Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-30
SHERMAN SILENCED.
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA
A Graphic Recital Of the Horrors OF
the Scene. and of She FIendfsh Cruz
city of the Federal Troops.
Neqc Orleans Democrot

city of the Federal Troops.
Neso Orleans Democrat.
The following graphic and most inter-
esting account of the burning of Colum-
bia, 5. c., by the army under command
of General Sherman, is written by Mrs.
A. Q. Lowell, of this State, who resided
at Columbia at the time of its capture
and destruction, and who, after the lapse
of more than sixteen years. retains the
most vivid recollection of her thrilling
experiences during the memorable night
of the seventeenth of February, 1865.
1t is marvellous that Gen. Sherman, in
the face of the most lrrefragabla testi-
mony, in the face of the statements of
hundreds of truthful and well-known
persons, ladies and gentlemen, eye4wit-
nesses of the scene, should persist in
denying that Columbia was DESTROYED by
his soldiers. II would be infinitely more
manly for him to admit it and to at
tempt to defend it as an act of war. His
denials, subIerfuges, evasions and con-
tradictions have excited the wonder of
his friends and the contempt of his late
adversaries: e
I'VE were living on Main street, not far
from the Saluda river, where, after three days
fighting along the lines of Notifications thrown
up by General Beauregard for the defense of
the city, a remnant Of our troops were sta
toned to defend the landing place and enbar-
rass the passage over Of the Federal troops.
The main body of the Confederate army
had evacuated the place the night before. In
the morning, after quite sharp fight at the
landing, all of which was in my own hearing
our troops retired, and after that only few
of General Hampton's cavalrYmen were seem
who were still lingering, trusting to their
horses speed to enable them to escape in time,
About a. m. or between and 10 o'clock,
saw carriage pass our house.
our family physician, DR.. Goodwin, and
some other gentlemen, and very soon after
the same carriage returned with q Federal
soldier mounted beside the coachman, bearing
an immense United States flag. that covered
the whole carriage. By this / knew that our
city had been surrendered. Very shortly after
the Federal army marched in, in most festive
manner; bands playing, colorS flying, and
every other man. it seemed to me. bore some
trophy ON his bayonet of his prowess among
the storerooms and smokehouses and poultry
yards OF the country peoplet-srings of saus-
AGES, turkeys, even buckets, apparently full
of butter, pieces of bacon-and all seemed la
high spirits.
"For many hours they marched incessantly
past our house, regiment after regiment, until
there seemed to be no end of them, a bronzed
and hardy set of men, all thews and sinews.
apparently, and magnificently equipped with
every comfort, and even luxury of the camp.
Inc only CnlnS Lney seemed TO lack was GODaC-
co. and for that they broke ranks and rushed
to the sidewalk, as boxes of it were brought
from the warehouse near us and broken open
on the sidewalk.
''IE is true that the wind was high all day, as
Gen. Sherman says; but every Confederate
. soldier had been out of the city many hours
before there was even dream of fire.
i was advised to apply for guard and did
SO to keep the soldiers from intruding upon
our house. 60 felt quite safe and at case as
far as danger was concerned. In fsct, there
was much outward show of law and good or
der, as long as the daylight lasted
ABOUT sundown, however, we noticed the
glow of distant fires, but presumed it was the
stragglers of the army that were committing
these ravages outside OF regular authority, and
rather congratulated ourselves that we were
under Gen. Sherman, the great discipInarian 8
protection, and so the night came on. Iputmy
little childI en- to bed as usual. Two of them
were just recovering from measles, and the
third and youngest still had the eruption upon
her, but was not very ILL Still / feared to
expose them, but about O'Clock we were
much alarmed by seeing large fires at the
other end OF the town, near the State House,
which seemed spreading rapidly. This was at
9 p. m, not less than ten hours after the last
Confederate soldier had left the place. The
venerable Mayor. a fine old gentleman of the
old school. and almost an octogenarian, told
me himself afterwards that when the fires in
the country first appeared. seeing the anxiety
of many people. he went to Gen. Sherman
himself, and told him of the uneasy, feeling
filed with women and children, with few ex-
empt and disabled men. He received from the
commanding General this answer: ''Mr
Mayor, go tell your people to go to bed and
sleep. and assure them that they are Just as
safe as IL there was not Federal soldier near
their CITY," Notwithstanding this guarantee
which was taken on the honor of soldier and
General commanding, as said before as near
ly as can remember, suddenly about9 O'Clock
the fires near the State House spread with
the most alarming rapidity, and in le IS
ffrr1n han nrAfVa 6v-o (.
much headway, all parts of the city seemed
burning at once. ! had thought, at first, that
would not disturb my children, but watched
the spreading flames with great anxiety. and
thought as what wind there was was blowing
In the opposite direction that our house might
csc ape, but suddenly found all our neighbor-
hood in flames, houses burning before, behind
and on every side, except that of the Arsenal
Hill to the front of us. In greatest haste and
with the help of our landlords two young
daughters, who seeing the danger came to help
me with my little children, dragged them out
OF beo, and rapidly put on such clothing as
had at hand. The little one merely wrapped
in her crib blankets. A good, faithful servant
with the help OF negro man who had been in
the habit OF waiting on us, took my trunks down
stairs to be removed TO some safer place, for 1
had rapidly thrown into them the contents
of bureaus and wardrobeS, and we ali
went down upon t he gallery. By this time the
whole CITY was in flames, and the streets
swarmingiwith horse and foot soldiers All dis
cipline was waived for the time bt ing, certain
ly. Twice, Notwithstanding the guard we had
stationed at the front, soldiers got in the hack
way and flred mattresses upon " hich they had
poured turpentine, so that one guard said to
me, Madam, advise you to leave the house,
as can no longer prevent it from being burn
ed He was true and honest fellow, a young
man from Iowa, and really did all he could for
us. Then it was that confiding to him tin
box, In which were valuable papers, as did not
girls tour landlords daughters) my two little
boys by the hand, and my nurse following
with The youngest little one, well wrapped up
left our house. There was such a crowd
at the door we could hardly get out, and when
they saw me leaving our house they jeered and
told US we had better wait until it was on fire
before we ran out / appealed to the crowd
ana asked II there was not man who would
protect us in crossing the street. and only had
in answer loud, jeering laugh, but not one
man felt sorry for us or gave us any ssistance.
We crossed the street almost at the risk of our
lives, for horsemen were dashing reokleasIy up
and down. and there was wild confusion At
the opposite corner we were arrested by q par
ty of soldiers, who began taunting us with i'm
pertinent questions and ended by threats, so
that we became alarmed, and quickening our
pace, began to run for a place of safe
ty, the soldiers pursuing us. Superhu-
man strength was given, to me, and
taking my little, boy In my arms and the
other by the hand, we few rather than ran up
tbs hill, my ola nurse following, with the little
girl in her arms far behind, but she was not
molested. / saw the CLEAN of bayonet. by
the lurld 1rehght OF the conhagration. among
tae rhruobery of house, and to that we fed,
anu found there guard standing, as / knew
nY fHs pagoheg. y proved to be the house Of
tJnion man @nc Nas entertaining Federal
oineeFs. mere we-e 81 here. and q table
w1t1 rafrasH ssfspas al far them. Nearly
efrefe1 sI8 E4a4L1 Il protection hat
7es ssss 9iert4 lae Aoase, one Of The fs-sls
sfess niss1is re- 9sssz Iae - leave maxim aq
e rfete1t slr h1s rsagest eia my chiidraa had
He@sa =N As 81 - disease for
& ia3iH -etHf fg 20 &R ain irto
thS @ nst4eu ard n. some
projection, al unD ofF5cor ~.
the staff Of Genera MeCcok was sent with nd
he went with us to small house In the
suburbs OF the town, where we had an acauaint-
ance Hvlng-a kind and hospitahIe' Woinan--
who gave us shelter. On the way was pro-
testing against the ungenerous and unsoldier-
like way or making war upon women and chill.
dren, but our desolate and distressed condition
dlu not seem 70 move him any more Than if he
had been made OF flint. His answer constantly
was: Well, madame, this is wsr. and YOU
must remember this Is the hoEbed OF Secession
and the craile of rebellion; you could hardly
have expected anything else, and sucn
phrases. All this does not look much as IL the
city OF Columbia was burned by the Confede-
rates.
I'VE remained arouching all nieht without
other light than that of the burning CITY which
was sufficient to light up the country for miles
around, at the cottage to which we went fear
ing constantly that the torch would be nut to
that With al Of as iu It. viii never forget the
horrors OF that night. The red glare OF more
than two thousand burning houses the exDlo-
sion OF chemicals and combustioles the swarm.
ing OF armed men, who looked TO us Ike f5ends.
and seemed to have no humanity. sd thar ever,
70 TINS day can hardly look upon the uniform
OF Gne United states soldier without shndder.
Tnere Is no doubt in Iay niind, nor Ia the mind
OF any on2 who was there that night, that Co
lumoia was burned by the troops Of Sherman
not only Intentionally but in q s,,;-;f - -