Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1873-01-23

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occasions in this State, preferred to take
the chance, il the wide streets, rather
than allow it to remain in the buildings,
wherethad obstruction. the buildings, and
prbably the city, would have been the
consequence, and hence the order to re.
move it into tho streets. He did not or
der the cotton to be burned On The con-
trary, his orders, were, that it should not
be burned andlit was not set on fire. by
any troopsor others under his command,
Tor i'll pursuance ofany orders of his as
farns my official aud personal informa-
ion extends, Twas in n position to know
the facts certainly then, and remember
them accurately now. HENCE, I speak
ndvisedly and cannot be mistaken; and
General Sherman deals recklesly with the
truth, to use no harsher term, when he
makes the charge to the contrary. The
mystery is why lie shouldbe to anxious to
exonerate himself frem this particular
not. AS l have said, it was in perfect
keeping with his past carer. lie had
revgllcd so long with the incendiary's
torch that we supposed it. had become to
him II pastime. The reason is as stated
above, on attempt torcmovc the Stigma
Which his perfdy had brought upon him,
and he also desired an opportunity to
discharge his "swelterel venom" upon
the head Of Il gentleman and soldier
whomc he envied and hated, to strike
him an unmanly blow. The burning Of
Columbia appears to haunt him like q
horrid night mare. He not only attempts
to shift the responsibility in his reports
and letters, but in his glorlfication spec
ches in the North, he lnburcs to friyhten
it away from Ills conscience. But. grant
that he explains this to the satisfaction
of the unprejuliced-was this mischivoui
torch Of General Hampton's applied to
the residences and houses one, two, and
three miles from the city, which were
burned to the ground Was it the same
Which destroyed, for a great part, Rob
crtvillc, Gra,amville, McPhcr:onvillc,
Barnwell, Blackvillc, Williston. Orange
burg, Lexington, Winnsboro, Camden,
Libc;y Hell; Lancaster, Chest tcriicld, Che
rrw, Darlington in this State, and scores
tow::s and hamlcts in Georgia, and re-
duc"l to ashes almost the entire tract.
of country through which he marched
AID % begrcy and want hundreds and
thousands Of helpless, innocent womcn
chil,Ircny Was this legitimate and c:y
| i'izcl warfare? Would it have been So
con lcrcd even against savagc<? Has
/ y r4icliua, l,a"evcr wicked, ever inS
tif the war MD wantonnc:s UPON
hei less, itnoec:.cc, and inarmi,y? Why
did mot his benevolent army save them
as We'll as ''%shnt Of Columbia rema;ns
unco.sumed:' Did Gen. hampton d.
rect his (Shcrnan - artillery which
fired try.n the west bank OF s!se Con
garec. opposite Coumbia,' upon q town
filled with women and Children. and
nom combatantS, whose surrender lie had
never demanded?
lie did not wish surrendered. And
no doubt, when the Mayor met him with
Il flag Of truce, the chagrn felt under the
smiles which lie wore in his promises
of protection, whcttcd Ills hatred for
greater vengeance upon the "doomed
city
But 1t sickcns one to dwell on such
vandalism, in this nineteenth century Of
bensted enlightenment, advancement and
civilization. Gen Shcrman's conduct no
doubt disgusts such honorable and mag
Ean,mous soldiers as Grant, Mcclellan,
Meade, Buel, Ftz John Porter, Pleasan-
ton, Schoiicld and others, who reflect so
much lustre upon the Amcrican arms, as
mnch ,as those who have been his VIC
tins. 1t may suit the purposes of Gen.
sherman and his partisans TO proclaim
nom the house tops the wickeincss of re-
hrllion, tho guilt OF traitors, and other
sny.. ad captandum speeches, in vindica-
tion oftlcir vandalism; but they forget
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