Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-14

caDvas-DOstOm pOnt0On-b0zts, two miles
above the city,, laid on our arms till dawn,
and then attacked, carrying everything be-
fore us.
This remark would often be heard:
"Here is where treason began, and, by Cd
here is where 1t shall end"
This feeling of hatred was intensified as
we approached Columbia.
The Mayor met US near the city, and
made formal ''u' conditional surrender"
had refused any other; but, upon his &C
ceptirg, at once promised protection for ali
private property. r .s..
As we entered one of the princi pal streets,
the sidewalks were lined with negroes of
every age, sex and condition, holding in their
arms vessels of every conceivable size and
shape, filed with almost every conceivable
kind of liquor. Here was an old white
wooded man, who, with "Lord bress you,
ma; So, try soms dis, !" offered brandy from q
gourd that had been filled from the bucket
held in his hand. Others were offering
wines, champagne, etc, from original pack
ages, tin cups, crooks, etc. Officers were
at once reminded that their men, consider
ing their fatigue of the past few days, their
sharp fight OF the morning, their loss of
sleep and food for the past twenty-four
HCIC III W UIllh
liquor. !
The temptation offered was too great to
Withstand by all, and, in spite of strenuous
efforts Of officers, within thirty minutes
no inconsiderabie number of my comma nj
were Intoxicated. This had occurred dur
ing my absence to plant our La iona coIors
On the State house, and had returned in
great haste, as Gen. Hsnpton's cavalry had
attacked my advance guard and threatened
Q charge on the brigade, Harsh measures
had TO be adopted at once, and those drunk
were put under guard, and, so soon as the
enemy had been compelled to retire, l at
once had the entire brigade distributed
through the city.
Up TO this time no fires had occurred in
any part of the city save those of public
building and quartermssler's stores, fired
by the enemies the day before we entered,
/ think, but which fire had not extended,
and did not extend to any part Of the oily.
The streets In some iaces had contained
bales of cotton, which had been cut open,
Ard these caught fire twice or three times
during the day; but these fires had been
prom pity put out by some Of the firemen of
the city, aided by detail of soldiers under
charge of an officer.
BY this time | realized how much too
small my command of 2,200 men was to
properly guard city of 40, 600 inhabitants,
rich almost beyond conception in such
stores as we coveted. In addition to their
own-more than ordinarily found anyw here
Richmond and Charleston had sent for
safe keeping all their surplus.
represented to Gen. Woods, command
ing the division. how inadequate my COM
mSDd was to the task, particularly as this
was the capital of South Carolina. And,
while be expressed himself as of my opin-
ion, he could do nothing further than to
refer me TO Gen. Logan, commanding the
corps.
Logan expressed himself even more
strongly than Woods had dsne, that my
| command was too small for the provost
| duty Of Columbia; but said that Towards
| orders were one brigade must guard the
| city, and he coIld not change them.
InoW had iniimaLion that the Union Off
GERS released by us from the city prison had
| formed society, 70 which had been added
many members from our soldiers and the
negroes, and the object of which society was
| to burn Columbia.
Col. ID. z. Palmer, commanding my
regiment, the Seventy-tifth Iowa, and TO
whom | had Entrusted the charge of the
most dangerous part of the city, VIZ: that
on the river and in "Cotton Town." con-
iirmed my opinion that there was plot to
burn the city, by telling me several fires
had started in his istrict, that he had sue
ceeded in putt G them out SO far, but could
not hold out much Ion ar, and that in his
opinion the next one would fire the city.
The wind after sunset had increased IL
violence, and, about O'Clock, was blowing
almost ahurric&ne from Col. Palmer's dis.
trict right towards the heart of the city.
All at once fifteen or twenty flames, from as
many different places along the river, shot
up, aud III ten minutes the fate of Colum
bia was settled rv1sv
Most of the officers, and many of the
men, worked like heroes all night in saving
property and life.
Gen. Sherman set the example, and often
during the night / noticed him as bard at
work as any private soldier or fireman.
By the next morning it was discovered
the guard had been too small; and, although
q square mile of the heart of the city had
been eaten out, and the mems appetite for
revenge sstiated, yet it was then considered
that division of troops was neces-
sSry for provost duty. Ny command
was relieved to go into camp to rest and
recruit, as the entire command was ex-
hausted and worn out.
On our march from Columbia, one Of the
released Union officers noted above called
on me, and stated, as he had heard rumors
that had fred the city, he wanted me to
take his name and address, and, if necessa-
~, use him, as his testimony would entire
ly exonerate me from. such charges.
. Prisoners were always treated well by
their captors. "JohDny" and 'tYank" We'd
/ in sharing with each other his last piece Of
corn-dodger or ration of coffee. 1t was
only when cur men got into the hands OF
home guards that they were maltreated
/ While it's true that 4 few noble Southern
women visited the prisons in Columbia, ant
: clanGes;inely gave our sick soldiers such
! little delic2cies as cup of tea, toast, etc.
/ vet It is not less true that some Of the pris
{ oners suffered more than one can write.
One soldier told me that, when in one o
. the prisons of that cily, he had asked swo'
J man for netting TO eat, as he was starv