereas they should have destr ed all the
LIQUOR in the city before the entry OF the He did
not make any assertion that the firing OF the city was
caused by any order OF Gen. HampOn's to burn the
cotton. Gen. Howard, Gen. Blair, and other Federal
officers were present at this interview. Being asked
whether he knew from observation from information
obtained official Investigation what the practice Of
Gen. sherman in his march through South Carolina
with reference TO the burning appropriating, or
destroying public private property Gen. Hampton said
that he knew that from Columbia to the extreme limits
of South Carolina which shermans army passed through
they destroyed in part in whole every village
| they passed through. The villages of Barnwel,
Blackwell, Graham. Beaufort Bridge, Orangeburg, Lex
ingtOn, Allston Wnnsboro', Blackstock, Camden So
ciety Hill, and Cheraw all entirely partially
burned.
Gen Hampton gave HIS testimony with great clear
ness and without He said that he had no pecu
MARY interest at all in the case, but that he was nat
uray very anxious TO vndicate himself from the false
charges made against him by Gen. sherman. Before
the war, Gen. Hampton was one OF the richest mon III
the South. He is now residing in Baltimore as Pres
dent of insurance company, VITA salary or 5000
per aDnuln.