The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-02-20


they read to their pupils Capt, Ditk
crt story of the burning Of Columbia
In order that the suggestion may J.,
followed and on accoun, % the most
Important event in Colrmh,' hi,
tory, the State present, the tory a
it is found in Chap,,r \Lli Of the
'llistory Of Krr>law Brigade
When Sherman pat hi, mighty ma
chine Of var in motion Kcrahaw 5
brigade was hurried back to Charles
ton aud MP to Georges Station then
To he bridge on the E,i,io Raid
ing partie, were ont in every drcc
ton, destroying bridges and railroads,
and as the Southern army had no pom
toon corps nor any methods Of cross
ing the deep, sluggish streams in their
rear but by bridges, it can be seen
that the cutting Of one bridge alone
might be fatal to the army II was
discovered early in the march that
Sherman did not intend to turn to the
right or TO the left, but to continue
on direct line, with Columbia as the
centre Of operations. We were re-
moved from lie I.disto back to Charles
ton, and up the Northwestern rail
road to st. Stephen on the Santcc
1t was feared that ii raiding party
from Georgetown would come up the
Santcc aud cut the bridge, thereby
isolating the army IIardcc had in
Charleston and vicinity. Slowly
sherman dragged his weary length
along On the 18th of February the
corps of Gen. Blair reached Kngville
and drove our pickcts away from The
bridge over the Congarcc.
On the 18th Of February the ad
vance column Of the Twentieth corps
came in sight Of Columbia. All the
bridges leading thereto we're burned
and the Southern troops withdrawn
to the eastern side. Frank Blairs
corps left the road leading to Colum-
bia at Hopkins. and kept direct line
for Camden. Another corps, the Eff
tccnth, crossed the Broad at Colum-
bia, while the Fourteenth and Twcn-
ticth were to cross at l'rcshlcy's and
Alston. Orders had been given to
cvacuatc Charleston, and all the troops
under Gen. McLaws, at -Four Hole
Swamp, and along the coast, were to
rendezvous at ST. Stephens, on the
Santce. and either make junction
with the western army at Chester, S.
o., or if not possible, to continue to
Chesterfield or Chcraw. The plan of
the campaign was now to concentrate
all the forces Of Hoods State troops
and Hardec's at some point in upper
South Carolina or in North Carolina,
and make one more desperate stand,
and by united action crush and over
throw Sherman's army, thereby re-
licving Lee.
On the morning of February the
18th the enemy, without any warning
whatever, began shclling the city of
Columbia, filled with women and chill
drcn. Now it must be remembered
that this was not for the purpose of
crossing the river, for one Of Shcr-
mans corps had already crossed be-
low the city and two others above.
One shell passed through the hotel in
which Gen. Bcauregard was at the
time, others struck the State House,
while many fell throughout tho city.
Gen. Hampton withdrew his small
force of cavalry early on the morning
OF the 18th, and the mayor Of the city
met an officer Of the Federal army un-
der flag Of truce and rendered him
the surrender Of the city, and claimed
protection for its inhabitants. This
was promised
All during the day thousands Of the
enemy poured into the city, Gen.
Sherman entering about midday
Gems. Davis and Williams corps
crossed the Saluda and continued up
on the western bank of Broad river,
one crossing 10 the other % miles
above Columbia. The people of Co.
lumbia had hopes of peaceful occu-
patton of the city, but during the day
and along towards nightfall, the
threatening attitude of the soldiers,
their ominous words, threats of ven-
geancc. were too portcntous for the
people to misunderstood or to cx-
pect mercy. These signs, threats and
mutterings were but the prelude to
that which was to follow.
FIRE ALARM.