The Van Buren press., 1875-07-20
SHERMAN's MEMOIRS.
The Great Marcher to the Sea Convicted
Out Of HIS Own Extracts
that Don't Falsify the Facts.
What Halleck Wanted Done in Charles.
ton Consummated in Columbia
Sherman's Confession in PLAIN
Words.

EDlToRs MEMPHIS APPEAL
notice in your issue of Friday an in
dignant reply from Mrs General Sher-
man to the charge of a correspondent of
the Courier. journal that her husband
had personally ordered the burning Of
Columbia, South Carolina Now don't
believe for moment that General Sher-
man ordered the burning of that city, but
the following extracts from his Memoirs,
written by himself, will throw some light
on the question of who is responsible for
it. On page 223 of the Memoirs the fol-
lowing is the conclusion of letter from
" RI W, Hallecb, major general, chief of
staff, dated Washington, December Is,
1864, addressed to Sherman at Savan.
nah Should you capture Charleston, |
hope that by some accident (thc italics
are his own) the place may be DESTROYED,
and il little salt should be sown upon
Its site, it may prevent the growth of fu.
turc crops notification and secession"
In answer to which Sherman writes, un.
der date of December "a, 1864 (sec page
22' OF Memoirs, 81 will bear in mind
your hint as to Charleston, and do not
think salt will be necessary When
move the fifteenth corps will be on the
right of the right wing, and their posi-
ton will naturally bring them into
Charleston first; and ifyou have watched
the history of that corps you will have
remarked that they generally do their
work pretty well The truth is, the
whole army is burning with an Unsuitable
desire to wreak vengeance upon South
Carolina. | almost trembe at her fate,
but feel that she deserves all that seems
in store for her. Il
| look upon Columbia as quite as bad as
Charleston, and doubt if we shall spare
the public buildings there as we did at
Mllledgcville. Now this letter was
written two months before the capture of
Columbia as that famous fifteenth
corps" entered Columbia on the morn
ing Of February l7lh, when some cotton
near the depot was found to be on fire,
but was cxtinguished by the soldiers and
citizens; and the fire that destroyed the
city, according to Sherman, broke out
after dark of that day, and is attributed
by him to revival Of the fire in this cot.
ton. And the fact that the mixed com.
mission on American and British claims
failed to establish the fact that the cot.
ton was burned by his orders, is given as
conclusive evidence that /" the destruction
of property in Columbia during that
night did not result from the acts of the
general government of the United States
to which Sherman adds: g 'fhat is to say.
my army In view of subsequent dis.
closures as to the character of the agents
of the afoi esaid general government Of
the United States. who were in posses.
sion at the time this mixed commission
attempted to get at this matter, and TAX
ing into consideration the enormous
amount at stake, to say nothing of the
odium sought to be covered up, is it un-
reasonable to suppose that truth. which
is said to be ut the bottom Of well, was
ncyer pumped up or brought to the light
OF day, and that by the subornation of
| willing witnesses Sherman was excul-
pated But taking the extracts | have
quoted, and the following one from page
Z27 of his Memoirs, cannot conceive
how any one can reasonably cnt rtain a
doubt but that Sherman was responsible
for the burning, though, of course, he
never gave n direct order to that effect,
but simply winkcd at it: ." In my official
report of the conilagration distinctly
charged it to General Wade Hampton,
and confess did so pointedly to shake
the faith of his people in him, for he was,
in my opinion, braggart, and professcd
to be the special champion of South
Carolina. " The above extracts are re.
spectlully furnished for the information
and approval of Mrs. General Sherman.
REB.