The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-10-28
Sherman Destroyed Queen City OF the
South.

sket2h Dy DlaJ. ~. Ii. hamilton will
be Of interest He was the provost
marshal here at the tir:a audaknows
that Sherman s men poured oil on the
houses and then fred them. Writing
to the Charlotte, n. c., Observer,
Major Hamilton, now of Hil!sboro,
says:
1t has been currently reported and
believed by some that the city Of Co.
lumbia was burned, not by the order
OF Gen. Sherman but in consequence
Of an order from Gen. Hampton for
the burning Of cotton which was stored
in considerable quantities within the
city limits. I, as provost marshal of
the city, know the facts and will pro-
ceed to state them.
Columbia being infested by the
Federal army, Gen. Hampton, in COM
mand of a body of cavalry only, found
it necessary to evacuate the city, and
to prevent the very considerable guam
tity Of cotton from falling into the
hands of the enemy the bales were
opened and the cotton spread into
thin line through tho centre Of several
Of the unusually broad streets. On
the evening of the day before the
evacuation, received from General
Hampton an order to detail squads Of
men, from the two companies I then
commanded, with orders at l o'clock
p. M, to burn the cotton on the sew
eral streets. The details were told
off. Each put in charge of au officer,
and held at my headquarters. At 20
minutes before 10 o'clock a courier
galloped up with written order from
General Hampton not to burn the cot
ton.
The evacuation took place in the
early morning Of the next day. /
marched my command to the outskirts
of the city, halted them and, accom-
panied by one of my officers, Lieut..
Larkin, I returned to the heart of the
city aud aided several merchants in
driving off negro and white pillagers
from their stores. While SO engaged
we were attracted by the music Of the
band, and looking down the Main
street, saw the head of the Federal
column marching along about where
the State capitol stands. I mounted
my horse and Lieutenant Larkin and
I quickly joined my command then
resting at the Charlotte & Columbia
railroad station. and took up tho line
Of march towards Charlotte. We
formed line of battle at Killian's
Mill, 10 miles from Columbia, and
between 10 and IL o'clock saw tho
flames Of the burning city rising to
the skies.
I left the city at 10 clock, and not
an ounce of cotton had then been
burned. On my return to Columbia
after the surrender, I learned the fol-
lowing particulars, which should for
ever establish the truth about the
wanton destruction of that beautiful
city, occupied by no Confederate COM
batants, but filled to oyeraowing with
helpless, terror stricken women and
children.
Those particulars are as follows:
My mother, with her little chill
dren, and g young. daughter occupied
frame cottage near the outskirts Of
the city. Her friends persuaded her
TO take refuge in large brick mansion
entirely detached. Before leaving
she called up Adam, our old faithful
slave, with the skin Of an African,
but with the heart and courage Of an
Anglo.Saxon, and told him, "I leave
this house in your charge Nobly
and at the risk Of his life, the old me-
gro was faithful to this charge. While
other houses were burning, he stood
at his post Of duty. a band Of Fed
erals came to the house, poured kero.
sene oil on tho woodwork and set Ere
TO it. Adam followed them and,
with his old felt hat, brushed out the
flames as fast as they were started,
Finally one soldier placed his bayonet
to Adams breast and said: "Do that
again and T will kill you" To this
Adam replied, 'sYou may kill nue., but.
Won shall never, hnrn th;a honso 1,R;lo
I am alive" The house was not
burned and nothing was stolen hut d
loaf Of bread and roasted fowl. \:
Ialso, on my return, met an; intel
ligent, reliable man whese name I for
get, who told me that his wife, be-
coming much alarmed at the presence
Of the enemy, had . nervous attack.
BE hurried to q drug store for . reme-