The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-13

AIcs HOtAktkoSs LILO LuVS6 '0tIeuuOVb 0x6E-
aons. the most prompt and efasint rein
tosce@enss. to prevent the threatening
The march OF tie Eederals into our
State was characterised by. such scenes
Of license, plumber and general confla-
grafton, as very soon: showed that the
threats Of the Northern press, and of
their soldiery, were not to Be regarded as
nero 6rutam .falmen. Day by day brought
to the people Of Columbia tidings Of afro
cities committed, and more extended
progress. Daily did long Trims of fugi-
tives line the roads, with wives and
children, and horses, and stock, and
cattle. seeking refuge from the pursuers.
Long lines Of wagons covered the high
ways. Half-naked people covered from
the winter under bush tents in the
thickets, under the caves of houses,
under the railroad sheds, and in old cars
left them along tho route. All these re-
peated the same story of suffering, vio-
lence, poverty and nakedness. Habita-
ton after habitation, village after village
-one sending mp its signal flames to the
other, presaging for it the same fate
lighted the winter and midnight sky
with crimson horrors. No Language can
describe, nor can any catalogue furnish
ON adequate detail of the widespread de-
struction of homes and property: Grn-
naries were emptied, and where the
grain was not carried off, it was strewn
to waste under the feet of the cavalry or
consigned to the fire which consumed
the dwelling. The negroes were robbed
equally with the whites of food and
clothing. The roads were covered with
buschered cattle, hogs, mules and the
costliest furniture. Valuable cabinets,
rich pianos, were not only hewn to
pieces, but bottles Of ink, turpentine,
oil, whatever could effuoe or destroy, was
employed to defile and, ruin. Horses
were ridden into the houses. People
were forced from their beds,tts permit
the search after hidden treasures.
The end was rapidly approaching.
The guns were resounding mt the gates.
Defence was impossible. At late hour
on Thursday night, the Governor, with
hm suite andn large train of officials, de-
parted. i The Confedernte army began its
evacuation, and by daylight few re-
mAinad who were not resigned to the ne
cessity of seeing the tragedy played out.
After all the depletion, the uity CON
tanned, according to our estimate, Mt
least &c, 900 inhabitants, the larger pro-
portion being females and negroes.
Hampton's cavalry, as we have already
mentioned, fingered till near 10 O'Clock
the next day, and scattered groups of
Wheeler's command hovered about the
Federal army at them. entrance into the
town. - - rN--
Mayor Goodwin reports that on sur
rendering the city to Colonel Stone. the
latter assured him of the safety of the
citizens and of the protection Of their
property, ,ohile under his command. He
could not answer for General Sherman,
who WAS in the rear, but he expressed
the conviction that he would fully con-
firm the assurances which he Colonel
Stone) had given. Subsequently, Gene
raj Sherman did confirm them, and that
night, seeing that the Mayor was ex-
hausted by his labors of the day, he
counseled him to retire to rest, saying,
mot fingers breadth, NIr. Mayor, Of
your city shall be harmed. You may lie
down to sleep, satisfied that your town
shall be as safe in my hands ns if wholly
in your own" Such was very nearly the
language in which he spoke; such was
the substance of it. He added: "It will
become my duty to destroy some of the
public or Government buildings; but
will reserve this performance for another
day. 1t shall be done tomorrow, pro.
retired with this solemnly asserted and
repeated assurance.
At about IL o'clock, the Jail was disco
vered to be on fire from within. This
building was Immediately in rear of the
market or City Hall, and in q densely
built portion of the city. The supposi-
ton is that it was fred by some Of the
prisoners-all of whom were released
and subsequently followed the army.
The fire of the Jail had been preceded by
that of some cotton piled in the streets.
Both fires were soon subdued by the
firemen. At about half-past l T. NJ,
that Of the Jail was rekindled, and was
again extinguished. Some of the pri-
soners, who had been confined ut the
asylum, had made their escape, in some
instances, few days before, and were
secreted and protected by citizens.
And here it may be we'll to mention, as
suggestive of many clues, an incident
which presented sad commentary on
that confidence in the security of the
convent, which was entertained by the
preat norton of the DeoDIe Tho Iodx,