The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1873-02-05
From the Savannah News.
The Fc caIrRzIasg of Columbia, s. G.

the r. ikFEaENs Oh EOOfessHhDIsl, =. e.
In reference to the destruction of the
city of Columbia, S. c., the responsibility
of which is so stoutly denied by Gen.
Sherman and his Northern friends, and
their apparent determination to affix the
stigma on the fair name OF Gen. Wade
Hampton, Mr.. Louis j. Weber translates
and sends US the following from the
Charleston (S. c. Deutsclte Zaitung,
the organ Of the large German popula-
ton of our sister city. The article is
from the pen of its editor, Captain T.
Melchers, who is we'll and favorabIy
known in South Carolina, and who at
one time represented that State in Ger
many as Commissioner .. of.Egigration.
AS a part of the record It IS Interesting:
Very lately the question has been
considerably agitated through the press
as to who was responsible for the destruc-
tion Of the city of Columbia, S. c., il
February, 1865. English subjects who
had lost cotton there, called tor an in
vestigation to know why the city had
been burned. Gen. Sherman WAS ex-
amined, but denied that he had given any
order for the burning Of the city. Cen
eral Wade Hampton, who commanded
the Confederates, and Gen u. G. Butler
both testified and proved that Gen.
Sherman did permit the burning of the
city. Every one who without bias in
vestigates the subject is impressed with
the fact that Gen. Sherman did give the
order to burn the city. Although our
testimony may be of but little weight,
still we cannot permit the opportunity to
pass without telling what we know.
We were in Columbia shortly after
the confasration and were told by one
of the City Council, a venerable German;
that as soon as the Confederates had
evacuated the city he went out to notify
| Gen. Sherman Of the fact, he was taken
up by Gen. S. on his wagon, and togeth
er they rode into the city, followed by
the army. Sherman promised protec
ton to the citizens, provided they woulc
remain quiet. 4 fe1o hours otter tn
city acGs burning IN all directions. An
other German, Capt. Harons, keeper o
a tavern, relates that in the evenin!
a number of SAerplc,'s so77iars wcr
drinking in his place, wii1e sudde,liy
two rockets were sent up from head
quarters, and the soldiers coolly bega
setting his place on fire. On begin
them to desist, they laughed and said the
would destroy the aehole nest; such prove
to be the case. Another German citize
says: Gas I saw that the soldiers wer
setting fire on all sides, | gathered som
necessary articles Of clothing, and, wit
my family, packed them on my WACO
to await events. Soon there came
squad of ,Shernean's soldiers who set fl
to my house, but left me alone. Istarte
, to drive through the burning street
= when another party seized my hors
threw mos of the clothing into the flame
robbed me of my watch and pocket boo
. and, riding off on my horses, they lie
me with my family helpless on tt
} streets"
Such and similar testimony can
$ produced by the quantity, and yet &c
I eral Sherman denies that he is respon
t bic fcr the burning Of Columbia, S.
y The terrible suffering of the inhabitan
e can be imagined when it is rem ember
+ that the Federal soldiers made it spec
q duty to destroy all provisions they cou
Il lay hands on. Several persons died f
1t exposure and starvation, as it was s.
II time before the necessary supplies Cd
be obtained.
"Columbia's destruction is and
will be a stigma on the name of al