The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-01
TOLD ONCE MORE
Rev. N. 0. Gage, Chaplain Of an ludi
ana R,gim: mt During The War Tells
WHO BURNED COLUMBIA

He Exonorates the Confederates, But
Claims that the Con1agration Was
Started by a "Bummer" and Not by
a Soldier of the United States
Army.
Rev. VI. D. Gage. of San Jose, Cal,
who is now eighty-three years old,
has recently paid visit to Columbia.
The State says he finds Columbia
one of the most intensely interesting
points in his 5000. miles of travel
Forty-six years ago last February he
was in the beautiful capital Of South
Carolina when the entire business
and much of the residential portion
of the city were destroyed by fire.
In his capacity of chaplain of the
Twelfth Indiana volunteer infantry
he marched with Gen. w. T. Sher-
man from Savannah to Washington
on the 18th February, 1865, when
Bragg retired from Columbia and
Sherman advanced upon the city
Crossing the Saluda and Broad riv-
ers, Mayor Goodwin met him north
west of town and formally surrender
ed the city of his authority. AS the
Army of the Tennessee marched
through the city a large quantity Of
cotton was found burning, as was
and still is generally believed by or
der Of Gen. Bragg. Gen. Wade
Hampton being the immediate in
command.
THAT fact has been made the basis
of a common belief on the part Of
Isherman's friends, as we'll as Of him.
,elf while still living, that Ger
Hampton was responsible for the dis
astrous FIRE which destroyed Colum-
bia on the following evening and
during the entire night" says Mr..
Gage. "On the contrary it has been
almost universally believed by the
people Of Columbia and of the entire
South that Sherman was himself re-
sponsible for the terrible disaster.
It therefore matter of the utmost
Importance that one. who knows the
facts derived from direct personal
testimony of a non-commissioned Of
ficer of the Twelfth Indiana volun-
teer infantry should have hearing.
"The facts are as follows: While
marching through Columbia in the
afternoon of that disastrous day
Chaplain Gage and Assistant Surgeon
A. B. Taylcr Of the same regiment
noticed two ladies who waved white
handkerchiefs in token Of loyalty to
the United States flag. After going
into camp southeast of the city DR..
Taylor proposed that the two officers
should ride back into the town and
interview these TIVE ladies They
called at the residence and saw the
elder lady, who gave assurance of
their genuine loyalty, which had been
we'll known and no one had molested
them. The younger woman was then
absent at Gen. Sherman's headquar-
ters for the purpose of securing a
guard to protect the property.
"'Soon after the two officers re-
turned to camp an alarm of fire was
sounded. Col. Reub. Williams, COM
manding the Twelfth Indiana. was
Immediately ordered to take his reg
iment into the city, he being made
provost marshal, and the entire COM
mand was at once put on duty as
provost guard.
",It was then that I heard
Sergeant Thos. J. Lessig of Company
F.. Twelfth Indina, state the fact
that while in the northwestern sec
tion of the city he saw a man throw
the firebrand, which caused the con-
fagration, into a small unoccupied
building. The deed was not COM
mitted by one wearing the uniform OF
a Federal soldier and 1t was and
still is supposed that "contraband'
was the man who set Columbia on
| fire.
However that may be, 1t was not
an act of Gen. Sherman or OF one
serving under his comand. Indeed
Gen. Sherman never knew who the
offender was. I had removed to Cal
iforDia when the controversy be-
tween Sherman and Hampton arose
and the above facts in the case have
never been published, though fire.
ouently stated in private circles.
while the conflagration was rag
ing, Sergt ". J. Warren of Company
7. Twelfth Indiana. who had been
nosted with ten men at the residence
of Rev. !. M. G. Brecher, D. D., pas
tor of the First Baptist church in Co
! nmbia. informed that clergyman
| that his chaplain was also a Baptist
minister. DR.. Brerher therefore re-
| unested the sergcnt to bring the
chaplain to his home, which he ac'
cordingly did. After few mo-
ments of general conversation. DR.
Brecher said: "Chaplain Gage. dc
YOUR men know that the first sece-
sion convention was held in ouI
church here in Columbian" To which
I replied: Il presume they do, as
know it,
DR.. Brecher then said: 1T the