The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-09-17

1t on fire. and In doing so might endnnger the
city, From that honrI saw nothing more OF
Gen. Hampton until the war was over"
mot one bale Of the cotton had been fired by
the Confederate troops when they withdrew
from Columbia. The only thing on fire Mt the
time Of the evacuation was the depot OF the
South Carolina Railroad. which caught fire
accidentally from the explosion of some am
munition." This is the statement OF Gen.
Beauregard hlInself. 1t Is sustained blythe
testimony Of the officer, high in rank, but
higher still in character, who commanded
tho rear guard of the Confederate cavalry
other witnesses, comprising officers, clergy
men and Observation-Disclosures Of Q lcll repute
and In such numbers rs to render the proof
overwhelming.
HOW THE COTTON WAS FIRED.
The fire NJ the South Carolina Railroad de-
pot burned out without extending to any 9th
er buildings. Shortly after the first detach-
mcnt of Gen. Shermun'S troops had entered
the town, and while the men were seated or
reclining OH the cotton bales In Main street,
ed cigars md pipes, the row OF cotton bales
between Washington and Lady streets caught
fire, the bales being badly packed, with the
cotton protruding from them. The flames
extended swiftly over the cotton, and the fire
companies with their engines were called out,
and by | o'clock P. NJ. the fire was effectually
extinguished. While the fire companies were
engaged about the cotton, nh 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
) O'Clock In the afternoon, rs depOsed to by
a witness (Mrs. Z. Squlre,l the cotton bales In
Sumter street, between Washington and Lady
streets, were set on fire by Gen. Sherrnan's
wagon train, then passing along the cotton.
But that fire was soon extinguished by the
efforts Of the witness referred to and her fnm-
lily. ~ saw" says a witness John Mckenzie,
ESQ., "nre-balls thrown out OF the wagons
nIr.ii uSt Hon w X noGpt1SSurn'S hnnSp. bIt
without doing any damage" No other fires
In the town occurred until after night, when
the general contiagrntion began. AS already
stated. the wind blew from the west, but the
fires after night broke out first on the west OF
Main and Sumter streets, and to windWard OF
where the cotton bales were placed. 1.-THE
cotton" 1t is testified and proved ed. j.
Scott, ESQ. instead Of burning the houses
Gen. Sherman, as has been shown, on the
nightof the 18th Of February, and while the
town was in flames, ascribed the burning OF
Columbia to the intoxicatlon Of his soldiers
and to no other cause. On the following day.
the 18th Of February, the lady 10 whom refer
encc was previously made (Mrs. L. =. McCordJ
ut tile request Of n friend, having undertaken
to present q paper to Gen. Howard, soughtan
lnand OF the Invading arlny-and found Gen.
Sherman with him. The narrative of a part
Of the interview Is as follows: ~ handed him
the paper, which he glanced OF. and then in a
somewhat subdued voice, but standing SO
near Gen. Sherman that I think 1t impos-
sible that the latter could help hearing him,
he said: You may rest satisfied Mrs. -,
hat there will be nothing. OF the kind hap.
pening tonight. The truth Is, our men last
night got beyond our control; many OF them
were shot; many of them were killed; there
will be no repetition of these things tonight.
I assure you there will be nothing OF the kind;
quiet-peaceful as the g~rave-the ghost Of Its
predecessor" 1.-THE same day lSti Of Febru.
ary) Gen. Sherman dep0scs the mayor,
sent for me. l went TO see him about
o'clock. He met me very cordially, and said
he regretted very much that our city wa
burned, and that 1t was my fault. l asked
him how? He said in suffering ardent spirits
to be left In the city after 1t was evacuated,
saying: who could command drunken sol.
diers?' There was no a~llusion made to Gen,
Hampton, to accident, or to cotton"
THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY II FIRE.
On the succeeding day-Sunday, February
10, 1857 tho mayor and six Of the citizens
visited Gen. Sherman In order to obtain food
for the subsistence OF the woInen n chill
dren until communication could be had with
the country. Gen. Sherman, upon that occn
sion, talked much. I'm the course Of his dis
course" deposes one of the gentlemen edwin
J. Scott, Esq. " 'he referred to the burning n
the city, admitting that 1t was done by hi
legged, they had been made drunk by our clti'
zcns, one OF whom. n druggist, he said, had
brought a pail full OF spirits to them on theil
arrival. Again, on our leaving the ROOM, 1T
expressed regret thai the liquor had not beer
destroyed before his men entered the place
hut he never mentioned or alluded In any
way to Gen. Hampton or the cotton, nor CAV,
the slightest intimation that they were instru
mental in the destruction OF the city. a
THAI time,' deposes the sumo witness, "tht
universal testimony Of our pc""le was tha
Sherman's troops burned the vn. Since
then l have been In the habit OF . lily inter
course with all classes in and about Colunlbii
high and low, rich and poor, male and female
single person who attributed the calamity t
any other cause" az" he adds, "a transac
ton that occurred in tho presence Of forty d
fifty thousand people can be successfully fl
sitied, then Nil human testimony Is worth
less" As evidence Of the general distress
and suffering which resulted from the sack
AMI burning Of our city, and the dCsolatiOn 0
the adjacent country. the committee refer t
mony, that for about three months daily III
tons, consisting generally OF Il pint OF inca
and n small allowance OF poor beef for eact
person, were dealt outnt Columbia To upward;
Of eight thousand destitute people.
The committee have designed by the prccc
ding summary OF the more prominent cvent
and Incidents connected with the destruction
OF Columbia To present only an abstract OF TIT
numerous DISPOSITIONS n,id proofs In thel
possession. The proprieties imposed upOI
them by the very nature Of the duties Il
which they nave been assigned have preclud
ed their doing more. In the evidence thu
collected may be read In all its pathetic an,
heartrendiux details the story OF the trngi,
fate that has bcflllen our once beautiful city
Impressed with the historic value of tit
proofs referred 10, and their Importance to tI,'
cause OF truth, and with u view TO their pres
ervation, the committee respectfully recon-
mend that they be committed to the guard
ianship OF the municipal authorities and b,
deposited with the archives OF the town
trusting that in after and better times the,
Will yet be founde ficctual rs well to vindicat
the innocent as to confound the guilty.