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

The wind was high and blew from the
west. The fire spread and advanced
with fearful rapidity and soon enveloped
the very heart of the town. The pillage
which had begun upon the entrance OF
the hostile forces, continued without ces.
aation or abatement, and now the town
was delivered over 70 the accumulated
horrors of sack and confiegration. The
inhabitants were subjected 10 personal
iudignities and outrages. A witness,
Capt. w. b. Standby, testified tina,
several times during the night he "saw
the soldiers of Gen. Sherman take from
females bundles of clothing and proyis-
ions, open them, appropriate what they
| wanted and throw the remainder into
the flames" Men were violently seized
and threatened with the halter or the
| pistol to compel them TO disclose where
their gold or silver was concealed. The
reverend and beloved pastor of one OF
our churches, Rev. p. J. Shand, states
that "in the midst and during the pro.
gress of the appalling calamity, above all
other noises might be heard the de-
moniac and gladsome shouts of the SOL
diery." Driven from his home by the
flames, with the cid of a servant he was
bearing off trunk containing the COM
munion plate of his church (his wife
walking by his side,) when he was sur
rounded BY FIVE Of the soldiers, who
requested him to put down tho trunk and
inform them of its contents which was
| done. The sequel he thus i.arrates
"They then demanded the key, but not
having it, they proceeded in efforts to
break the lock. While four of them
were thus engaged the fifth seized me
with HE left hand by the collar and
presenting pistol to my breast with his
| right, he demanded of me my watch. I
had it not about me, blt he searched my
pocket, thoroughly, and then Joined his
comrades who, finding it impracticable
to force upon the lock, took up the trunk
and carried it away. These men (he ad.
ded) were ali perfectly sober"
Two-THIRDs OF THE TOWN IN ASHES.
By 8 O'Clock on the morning of the
18th OF February, 1866, more than two
thirds OF the town lay in ashes, compos-
ing the most highly improved and the
! entire business portion of it. Thousands
| of the inhabitants, including women del
icately reared, young children, the aged
and the sick, passed that winter night in
the open air, without shelter from the
bitter and piercing blasts. About the
hour mentioned e O'clock a. m, another
highly esteemed clergyman, Rev. A.
Toomer Porter, personally known to Gen.
Sherman, was az the corner of O street
converting with one of his officers on
horseback, when Gen. Sherman, in citi-
zen's attire: walked up and accosted
him. The interview is thus described {:
"In The bright light of the burning city
Gen. Sherman recognized me and re-
marked. This is horrible sight Yes
l replied, when sou reflect that women
and children are the victimes' He said !:
Your Governor is responsible for this
How so2'>I replied. who ever heard
he said, of an evacuated city being left q
depot of liquor for an army to occupy.
found one hundred and twenty casks of
whiskey in one cellar. Yop. Governor,
being. 3 lawyer or judge, refused to
have it destroyed, as it was private prop
erty, and now my men have got drunk
and have got beyond my control and this
is he result. Perceiving the officer on
honeback he said Capt. Andrews, did
not order that this thing should be
stoppedT 'Yes, General said the Cap
tain, but the first division that came
in soon got as drunk as the first
regiment that occupied the town. Then,
SIR said Gen. Shermrn, go and bring in
the second division; hold you person
ally responsible for its immediate cessa-
tion.' The officer darted off and Sherman
bade me good evening. I am sure it
was not more than an hour and half
from the time that Gen. Sherman gave
his order before the city was cleared OF
the destroyers." From that time until
the departure of Gen. Sherman from
Columbia with perhaps one or two
exceptionsl not another DWELLING in it
was burned by his soldiers, and during
the succeeding days and nights cr his
occupation perfect tranquility prevailed
throughout the town. The discipline of
his troops. was perfect. the soldiers stand
ing in great awe Of their officers.
THE INCENDIARIEs SOBER.
That Columbia was burned by the SOL
diers oi Gen. Sherman, that the vast ma
jorissy of the incendiaries were sober, that
tor hours they were seen with combusti.
bles firing house after house, without
any afectation of concealulent, and with.
out the alightest check from their officers.
is established by proof full to repletion
and wearisome from its very snperhuity.
After the destruction Of the town his OF.
iicers and 'rer openly approved of its
burning and exulted in It. ~ saw" de.
poses the mayor; Every few drunken SOL
diers that night; many who appeared TO
sympathize with our people told me that
the fate and doom Of Columbia had been
common talk around their camp fires
| ever since they left Savannah" 1t was
said by numbers of the soldiers that the
| order had been given to burn down the
city. There Is strong evidence that such
an order was actually issaed in relation
to the house of Gen. John S. Preston.
The Urauline Convent was destroyed by
the fire and the proof referred to comes
from q revered and honored member of
| that holy eisterhood 1.-THE Mother Superi.
orr and it is subjoined in her own words /:
"Our Convent was consumed in the gen.
eral con6agration of Columbia, ourselves
end pupils were forced to fly, leaving pro-
gisione clothing and almost everything.
We spent the night in open air in the
church-yard. On the following morning
General Sherman made us O visit, ex.
pressed his regret at the burning of our
Convent, discliamed the act, attribute
| ing 1t to the 7ntoxication OF his soldiers,
| and told me to choose any house ia town
for convent and it should be ours. He
deputed his Adjntant General, Colonel
Ewing, to act in his stead. Colonel
Ewing reminded us OF General Sherman's
offer to give uB any houss in Columbia
we might choose for a convent. sWe
have thought Of it, said we, 'and OF ask
| ing for Gen. Preston's house, which is
large That Is where Gen. Logan holds
| his headqnarters,' said he, and orders
| have already haan Oivan tno,v IN hurn