The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-17
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA.
LETTER FROM MRS. SHERMAN DEFENDING HEI
HUSBAND.

The following correspondence was pub
lished in the Louisville Co,Tier-Journal, OIL
the S.h inst:
To the Editor of the Courier journal.
In your edition of Thursday, June "a, unde
the head of Georgia Aff4irs," there wa.
published long letter from your CORES
pondent at Atlanta, Ga, in which, among
other matter, were the following paragraphs
SHERMAN AS AN INCENDARY.
There are many facts connected with hi:
march through Georgia which Sherman failed
to record in his book. One was the burning
of the Eatonton factory, small cotton mill,
from which 200 women and children wholly
subsisted. When the Federal troops cap
tured it, detail was made to apply the torch,
but upon its approach the poor women so
piteously begged that they turned away and
| left. second and third detail succumbed
to the entreaties of the factory women and
girls, who truthfully told them that it was the
only way in the wide world they had to get
their bread and clothing. Sherman heard of
it, and never was hyena more furious on the
smell Of blood. Mounting his horse, he rode
| to the factory, when the women made the
same appeal to him, to which he, as he had
| done in hundreds of other instances, listened
d
who glories in human misery.
When they had finished he made sort of
stump speech, interlarded with blasphemy,
and at its conclusion directed in person the
match to be applied, which was done, and
the factory in half an hour was pile of ashes.
Instead OF protecting these women, he was
personally cognizant of their then and there
being robbed of the last mouthful of pro-
visions they had in their humble homes, and
such articles of common jswelry as that peo-
pie have torn from their fingers, pockets, and
drawers
THE CURSE OF CATHOLIC SISTER UPON
SHERMAN.
It is well known that Mrs Sherman has
been doing every thing in her power since
the war to help the Catholic Chulch in the
South. There was q Catholic fair in Augusta
last winter to which she made some valuable
contributions, accompanied by pathetic let
ter. Knowing the vindictive tiger she has for
husband, and that he would now blast the
South if he had the power, these acts of Mrs.
Sherman were thought strangely Of. But
there was scene and an act on the night of
the burning Of Columbia which rises like a
ghostly internal apparition before the soul of
this lady, and no doubt fills her with an "
full dread of what will be the eternity of her
monastery in Columbia, place no less
sacred to all members of that religious faith
than heaven itself. To it the plate and
jewels of every Catholic Church
of Charleston and every other one in
the State, the holy images and every and other
holy thing connected with the worship had
been sent. No one knew what was there
better than Sherman. He had been told of it
by many priests, by Sisters of Mercy, by
hundreds of members of the church, before
and after he entered South Carolina, they all
thinking that no modern warrior woald for
moment think of touching them. When he
rode into the city he was asked for guard to
protect the sacred building, and his answer
was an oath, and his riding directly to the
spot to superintend the burning of the mon
astery in person. When the lurid glare of the
flames shot high into the heavens, and while
Sherman was sitting upon his horse in front
them with grim, demoniac salts
faction, the Lady Superioress collected the
inmates, who had fled from the burning mon
astery, marched them to the 'front.' and there,
with uplifted hands, in which was held a cross, |
pronounced, and called upon Heaven to pro- |
nounce, curse upon him.
l served under Gen. Sherman in the first |
command to which he was appointed in the |
late war-at, before, and after the first Bull |
seeing and knowing him. He was then Col |
Sherman. l formed the opinion of him that |
be was gentleman in private and public life,
! splendid camp and magnificent battle SOL
lier. That opinion no quantity of subsequent
lbuse, obloquy, and falsehood did for mo-
nent shake 1t was, then, with very great
pain perused the foregoing from Jean Val
can, your correspondent. 1 was thor
,ughly satisfied your correspondent was
misinformed, or that Gen.
Sherman must be very changed
nan in language, feelings, and conduct
Turing the march to the sea from what he was
Turing the first Bull Run campaign. took
opportunity of sending your paper to Gen.
sherman, and asked him as to the truth or
lntruth of the allegations. My letter found
he General in New England, at the Boston,
lexington, ETC., celebrations. AS your Augusta
correspondent refers largely to Mrs. Sher-
nan, she at once communicated to me the
GLOWING, which place before you for the
eneft of your readers in justice to brave
older and an amiable wife. doubt not, so
con as William Tecumseh Sherman returns
ONE to St Louis, he will himself address me
s to the facts. Ex-SoLDIER.