The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-01

duced to ashes and salt sown upon the
rui1s, Gen. Sherman In his Memoirs
(page 226), says he answered Halleck
as follows:
''Tbis war differs from European
wars in this particular: We are not
only fighting hostile armies, but hos
tile people, and must make old and
young, rich and poor, feel the hard
hand Of war, as we'll as their organized
armies.
II will bear in mind your hint as
to Charleston, and do not think it will
be necessary. When l move, the Fif-
teeEth corps will he ON the right of
the right wing, and their position
VIII bring them into Charleston first;
and If you have watched the. history
OF the corps, you will nave remarked
that they generally do their work
pretty well. Tie truth is, the whole
army is burning with Unsuitable desire
TO wreak vengeance upon South Caro-.
lima. almost trct:,blc at her fate,
but feel that she deserves all that
seems in store for her"
lie also stated III his deposition in
the case of Browne vs.. United States,
to which reference has already been
made, that he and his army, both Of
icerS and men, thought that South
Carolina should be eXtirpated. which
meant utter destruction beyond the
nope or resurrection; and he also stat
ed IN the same deposition that il he
mad thought it necessary he would
have destroyed Columbia as he would
prairie-dog village.
In his Memoirs (page 2S7), Gen.
Sherman says that the tire that de.
stroyed Columbia was accidental, and
on the same page he sa, ):
Ia my official report of this confli-
grafton 1distinctly charged it to Geu.
Wade Hampton, and confess | did so
pointedly, to shake the faith of his
people in him, for he was, in my opin-
ion, n hraEgart. and professeh to be
the special champion of South Caro-
lima" In the last conversation ever
had with him on the subject, Gen.
Hampton said that the charge of
Sherman made against him as to the
burning of Columbia was the most
llagrant injustice that could possibly
be perpetratcd by any man VINO
claimed to be a soldier rand gentleman.
During the whole war" he contin-
ued, never committed an act in
violation of the rules Of civilized war
fare and never permitted my soldiers
TO do so. | was second in command
when the cavalry raid was made into
Pennsylvania in 1862, and Col. Nc.
Clurc, The well-known editor Of The
Philadelphia Times, has testified in
his memoirs how Scrupulously caused
the rights OF private citizens and non
combatants to be respected by nv
men when we captured Chambers
burg. or course, we took such neces-
Sarics belonging to private citizens as
we were compelled to have, but in
every instance the owners were given
vouchers upon which they could
collect The value of the property So
taken from the United States 20 m
ment. J. never permitted my 81.
to enter an orchard or to draw wa, 81 81
from private well or cistern without
first obtaining the permission of the
owner. No outrage or violence was
committed by them in any instance,
and yet when returned home after
the war | found my residence burned,
which was two miles from Columbia,
and also Milwood, the home Of my
grandfather and father, around which
clustered the most sacred memories of
my life. had lost in the war all my
estate and had seen my brother and
youngest son shot down upon the
battlefield: but Gen. Sherman was not
satisfied with this, and has attempted
TO place upon me the terrible stigma
OF having burned the houses of nv
friends and neighbors in Columbia. A
more cruel and false accusation was ,
never made, and though | shall not
make myself ridiculous by seeking any
perS onal satisfaction, | hope that we
may never meet, for | diStrust my
own sclfcontrOl if face to face with a |
man who has wrongcd me SO foully.n