Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-16
WASHINGTON.
Ex.President johnson on Hand


To Lift the vefi Of she Slrratt Horror.
New YORK, Sept. l5.--A Washington
dispatch says ex-President johnson is ex-
pected in that city to-day for the purpose of
taking part in the controversy now going on
respecting the trial and execution of Mrs,
Surratt. BE will, it is supposed, endeavor
to controvert the statements of Judge Ad-
vocate General Holt on the point as to
whether the courts recommendation to
mercy was ever presented to him or not.
Several Months Behind His Duties.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15.-J. r. Dodge,
ststistician of the Department of Agricul-
ture, has returned from Vienna, and Is care
fully examining and comparing the crop re-
ports for June, July. August and Septem-
Der.
The Revenue Dtstiller.
Atelegram from the special sgent engaged
in examining the accounts Of Internal Reve-
nue. Collector Harper, in Illinois, states that
the amount ofthe defalcation is $i06,74S
GEN. Sherman Ashamed of the Van.
dalism of Burning Columrfa.
The Chronicte publishes the following let
ter from Gen. Sherman in relation to the
burning Of Columbia addressed to the edi-
tor:
"DEAR SIR-When you applied to me
,ome time ago for material bearing on the
controversy of who burned Oolembia,'
gave you two printed pamphlets which I
had obtained from Judge Holt, containing
all tho testimony taken in the cotton cases
growing ont OF that event, and submitted
to the Mixed Commission appointed to ad
judicate these cases under the treaty with
Great Britain. Judge Holt could have OBJ
tanned testimony Of ~ the eight or ten
thousand officers and soldiers who were at
or near Columbia when the conhagration
occurred; but he thought he had enough
without putting the Government to the ex-
pense of bringing more witnesses from a
distance. l suppose that he did not sum
mon Col. Stone, who commanded the lead
ing brigade of the fifteenth corps, because
he did not know where to find him; GER
tainly cid not know bis whereabouts till he
voluntarily published his statement, Inmy
official report of the affair, published before
the close of the war, when Gen. Wade
Hampton was fighting us, and not when Gas
be alleged) he was aprisoner Of war, re-
ferred incidently to fact Of which l had
knowledge, that small detachment Of the
18th corps had passed oyer tho Congraee,
had entered Columbia, and hoisted q flag
on the new State-house in advance of the
regular entry Of the Fifteenth corps, which
had made q circuit to cross the two
branches, the Saluda and the Broad, which
make the Congaree. l treated the per-
formance of this detachment as somewhat
irregular; but the men who composed it
now become important witnesses, end
herewith inclose copies of their written
statements, together with the official re-
ports, which explain the whole affair.
"These witnesses go back to q time
three quarters of an hour before the entry
of the head of Stones brigade, and about
two hours ahead of the time 1 personally
reached the piles of burning cotton, of
which there were many; and invite your
careful persual OF their statements, for they
are positive that they saw rebel cavalry
soldiers ripping open bales Of cotton and
applying fire. They also saw rebel soldiers
plundering stores on Main stree, which
Gen. Hampton attributes to our men, and
they further positively assert that Hampton
had already gone out of Columbia, so that
be could not ard did not see bis men Apply
ing the fire. Now Hampton admi that
cotton was rolled out in the streets ior the
purpose of burning, but that he forbade
burning lest the fire should extend to the
houses; and reiterate that no matter what
bis orders were, men Of bis army, either his
rear guard or bis strsgglers, did apply fire,
and that this was sufficient cause for all
else that followed.