The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-02
THE BURNING OF COLUMBIA.
An UnintcntiOnal Confession bv Onc
of Shcrman's Bummcrs.

The Columbus, Ca, Sun and Times
published the following letter, which
was found in the streets of Columbia
Immediately after the army of Gen
Sherman had left, and the orieino,
or which has been preserved and can
De shown and substantiated.
Camp Near Camden, s. G.
February 81, 1865.
My dear Wife:
nave no time for particulars. we
have had glorious time in this
state' unrestricted license to burn
ana plunder was the order of the
day. The chivalry of the State have
peen stripped of most of their yalu-
aples-gold watches. silver, pitchers.
cups, spoons. forks, etc., are as COM
mon In camp as blackberries. The
terms of plunder are as follows: The
Naluables procured are estimated by
companies; each company is rcquir-
ed to exhibit the results Of it's opera
tions at any given place. One-fifth
and first choice falls to the share of
commander-in-chief and staff-one.
fifth to field officers of regiments and
two-fifths to the company. Officers
are not allowed to join the expedi-
tions without Disgusting themselves
as privates. One of our corps COM
manders borrowed suit of rough
clothes from one of my men and was
successful in this place. He got large
quantity of silver and among other
Things an old time milk pitcher and
a very fine gold watch from a Mr.. De
Saussure, of this place. De Saussure
Is one of the +. F.. VS. Of s. c., and
was made to fork over literally. OF
ficers 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 and in order to protect them
selves, subordinate officers and pri-
Yates keep back everything that they
can carry about their person, such as
rings, ear. ings. breast pins, etc., of
which, If ever live to get home. I
nave about q quart. am not jok-
ing; have at least quart of Jewell
ry for you and all the girls and some
No. diamond rings and pins among
them. Gen. Sherman has silver. and
gold enough to start bank. His
share in gold watches and chains
alone at Columbia was 275. ..
uRt ] said l could not go into par
ticulars. All the general officers and
many besides had Ialuablcs Of every.
description down to embroidered la
dies pocket handkerchiefs-I have
my share of them toe---yVe- tt,s,k gold
and silver enough from the d
rebels to have redeemed their infer
nal currency twice over This {thc
currency whenever we come across
1t We burn as it is considered utter
ly worthless.
/ wish all the jewelry this army
has could be carried to the Old Bay
State. 1t would deck her out in glor-
ious style, but alas, it will be scat
tered all over the Northern Middle
States. The d--niggers as a general
rule prefer TO stay at home, particu-
larly after they found out that we
only wanted tho abole bodied men
and to tell you the truth, the young
est and best-looking women. Some
times we took off whole families and
plantations OF niggcrs. by way of
paying secessiOnists. But the useless
part of them we soon managed to
lose, sometimes in crossing rivers
and sometimes by other ways.
/ shall write you again from Will
mington, GoldsborO or some other
place in North Carolina. The order
to march has arrived and 1 must
close hurriedly. Love to grandmother,
aunt CnariOttc. TakC care OF your
self and tho children. Don't show
this letter out Of the family.
Your 'affcctioratc husband
THOMAS j. MYERS, Lieut.. etc.
=. ST. will send this by the first
flag of truce to be mailed unless
have an opportunity of sending it to
Hilton Head. Tell Sallie 1 am saving
a pearl bracelet and ear rings for her,
but Lambert got the breast pin and
rings of the same set. l am trying
to trade him out OF them These
were taken from Mrs. Jamison,
daughter of the president of the S. G.
Secession convention. We found
these on our trip through Georgia.