Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-08
BURNING 0F COLUMBIA.
Gen, HOMard,s Troops The Incen-
diaries.

stafen.anss of gen. waxe hampton
Gen. Beauregard and Others-Ths
Clay RenesfuE Before the Ensry Oi
Ehe Federal TroOps-Gen. sherman's
Admissions 1fsat the Federal Troops
had Fired the City. ~
| x u From the NewHcrk Tribune.
.BALuhoRE, Md. ,SAprd 29.-In The
burning of the city of Columbia, S. c., on
the night Of Febg III 665glarge Quantities
/ of cotton were consumed, some Ct which
belonged 10 British A subjects, .sevefal of
whom have fled claims before the Mixed
Commission on British aud American
claims AZ WashlDgton. One of Che largest
losers was David Jacobs, who claims $780,
600. HIS counsel has visited various, paris
OF the country TO obtain testimony, and last
week in this city took the sta ement of Gen.
Wade Hampton, who Commanded the Con-
federate cavalry At the time-ef the evacua-
ton Of Columbia. r-rs-. - -
~ - GEN. HAMPToN's STATEMENT.
BE Nc duly sworn before United States
Commissioner Brooks, Gen. Hampton made
the following statement: Ga the night of
the 10Th of February he received a tele.
graphic dispatch from President Davis an
nouuciDg his promotion 10 the position of
Lieutenant General and directing him to
assume command of all the cavalry in South
Carolina. Gen. Beauregard was
the COMMUNICATIONS. Con. Hamp-
tons command consisted of Wheeler;s
corps Of cavalry and division of cavalry
under Gen. N. G. Butler, amounting in all
to about 4, 100 men in and about Columbia
when Sherman advanced on the city with
$4,000 men. The only attempt to check
the advance of the Federal troops was made
at Congaree Creek by Gen. Butler, who
had under his command few of his own
and Wheeler's men and a small Kentucky
brigade under Breckenridge, the whole num-
Der not exceeding 600 men. This affair
occurred on the 18th, after which the adj
vance Of Sherman was undisputed. The
Federal army arrived opposite Columbia on
the 10th, and without any warning began
to shsll the town in every direction. Hunts
Hotel, where Gen. Bsauregard had his
headquarters, was struck by piece of shell;
two or three shells struck the workshops;
passed through the old Statehouse, and
three struck the new Sbatehouse, the
marks of which are still to be seen. Some
of the shells were thrown as far as the Char
lotte road, which is two miles from the river,
and some passed near tie asylum, which
is the northeastern boundary of the city.
The Smelling took place on the morning of
the 10Th, and during that night the Federal
troops commenced the passage Of the river.
On the morning OF the 18th Gen. Hampton
directed the officers under his command 10
withdraw their men from Columbia and its
vicinity, as the city was to be surrendered
and no offensive acts were to be committed
The Confederate troops were ordered to be
moved 10 WinGsboro. When Gen. Beau.
regard was advised of what had been done
be left the city and also went eff toward
Winnsboro, feeling quite unweu at the
time. Gen. Hampton then instructed the
Mayor of Columbia, DR.. T. j. Goodwin,
to send out flag Of truce to meet the ad-
vance guard OF Shsrman's army and TO an.
nounce that the city was evacuated, and
that he had come ont TO surrender it. This
was about O'Clock on the morning
OF the 18th. Gen. Hampton gave the
Mayor directions how to proceed,
where to go, and what he was 10 do;
he then called his attention to the cotton
that was lying along Richardson street, and
recommended that he should put a guard
over it, telling him there was danger that it
would take fire, and that If it did SO, it
would endanger the city. This cotton had
been removed from the warehouses where
it bad been stored, in order to transport it
to the open fields adjoining the city, where
it might be burned, but finding there was
not sufficient means for Transportation it was
left in Richardson street. The Mayor, with
flag of truce, met the leading column of
the Federal army, composed of Stones
hrirraHa nd -,
Hampton had moved out BY the Asylum
road with one of Buffers brigades, and
stationed himself at the upper boundary
street, facing toward Richardson street.
From the position he occupied, he COM
manded view Of the whole town and
vicinity. Hesaw the Mayor come back with
the flag, and surrounded by columns of
troops. 1t was about 10 a. IN. when the
Federal troops entered Columbia, and
about 8. N. when Gen. Hampton hi d the
conversation with the Mayor in the vicinity
of the cotton. There were no Confederate
troops in Columbia when the Federal army
entered. Gen. Hampton was the las. off
Ger in the town, and he left just prior to the
entry of the Federal army. He states
positively that up to that time there were
no fires in progress in Columbia. When
asked what orders were given in reference
TO the disposition Of the cotton in Column
bia Immediately prior to the 18th of Febru-
ny, Gen. Hampton stated thai an order had
been issued by Gen. Beauregard on the
18th, to Major Allen j. Greene, the post
commander, to have the cotton moved out
of the warehouses to place where it could
be burned, if it became necessary to do SO,
without endangering the town. Not haV-
ing the transportation at bis disposal, Major
Greene had placed it in the streets. On
the night of the 10th, when Gen. Hampton
was assigned to duty at Columbis, he called
Gen. Beauregard's attention to the pos ton
of this cotton, telling him that if it was
burned it would endanger the town, and
urged him to order that The cotton should
not be burned. This be did. Being asked
whether that order not to fire the cotton
had been carried out by the Confsderates,
he answered that he knew, By official in
vestigation and by personal observation,
that it had not been fired by them.
AFFIDAVITS AND LETTERS OF CoNFED.
ERATE OFFICERS.
Gen. Hampton then produced a number
of atiidavits bearing upon the point. The
first was that of Capt. Rawlns Lowndes,
a. A. G. OF the Confederate Army, ad-
dressed to Chancellor Carroll, Chairman Of
the Committee appointed to investigate the
facts connected with the burning of Column
bis. Capt. Lowndes states that after Gen.
Hampton assumed command of the caval-
ry, on the morning Of the 18th of February,
he told him LOwndes) that Gen. Beaure-
gard had determined not to burn the cot
ton, and he (HamptoD) directed Lowndes
to issue an order that no cotton should be
fired. "This did at once" says Lowndes,
"and when l left Columbia, which l did
after the entrance of the Federal troops.
not one bale of cotton was burned, nor had
any been fred by our troops at the time
was &C ing as Assistant A. A. g. for Gen.
Hampton"
The next affidavit produced by Gen.
Hampton vas that of Gen. NJ. G.. Butler.
Gen. Butler was division commander un-
yer Gen. Hampton. He swesrs that he
withdrew from Columbia about 10 A. NJ,
on the morning of the 18th, just as the ad-
vance of the Federal troops had reached the
suburbs of the town; that no cotton was
burning when he left, as far as be could OBJ
serve, and Lone would have been fred with
out his orders; fhst be remained IN the sub
urbs of the city two hours af.er it had been