The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-05-15
WHo,tURvED COLUnBIA.
Gen. Sherman'S IL stimonJ Before the
Cl.ins Comm tssion-He vindicates
the Charsct. r Of His Troops.

In the testimony before the British and
American Mixed C,sms Commission in the
case of claim. against the United States for
cotton burned by the United States troops at
Columbis, Lieut.Gen Sherman testified as
follows:
Questions by Commissioner-Piease state
where You were when the fire broke out?
Answer by Gen Sherman-The FIRE was
burning day and half or two DAYS when
We got into Columbia, but was local, con-
fined 10 the big bridge across the river, to
depot known as the Charleston depot, close
by the bridge, and the railroad depot on the
opposite side of the town, known as the
Charlotte depot, and cotton piled up along the
uorious streets, and rLieh ras burning at least
tuelre koues before any soldier belong
ing to my armg had gotten wi'hin The
limits ot The torn Of Caamtiu. On the
night of cur arrival, after We bad been in
quiet possession of the CITY for abom twelve
hours. fire originated neal the old market
house. II must have been after dark, for ]
saw the light shining on the walls Of the
room in which Wa, and sent one Of my
aides-de-cAmp down about mile to zee what
was the matter, and he came back aud told
me that the drugstore diasonally opposite
the old market house was burning, that the
wind WAS very strong, and the fire was
spreading. / inquired if he had seen the
commanding officer of the brigade, which
constituted the provost guard, and if he was
doing his best to prevent an extension of
the flames, and he told me that he had seen
Gen. Charles X. Woods himself on the
ground, and that the troops were doing
seemingly all they could to check or limit
the flames to that one block. That must
have been about q. O'Clock in the evening.
We had entered the town about l 1 o'clock.
that morning. The fire continued to
increase, aud second time l sent
one of my aida down, becoming uneasy about
it, and he returned. saying j, appeared be-
yond all control, and he had seen General
Logan and General Howard there. whose
troops occupied the city. Howard being in
chief command, Logan in command of the
Fifteenth Corps, and Charles 4. Woods in
command of the troops Immediately quarter
ed in the city. The fire continued TO rage
until after Midnight, when went down my
self to walk around the burning district. !
say the flames carried sometimes two blocks
BY the force of the wind, and the fire spread
ing in every direction and from natural
causes; sdr nth my Ova eyes, about ii
O'Clock that morning, as rode IN the City Of
CaIunbia, cotton piled along The main street,
wLich II prolonged rouid hare ran mp dgaiss;
the STATE HOUSE, rsru near the old market
house. and reIy asar that Old drug store wkere
nay aid-de-cdmp reported The IRE had originated;
the wind was very strong, without cloud in
the sky, and it tossed and pitched the cotton
about, lodging il in trees and on the caves OF
houses.
IN REGARD To DISCIPLINE.
Question bv Mr.. Walker-General, it is |
alleged that Won MOl;ke has said that your |
army was an armed mob?
Answer-Von Moltke was never fool |
enough to saw that; hive seen Won Mel Ike |
in person; did not ask him the question,
because I did not presume that he WIS such |
an asa a. TO saw that.
Question deny that statement, do
Won?
Answer-Our army wss "a good an army
a. the Prussians ever had, and Won Moltke
e man of too good sense TO have made any
such statement as hiss been attributed to him.
Question-We have the strongest proof,
General, ofthe fact that il was wonderfully
we'll disciplined army.
Answer-Von Mollke is man Of wonder
ful sense and ssgacilv, and don't believe
he ever said anything that conld be tortured
into that; he may have said that our armies
in America, organized "a they were, com
posed as they were, and moving over a conn-
try so different from Europe, form no rnle
or guide in European warfare; but that the
Prussian army did learn many a lesson, and
prcfited by them from our war, is manifest,
and they and their officers are prampt TO ac-
knowledge it.
Question-Gene,al. l have often heard
your enemies in the South admit the perfect
disipline of your troops?
Answer-We could no. have done what
We did do unless We had kept them under
good Discipline.
Question You tell me anything abon;
the Fifteenth Corps?
Answer-Yes. indeed, / can; know all
about it; they were as fine body Of men as
ever trod shoe-leather.
Qnes,ion-They had the reputation OF do
ing their work we'll?
Answer-Yes, Sir, thoroughly.
Question-Had they not reputation in
for leaving their mark upon the
Answer-Yes, sir, they left their marks
wherever they went.
Question-You we're aware Of this.
Ansver-Perfectly.
Qaestion-When you reached Savannah?
Anser-Indeed was; | knew every Off
,er and every private in that corps.
Question-They were wild get, where
hey not?
Answer-No, sir; they were composed of
irst-rate men-farmers and mechanics, and
men who are to-day a good citizens a. We
nave in our country; but who went TO war in
earnest; they were mostly Western men,
rom Ohio, Illinois and Iowa.
Question--They were good men for des-
roying property?
Answer-Yes, sir, when told to do so s
hey destroyed it very quickly.
Question-When not told to do 80. ii they }
hougbt they might do ii, and it not be OBJ
TO their their officers
Answer-They could do their work very q
thoroughly when they undertook ii.
Qaestion-Were they in the habit OF des- =
roying property?
Auswcr-No, sir; do not think they 2
'ere more than was necessary; they we're a
cry kind get of men, and have known '
hem frequently to share their raiions with =
itizens and people along the country; have c
ften sren it done with my own eyes.
Q.estion-Do you mean to say that Won
'ere not aware when you were in the City
& Reanfart or sav Oranpehnrp before Won