Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-06-18
A sLANDER ACKNOWLEDGED.

A SLANDER ACKNOWLEDGED.
We have not read General Shermao's book,
and have no idea that We ever shall, but ecca-
sionally We read newspaper extracts from it,
that do not tend to heighten our ideas of that
Commanders fitness to write history, whatever
may be his capacity as soldier. We cite an
instance In his account Of the burning of Co.
lumbia, he says:
MANY Of the people thought that this ire
was deliberately planned and executed. This
ia not true. 1t was accidental, and, in my
Judgment, began with the cotton which Gen.
Hamptou's men had set fire to on leaving the
city (whelher by his orders or not is not mate
rial, which fire was partially subdued early in
the dag by our men, but when night came on
the high Wind tanned it again into full blaze,
carried it against the frame houses, which
caught like tinder, aud soon spread beyond
control. lo my official report OF this
conhagration | distinctly charged it to General
Wade Hampton, and confess did it so point
edly to shake the faith o.! his people in him,
for he was, 10 my opinion, braggart, and pro,
fessed to be the special champion OF South
Carolina"
Now, what a confession we have here from
the General OF tbs Armyl He not only re-
tracts the SANDER he once perpetrated on Gen.
Hampton-whch would be mau!y under other
circumstances but be acknowledges that he
was Influenced bya base m tive in uttering it
q, first Sherman acknowledges that IN his
official report of the conhsgratioo, he distinct
ly charged it to Hamptoe; but now Con-
tesses that be did 80 pointedIy-not in the TO-
,erests of truth, or because he believed 1t,
but for the single reason that be Desired TO
shake the faith of bis people 10 him + And
what a reason But here it is, confessed,
that Gen. Sherman lied before the whole world
at that time simply to iujurc Wade Hampton
10 the estimation Of his own people, and at this
day takes occasion, over his own s'gDaturs, to
publish himself to the world as liar and a de-
tanner Was that even good military rca-
SOD, although in perfect accord, 1t would seem,
With the tactics Of the man whose march to the
sea, through burning plantation houses, G1n.
Hooker says, will yet he coodemed by the
Northern people. a. it Is ev. where else 10
the civilized world :Wadr Hampton bure q
great historic oane His glanltather, OF t''',
same name, Was revolu iouary officer. HIS
father, Wadc Hampton, was 40 officer 10 the
last war with Great Britain; so that his father
and grandfather, native CaroIinians, had alike
fought with the North, against the Power
from whom our independence and freedom
were wrested. He Inherited the soldierIy
qualities of his ancestors. and fought, as he be-
heved for the same priuciples-the right Of
self government aud the sovereignty of the
Ststes-for which they struggled against the
British monarchy. Hefwas beloved, hooored,
and trusted by his people, and because he
was, his adversary admits that he distinct
ly" and purposely propagated this slander,
to induce those people to withdraw their comb
dencv from as manly q man and as chlValrc
soldier as ever fought for cause that ne be.
lieved to be right Alas for the General OF
our Army-for we have but one army now ito
make such confession before the world We
have always been taught TO believe that con
duct unbecomiug gentleman" was peculiarly
fragrant and despicable in ao officer, siuce
those two words. "oficer and gentleman are
regarded 10 military ethics as beiug synony-
NOUS. Could any gentleman utter alsehood
distinctly" about another and not be deemed
guilty of fragrant misconduct We pass by
the insult he offers to varquished foe, whom
he calls braggar; for all who know Wade
Hampton will concede that be is quite as tar
removed from the character of braggart as
the man who has arrayed halt the general otfl-
GERS of the Union army 10 opposition to the
high preteusious he has set up, aud the studl-
GUS effort to belitte others who feel that they
are eOtltleQ 10 circuit ~ HcH dS Cc1 OHCi
las often as Sherman speaks there will be
abundant room for criticism, !" says Gen. Buell.:
aud so it would seem. But such occasion tor
criticism as he has given in his recantation OF
the slsnder perpetrated on Gen. Hampton
which is even more damaging to the author
than the original calumDy-will be accepted as
complete viDdication of that gentleman and
be sufficient answer to the petition, if he ever
offered it: "Ol that mine enemy would write
book - He has written book. And--What
book it is sl-Lyncsbavg Vtr0inian
CALIFORNIA RosEs.-Sauta Barbara DOW
puts in plea for the largest rose. Less than
year sgo DR.. L. Dimmick placed 10 his grounds
= rose plant, the King of Noisettes, Marechal
Neil. This has extended over a trellis archloog
one Of his garden walks. Within the last SIX
days shoot, some three feet in length. has
grown from the foot of this treliis. on tbs
stalk, surrounded BY half dozen vigorous
buds, hangs to-day the champion rose of the
world in size and perfection. The Marechaia