Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-06-03
The Burning Of Columbia.
An Uaiatensi0naz Confession 1v one of .sAe,.
mans Bumaters

=
The Columbus (Ga.9 Sssn ami; Times nnb>
F fishes the following letter, whic,. was found
in the streets OF Columbia imrediatelv after
the army:of General Sherman had left. and
the original of which, has been preserved and
can be shown and substautiated::
CAMP NEAR CAMDEN. S. G..
February 90, 1865.
MY Dear BD;fs;:. I have no time for par
ticuars. We have a gldFiohs time in this
State. Unrestrained license 80 burn aud
plumber was The order Of tho day. The
chivalry have been stripped of most of their
vaiuables. Gold watches. silver pitchers. cups,
spoons, forks, &c:, are as common in camp as
blackberries. The terms of plumber are as
follows: The valnables Procured are esti-
mated by companies each Company is res
CURED to exhibit the results OF its operations
at any given place-one fifth aud first choice
falls to the share of the commanIer in, chief
and staff, one fifth to the corps commanders
and staff, one'f'th To field ulcers of regi-
ments. two>hiths to the company
Officers are not allowed to join these expe-
d'tlons without Disgusting themselves as pri-
Yates Ooe OF our corps Commanders bor-
rowed a suit of rough clothes from one Of NV
men, and was successful in this place. He
thugs an old>tine milk p'tcherl and a very
fne gold watch, from Mr.. DeSuassnre ut
this place. DeSaussnre is one of.the F. II. VS.
OF South Carolina, and was made 10 fork over
literally: Officers over the rank of captain
are not made to put their plumber in the es>
Innate for general distrfheti6n. This is very
unfair, and for that reason, in order to. pro-
tect themselves. subordinate officers and pr;-
Yates keep back everything tina. they can car
~ about their persons. snch as rings car>rinys.
breastpins, &C., of which if I ever live to
get home. l have about quart am not
joking-t have at least quart of iewery for
you aud the girls, and some No. 1 diamond
rings and pins among them. Gen. Sherman
has silver and gold enough to start bank.
His share In gold watches aud chains alone at
Columbia was two hundred aud seventy five
(275.)
Blu. said T could not 20 into par.iculors
AL the general officers and many besides have
valuables of every description down to ladies'
pocket handkerchiefs. CT have nv share of
them. too.) We have took gold and silver
enough srom the id rebels to have re-
deemed their informal currency twice over
IhIs (the currency whenever we come across
It, we burned, as We considered it utterly
worthless.
I wish all tho jesclry this army has could
be carried to the Odd Bay State" Itwould
deck her out in glorious style. but alas. il will
be scattered all over the North, and Middle
States. Tire id nigecrs as general rule.
prefer to stay at home, particularly after thew
found out that we only wanted the able
bodied men. Sometimes we took off whole
families and plantations Of niggers. BY way
OF repaying sccc>sinnists. Eut the useless
part of them we snon n4n4vs sometimes in
crossing rivers fnn. lay o'hor WAYS.
shall write to Won again frnn WrIninrtop,
Golashc*o, or some otttsr place. in North
Carolina. The order to march has arrived,
and | must clnsc hnrredIv Love IL Grand
mother Aunt Charlotte. Take care of YOUR,
self and the children. Dent show this letter
out of the family.
our aHectinna!e husband
THOMAS j. MYERS
i.'c,rtenant &c
p. 81 will send this b. the first fac Of
truce TO tie mailed unless have an orn0r,
tun'ty OF sending it to Hilton Head Tell
Saltie am saving pearl bracelet AMI car
rings for ner; but Lambert got the nccklace
and brcast- pin of tho same set am irving
to trade him out of them. These were taken
from the Misses Jam;son- d VI .htcr. of the
President of South Caroline Secessinn Cons
vcntion. We found these on our trip through
Georgia.
This letter was addressed to "Mrs Thomas
Myers, Boston, Mass"