Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-09
From tbs Rich mond Dispatch.
The Burning of Columbia.

us tuty WtIe.
From ths Richmond Dispatch.
The Burning of Columbia.
1t may now be considered as settled
that no Confederate, whether officer or
private, had aught to do with the
burning of Columbia, S. c., at the
close of the late war, and that that city
acds burned by Federal troops.
David Jacobs, large loser by the
fire, last week took in Baltimore the
testimony of General Wade Hampton
and others. General Hampton testified
that he was the last Confederate officer
in the town, and that he left just before
the entry of the Federal cavalry,
leaving no Confederate troops there.
He states positively that at this time
there were no fires in progress in Co
lumbia.
When asked what orders were given
in reference to the disposition of the
cotton in Columbia Immediately prior
to the 18th of February, General
Hampton stated that an order had
been issued by General Beauregard on
the 14tn to Major Allen J. Green, the
post commander, to have the cotton
moved out of the warehouses to
a place where it could be burned, if
it became necessary to do SO, without
endangering the town. Not having
the transportation at his disposal,
Major Green had placed itin the streets.
On the night of the 10th, when
General Hampton was assigned to duty
at Columbia, he called General Beau
regards attention to the position of his
cotton, telling him that if it was burn
ed it would endanger the town, and
urged him to order that the cotton
should not be burned. This he did.
Being asked whether that order not to
fire the cotton had been carried out by
the Confederates, he answered that he
knew by official investigation and by
personal observation that it had not
been fired by them.
On the morning of the 18th, General
Hampton directed the officers under
his command to withdraw their men
from Columbia and its vicinity, as the
city WAS to be surrendered and no Of
fenslve acts were to be committed.
The mayor, with flag of truce, met
the leading column of the Federal ar
my, composed of Stones brigade, and
surrendered the city. General Hamp-
ton had moved out by the Asylum road
with one of Buffers brigades, and sta
toned himself at the upper boundary
street, facing toward Richardson street.
From the position he occupied he COM
manded Il view of the whole town and
vicinity. He saw the mayor come back
with the flag, and surrounded by col
umns of troops.
General Hampton's testimony is of
itself sufficient to settle the question
He saw with his own eyes the Federal
rnl =,
with them and saw that there was no
fire i'll the town. 1t thus appears clear
that the town was not only fired by
Federal troops, but after they had no
sort of excuse, seeing it had been sur
rendered peaceably-without the least
resistance.
Yet Mr.. Jacobs was not content to
rest his case here. Gen. Hampton's
testimony was cOrrODOrated by Assist
amt Adlutant- General Lowndes, whose
testimony before another body was
read. Lowndes testified that Gen.
Hampton directed Lowndes to Issue an
order directing that no cotton should
be burned. "This did at once" saws
LOwndes. ''aDd when | left Columbia,
which [ did after the entrance of the
Federal troops, not one bale of cotton
was burned, nor had any been fired by
our troops. At the time, I was Assist
ant Adiutant General for Gen. Hamp-
ton
The next affidavit produced by Gen.
Hampton was that of Gen. VI. c. But
Ter. Gen. Butler was Il division com
mandcr under Gen. Hampton. He
swears that he Withdrew from Column
hia about 10 \. NJ on the morning of
the 18th, Just as the advance of the |
Federal troops had reached the sub !
urhs of the town; that no cotton was |
burning when he left as far as he could |
observe. and none would have been |
fired without his orders; that he re- |
manned in the suburbs Of the city for !
two hours after it had been occupied !
by the Federal troops, and that when |
he left he could see no evidence of cot !
ton burning. He further SAYS that |
L icutenant-General Hampton, on the |
morningof the evacuation, had directed !
him that the cotton must not be fired,
inasmuch as the Mayor had gone out
To meet Gen. Sherman to surrender
the city and ask his protection Gen.
Batter further states that the Confed-
crates retired from the city quietly,
without firing or doing anything which
would provoke and justify violence on
tilt tls.AL VI LiC ulOOpS III.
General Hampton here explained that
the only fire i'll Columbia for forty-eight
hours previous to the entrance of the
Federal troops was the burning of
railroad depot, and this he proved by
Il letter from General Beauregard, was
an accidental fire. General Hampton
also gave it as his opinion that the
cotton, which we suppose caused all
the fires, caught from the smoking of
the Federal soldiers, who stacked their
arms when they came in, any sat down
on the cotton. General Hampton said
there was no disorder of any kind in
Columbia @hes. the Federal troops
entered HIS produced the sworn testi>
mony of IL negro man by the name of
William Beverly Nash, at present
from Richmond county, and
who was q delegate to the Philadelphia !
Convention which nominated Geliera
Grant, that the Federal troops did fire |
he city Of Columbia, and that General ,
Hampton had nothing to do with it. q
General Hami, ton went on to state (
hat, in a conversation with General {
90. Howard, the latter said that his,
Towards, troops burned the city.
This conversation took PLACE in the
office of Hon, James L. Orr,
who Is now United States Minister to
Russia. hut who WAS then Governor of {