The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-25

ored pastor of one of our city churches,
Rev. P. J. Shand, to whom reference has
already been made, and it is thus ex-
pressed in his written statement in the
possession of the committee: GAS well
as recollect, in November, 1866, went
in company with friend to see General
Howard at his headquarters, in Charles
ton, on matters of business. Before we
left the coyersation turned on the des-
truction of Columbia. Gen. Howard ex-
pressed his regret at the occurrence, and
added the following words: Though
Gen. Sherman did not order the burning
of the town, yet somehow or other the
men had taken up the idea that if they
destroyed the capital of South Carolina
it would be peculiarly gratifying to Gen.
Sherman These were his words in the
order in which 1 have set them forth.
noted them down as having great signifi-
canoe, and they are as fresh in my re-
membrance as they were Immediately al
ter they we're spoken. My friend Whose
recollection accords fully with my own)
and myself on our way home talked the
matter over, and could not but be struck
by the two following facts: First, that
although Gen. Howard said that Gen.
Sherman did not order the burning, he
did not state that Gen. Sherman gave
orders that the city should not be burned.
Second, that it was surprising if General
Sherman was opposed to the burning
that his opposition should have been so
disguised as to lead to the conviction on
the part of his soldiery that the act, so
far from incurring his disapprobation or
ceusure, would be source, to him, of
peculiar qualification" The cotton bales
in the town had been placed in the GEN.
tre of the wide streets in order to be
burned to prevent their falling into the
possession of the invaders. But upon
Gen. Hampton suggesting that this
might endanger the town, and that as
the South Carolina Railroad had been
destroyed the cotton could not be remov-
ed, Gen. Beauregard, upon this represen-
tation, directed Gen. Hampton to issue
an order that the cotton should not be
burned. The proof of this fact is to be
found in the written statement of Gen;
Beauregard himself. Accordingly, and
in due time, the order forbidding the
burning of the cotton was issued by Gen.
Hampton and communicated to tho Con-
federate troops. The officer, then acting
as Gen. Hampton's adjutant (Capt.
Rawlins Lowndes,) speaks as follows !:
"Soon after Gen. Hampton assumed
command of the cavalry, which he did
on the evening of the 10th of February,
he told me that Gen. Beauregard had de-
termined not to burn the cotton, as the
Yankees had destroyed the railroad, and
directed me to issue an order that no
cotton should be fired. This I did at
once, and the same order was extended
to the cavalry throughout their march
through South and North Carolina" I"
The general officer commanding the di-
vision forming the rear guard of the
Confederate cavalry (Gen. NJ. G. Butler
deposes: "That he was personally pres
ent with the rear squadron of his divis-
ion; that Linut.- Gen. Wade Hampton
withdrew simultaneously with him, with
a part of this deponent's command, and
that Gen. Hampton, on the morning of
the evacuation and the day previous,
directed him that the cotton must not
be set on fire, and this order, he adds,
was communicated to the entire divis-
ion and strictly observed" A cler-
gyman, highly esteemed at the North,
as at the South (Rev. A. Toomer Por-
teri thus testifes: General Hampton
had told me at daylight, in answer
to the question whether he was going to
burn the cotton: No, the wind is high ;
it might catch something, and give Sher-
man an excuse to burn the town." "Be-
tween and o'clock on the morning of
the 18th of February" deposes the mayor,
General Hampton, while sitting on his
horse, observed some cotton piled not far
of, in the middle of the street. He ad-
vised me to put guard over it, saying:
Some careless ones, by smoking, might
set it on fire, and in doingso might endan-
ger the city. From that hour saw moth
ing more of Gen. Hampton until the war
was over" "Not one bale of the cotton
had been fired by the Confederate troops
when they withdrew from Columbia.
The only thing on fire at the time Of the
evacuation was the depot of the South
Carolina Railroad, which caught fire ac-
cidentally from the explosion of some
ammunition" This is the statement
of Gen. Beauregard himself. 1t is sus-
tanned by the testimony of the officer,
high in rank, but higher still in charac-
ter, who commanded the rear guard of
the Confederate cavalry (Gen. NJ. G.
Butler,) and is concurred in by other
witnesses, comprising officers, clergy
men and citizens-witnesses Of such rep
ute and in such numbers rs to render the
proof overwhelming.
HOW THE COTTON WAS FIRED.
The fire at the South Carolina Rail-
roid depot burned out without extending
to any other buildings. Shortly after
the first detachment of Gen. Sherman's
troops had entered the town, and while
men were seated or reclining on the cot
ton bales in Main street, and passing to
and fro along them with lighted cigars
and pipes, the row of cotton bales be-
tween Washington and Lady streets
caught fire, the bales being packed, with
the cotton protruding from them. The
flames extended swiftly over the cotton,
and the fire companies with their en-
gines we're called out, and by o'clock
p. m. the fire was efectually extinguish-
ed. While the fire companies were en-
gagged about the cotton, an alarm was
given of fire in the Jail, and one of the
engines being sent there the flames were
soon subdued, with slight injury only to
one of the cells, About 5 o'clock in the
afternoon, as deposed to by witness
Mrs. E. Squirrel the cotton bales in
Sumter street, between Washington and
Lady streets, we're set on fire by Gen.
Sherman's wagon train, then passing
along the cotton. But that fire was soon
extinguished by the efforts of the wit
ness referred to and her family. 81 saw"
says witness John Mckenzie, Esq
"fire-balls thrown out of the wagons
against Hon. w. F. De Saussure's house,
but without doing any damage" No
other fires in the town occurred until af-
| tor N ;rbt ,vbap tho panoro1 oon Aanrot tion