The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-04-17
Federal Officer Tells of Stealing
by Sherman's Army.
A BAND OF ROBBERS.
Who Stole Everything They Could
Find and That Was Worth Carry
ing Of. How the Valuables That
Were Stolen Was Divided, and
What Became Of the Old Negro
Men and Women.


In the possession of a lady in Ma
con, Ca, who with her sister, also. {
resident of Macon, was an eye-wtt
ness Of the sack of Columbia forty
six years ago by Shernan's army
there is a letter found In the streets
Of that city after the Yankees ha6
left it in ashes, which shows the pro.
cess by which the union was restor.
ed. The signature is that of lieu.
tenant In Sherman's army, the ad-
dress that Of his wife in Boston. The
letter speaks for itself.
Camp near Camden, s. c.
February 26, 1865.
My. Dear Wife: I have no time for
particulars. We have had a glorious
time in this state Unresisted license
to burn and plu1der was the order OF
the day. The chivalry have been strip
ped Of most Of their Valuables. Gold
watches. silver pitchers, cups, spoons
forks, etc., are as common in camp as
blackberries.
The terms Of plunder are as fol-
lows: The valuagles procured are esti
mated by companies. Each company
Its operations at any given plac-
one-ffth and first choice falls to the
share Of the commander-in-chief and
staff, one-fifth to the corps command
or and staff, one-dfth to the field Of
acers Of the regiments and two-ffths
to the company.
Officers are not allowed to join
these expeditions Withous Disgusting
themselves as privates. One of our
corps commanders borrowed rough
suit Of clothes from one Of my men
and was successful in this place. He
got a large quantity Of silver among
other things an old silver pitcher,
and very fine old watch from Mr.
DeSaussure at this place. DeSaus-
sure is one of the F. F. VS. Of South
Carolina and was made to fork over
Officers over the rank Of captain
are not made to put their plunder In
the estimate for general distribution.
This is very unfair, and for that rea-
son, in order to protect themselves,
officers and priVates keep
back everything they can carry about
their pesron, such as rings, earrings,
breast-pins, ETC.. Of which, II l ever
live to get home, have about a
quart. / am not joking, have at
least a quart Of jewelEy for you and
all the girls and some No. l diamond
pins among them.
Gen. Sherman has silver and gold
enough to start bank. His share in
gold watches and chains alone at Col
umb bia was S275.
But I said I would not go into
particulars. All the general officers,
and many besides, had Vaiuables of
every description, down to embroid-
cred ladies' pocket hankerchiefs. l
have my share Of them, too. We took
gold and silver enough from the id
rebels to have redeemed their infer
nal currency twice over. This (the
currency) whenever we came across
it we burned, as We considered 1t ut
terly worthless.
I wish all the jewelry this army
mas could &c carried to the old Bay
State. 1t would deck her out In glor-
ious style, but, alas! twill be scat
tered all over the North and Middle
states.
The id niggers, as a general
rule, prefer to stay at home-partlc-
ularly after they found out that we
only wanted the able-bodled men and
to tell the truth, the youngest and
best-looking women. Sometimes we
took of whole families and planta-
tions OF niggers, by way OF repaylng
the secessionists. But the useless
part of thes we soon managed 70
lose-sometimes by crossing rivers,
sometimes by other ways.
shall write you again from VIII
ntngton, Goldsboro, or some other
place in North Carolina. The order
to march has arrived, and l must
close hurriedly. Love to grandmotn--
Grand Aunt Charlotte. Take care OF
Yourself and the children. Don't
show this letter out Of the family.
Your ateetionate husband,
Thomas J. Myers.
Lieutenant, etc.
P s.: | will send this by the first
flag of truce to be mailed, unless l
have opportunity Of sending It to Hill
ton Head. Tell Sallie I am saving a
nearl braceles and earrings for her.
But Lambert has the necklace and
breastpin Of the same set. l am try
ing to trade him out Of them. Those
were taken from the Misses Jam1son,
daughters Of the president OF South
Carolina secession convention: we
found these on our trip through Geo1
gia.
FIVE WOMEN KILLED