The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-06-16
AsTsIrED REVIEW,

ur. Jen. Davis Book Ssid Gener"l
sherman's Views.
In his recen, speech in Hartford, at the re
union of the army Of the Potomac, General
Sherman said amorg other things:
"Again, Mr.. Davis records that the officers
and men cent TO escort and convey them to
Rough and Ready Station "robbed them of
the few articles Of value they had been per-
m.ted to take from their homes" This is
simply untrue, aud Mr.. Davis ought TO have
kuown it to DO go. for Msjor Glare, of the
confederate army, bore public testimony TO
the kindness of tina escorts, and General
Warner, since senator from Alabama, well
known and universally respected, who is
still living in Aabams, was then and is still
responsible, aud is far better qualified to
testify to the facts than Mr.. Davis, who was
Q thousand miles away. am responsible
for the order of removal, and it was right Il
was eminenuy humane to remove aon~
combatant population from the theatre Of
war. produced the effect intended and
fastened the conclusion of war-a bloody
war which Mr. Davis, according to his own
accounts, would never have terminated as
long as be could have saved his own life.
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA.
As to the burning of Columbia he init.
mates that have endeavored 10 escape the
responsibility for that act, and refers to the
excess of Wallenstoin's army in the thirty
years war" Mr.. Davis was not in Colums
bia during that fire, nor was General Hamp-
ton. / was, and so WAS General D. D How
ard. So were General Johs A. Logan
General William r. Wood, now justice of
the supreme court, and his brother, General
Charles Wood, and IA 900 honest, good i,
true union soldiers. Mr.. Davis ignores all Of
these and adopts the solitary statement of
Wade Hampton, who got away and WAS not
there at all after his troops had SIT FIRE to the
bridges, depot ana cotton in the streets of
his own city, all of which were burned down,
or we're burning when our troops entered the
city. The house occupied by me (Blanton
Demean's) was still standing when the army
left. The Preston house, known as the
Hampton mansion, occupied by General
Logan, was still standing. and the college,
where General Howard was quartered, was
not burned.
WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED.
The fire originated in Richardson street,
near where l saw with my own ewes
burning cotton bales which had been set on
fire by the Confederate cav Try. | was gu
preme in command inside of Columbia dur
ing the night of the conhagration, and | al
low no man--not even JEFF Dsvis--to ques
ton my statement of a fact as seen by m yself.
The fire in Columbia on the night of Febru
airy IL, 1866, in my judgment then and now,
was caused by particles of burning cotton
blown against fences and sheds, which spread
TO houses and finally consumed the center.
but not the whole of the town. The cotton
was unquestionably set fire to by Confederate
cavalry, which Gre WA partially subdued by
our troops in the day time while tho trains of
General Lpgan's corps Efficiently were pass,
ng; but after the trains had passed and night
begun the men ceased to carry water. The
ire spred anew and finally reached shed or
fence, and the houses built of pitch pine
burned with rapidity and fury under lorna,
do of wind. What of Columbia renamed
the next morning was wholly due 10
General Logan's troops. Without them
not house would have escaped. Almost
identicslly the same thing occurred
10 Richmond (see Badeuu, volume 8, page
63o). made report of the facts TO nv
government which was-accepted, and there
my responsibility ended. Still cheerfully
admit that history may 60 further, provided
actual truth be sought for. want TO know
the truth as much Us any man. Had lin,
ter ded 10 burn Columbia l would have done
1t Just as would have done any other ACT
OF war, aud there would have been no con,
cealment about II. l may have said, and
now repeat, that ehould rebellion again oc
cur In South Carolina, and 1t should be nv
office to cross the Congsree, opposed by
Hampton's cavalry, and If, in my simple
Judgment, the government demanded, there
will be no such question afterward. But it
30 happens In this instance my orders were
made two days before We entered the city.
They were In writing and must be still Ia
General o. o. Towards possession. They
are recorded in the War department, and
have been often printed. These orders were
purposely most merciful, because | have
none but the most kindly feelings toward
South Carolina by reas) On of old associates
and friends made before the Mexican war
some Of whom were known to DO in Colums
bia, and to whom extended personally and
officially every possible assistance.
DECISION OF THE MIxBD COMMISSION.
Habitually honorable men accept the
judgment Of a court Of competent jurisdic-
ton, especially Of such courts as do honor
10 our country. This whole matter has
been adjudicated b, the mixed commission,
ers on American and British claims, in the
cases of Wood and Hey worth We. The
URited States, and Of Cowlam Gravely VS.
the United States; and have before mo a
printed volume Of the testimony, 800 pages