The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-07-31
THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY.
A Vivid Picture.o of the Burning of Colun.
bia.


american Life duriny the War Of Scces.
sion" described the occupation and the
sack of Columbia, by the United States
troops, gives an account of the horrible
acts that followed:
Night with her sable pail covered Co.
lumbia usually so quiet and peaceable,
but tonight full of tumult and disorder
Night came on for the evil foe, who was
laboring with many thousand busy hands
at her destruction. Night was unwel-
come to the unfortunate people who
looked to the near future in anxiety and
distress. There was rest and recupera-
ton for no one this night.
AS it was getting dark the soldiers
camped in the street and made fire to
cook their supper. I spoke to the cap
tain quartered in our house, representing
the danger of this course-so much cot
ton lying near, and many other easily in
flammable substances. I had for my
trouble my pains. The captain sneer-
ingly asked me what I had to do with
the soldiers? whether 1 had a kitchen
where they could prepare their meal? I
said no more. could not afford to offend
this man, who still had spark of decency
and authority. / invited him and two
lieutenauts to partake of our frugal sup
per. But before it was ready new event
attracted our attention. A mighty pillar
of fire and smoke arose at some distance.
One of the railroad depots situated at the
lower end of the city was burning, and
the cotton stored there furnished ample
food for the flames. But in the excite
ment of the hour it made little or no i'm
preston till flames were seen in the op-
posite direction also; and when a few
minutes afterwards house standing next
to ours was burning, the conviction be-
gan to dawn on US that the firing OF the
city was premeditated, its extent incalcu-
liable; and this thought filled US with dis
may.
When we noticed that the enemy made
not the slightest effort to extinguish the
flames, but rather seemed to enjoy the
sight, we we're confirmed in our suspi-
cions that the fire had been set. But [
do not to this day know whether the fire
set by this rabble had been ordered or
only suffered by the military authori-
ties.
Under these circumstances the further
spreading of the fire was unavoidable,
and we were forced to leave our house.
The poor widow who saw no possibility
of saving her little property was in des-
.pair. Upon her knees she begged the
commanding officer quartered with her
to take her and her children to a place
of safety, and to let his men at
least take part of her property 70 the
house of q family near the end of the
city, where she proposed to seek refuge.
This prayer, which might have softened
heart of stone, was answered after
fashion by the officer. He accompanied
the unfortunate woman and her children
to their place of destination, with few
valuables, especially articles of silver,
which the children could carry, but fur.
ther help, he said, he could not afford
them. We hastily gathered up what we
could in bundles, trunks and boxes, took
them down stairs to carry them off our
selves if we could, or depending upon the
assistance of the captain and his men.
But no sooner did any article reach the
street than the band of robbers greedily
fell upon it, dragged it of, or shared its
contents before our very eyes, and every
further attempt to save anything ended
in the same result.
The commanding officer declared that
he could do nothing to prevent this; we
had to submit to the inevitable, and were
glad that the officer promised personal
protection to the lady now frightened al
most to death. I now took my tin box
and various little bundles that I had ta-
ken out of my trunks and travelling bags
and brought here for safety, and left the
house, already burning, with the poor
family, whom 1 now was obliged to leave
to their fate. had to think of my own
safety, if indeed it was possible.
Thus loaded, carrying in my hands and
under my arms my own property, and
that of others that had been entrusted to
my care, resolved to look for an asylum
in the house of Mr.. McCulIy, family 1
had long known. l avoided the direct
road-Main street-where dense mass
of noisy soldiers were setting fire to cot
ton bales for their fun. Ihoped to reach
the house unmolested through more quiet
streets. The city offered an indescriba-
bly, terrible grauenuOllen sight. A
| large number of houses were now burn
ing in every direction, and the wind IA
vored the rapid spreading of the destruc-
tive element. The satanic horde plumb
cred and destroyed within the houses and
upon the streets. Pandemonium let
loose is but a faint image of what was
transpiring here before my eyes.
Heartrending cries of distress were
heard amid this tumult from persons
robbed or otherwise molested, or from
people threatened by the fire. Here and
there you would see unfortunates, with
little children upon their arms, or with
some few valuables or necessaries, run
ming from these human devils and from
the fire, looking for safety, but only to
find fresh misery and destruction in the
place they had thought safe.
1t was terrible and the consciousness
of the unfortunate that there was no pos
sible chance of escape made their condi-
ton one of hopeless despair.
I had almost reached Mrs. Nc
Cully's (still free from fire. with only an
occasional loss of small package, snatch
ed in passing by one of the soldiers,
when suddenly a company Of soldiers
crossed my path, in marching order, un-
der command of captain. This troop
doubtless was acting as patrol, and |
was simple enough to think them no
thieves, but the protectors of the distress.
| ed. I moderated nv course, almost eX-
hausted as 1 was from my long and cir
cuitous walk. I met up with the detach.
ment at the corner of the street, and
hoped to make the rest of the way-same
as theirs-under their protection. But l
was halted, and asked by the captain
what was carrying. I told him l was
Hanoverian consul, and that my baggage
consisted partly of my own property and
partly ofthe consular papers, rescued with
much labor from the flames. But the
captain, who was curious, proposed to
| onny;pca b;pocolf of tho truth of NV os.