The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-07-09
'TfiC Burning Of Columbia.

''">''t ''Li'' .'' We, ouue 20, CIS /.
10 Br'welicr General Stone:
Your letter Of the 81 june TO tho
Chicago Tribute. has been called to
ny attention. Its genera, mir Of
lcvity is in very bad taste. The
question you uHdertako to answer
involves thc responsibility of the
'1Dost brutal outrage upon the pre-.
ton0cd civilization of this country
which has darkcned the history Of the
present century. Nevertheless, YOU
begin aud end your le:tor with tri-
ding caut, as if tho very recurrence to
thc shameful event'irrosi.tibly excl
ted your tisibles. a swath oi ;ilamc,
desoIation and rapiuc, one hundr6tl
aud fifty miles long and forty miles
wide, and CofiinGia in ashes, seem to
make you not onl y merry, but face
tious.
But | do not 'pronose to attempt TO
shame you. como to'correct some
>of>your statements, apd then givo
somc itcms of history which ought to
dissbusc your mind Of tho egregious
errors into which you woro lcd by
Ku Klux "Socicty' soldier. -.-----.-
lst. You state that while YOU wore
hastily ventilatinga your patriotism
in planting tho national colors on
tho State House, in Columbia, Gene
raj llampton's cavalry had attacked
.yo0r'tdvance guard and threatened n
charge on your brigade. If you
wish to create tic impfcssion that,
after the surrender of the city Aid its
occupation by tho United States
troops, Con. HAMPTON either charged
or threatened to charge your brigade
or any other brigade in the CITY, YOU
arc attempting to fulsify tbs facts.
General Hampton rodo out of
the city as you entered it, about 8
or 10 o'clock, Friday morning.
.14o had only an escort with him, and
hearing TINT the city had DO, sur
rdnndod, only remained to protect tho
people and preserve order uptil it's
formal POSSESSION by tho United
States troops.
If thcro was ovon littlo skirmish-
ing during that day it occurred sovcr.
al milos from the oity, md that with
advanced cavalry, which pushed for
ward OH the different roads leading
TO Winnsbdro.
That lprctext for bad feeling, pro
vocation and the subsequent dis
graceful scenes in tho city is utterl,
Without foundation. The state IN ent
is false.
I'd. You try to apologize for your
inability to control your men, and
guard such population as you thor
had in charge with only some 3,2O(
men, md to mnko your case vrrj
strong, YOU sav a n"r"'"';"n OF IT,
WV.
Eiiiculously absurd! Tho largest
population Of Columbia at any time
during tho war did not exceed some
10000 or $4,000. At the timo you
cntctod tho city, there were possibly
some 500 men, old and young, and
about 5000 women and children.
The released Union prisoners, the
murdercre, the burglars, 60, in the
gail were, all told, $50, and this body
must have CONSTITUTED that formidn,
bio society which despite yoNr efforts,
assisted by his generous Tcoum.
tehsbip, multiplied into thousands o,
fully uniformed soldiers, who hunt.
ing in packs of from ten to forty
ransaoked inside of throe hours every
house within. an are. closely built,
say Of ono mile square, demolishing,
rotbing, burning, insulting, and car
rying off by tho ton silver plate, valua-
blcs, pictures, No., 60. I have no
language to characterize your state:
mcHt.
9rd. TO Keep sharply in view tho
peculiarly raw place in tho Northern
heart, to barrow it for general cfloot
and to awaken an already plumber:
suboIned sympathy, you refer to tho
maltrcatmont Of tho prisoners In
Columbia.
Its all romance, laboriously worked
up since tho war. The "clandestiuo'
feature and the "fcw noble Southern
women" is An Investment in popular
sentiment that may be good yet,
whero q munchau.cn lie has more be
lovers than tho plaincst truth of
either Bible or history.
~ o"' W guy COuple-nO
Southern blood, no not ono drop.
whose Southern sympathics duringthe
war knew Eo bounds, but who immc Q.
diatoly at it's closc, pretended some
wonderful acts Of "clandestipe',
generosity. But I had bofore heaft
That they wore given TO acts Of
"cladcstinc' generosity.
But l answer tho insinuation By
iacts. ewished to return some oour.
ses'es to the officers of command,
then our prisoners, bit who had
kindly treated somo members
Of my family captured by tho
U. 5. Froops. I called on tfin
Major, commanding tue guard, and
stated tho faoeb. He up6esitat;nci1 :
sent for them. Thew wore oomo c..