The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-03-09

which TOOK place FeDruaTy IL, Icoo'
Two well known Columbians, John
F. Williams and F. F. Whilden, both
of whom witnessed the burning, have
contributed to the State interesting
accounts of that day as remembered
by them.
MIR. Williams's Account.
Mr. Williams's account follows:
February II should be marked in
red in our calendars as memorial
of Sherman's burning of Columbia in
1865.
ION the 18th there was consider
able skirmishing around Cayce and
on the 18th the Confederate troops
fell back across the river and burned
the bridges and Sherman planted a
battery across the river on Migrants s
hill opposite the penitentiary and
from there he shelled the city all
day. All during the 18th there was
considerable fighting across the river
at the Broad river bridge and both
the Saluda and Broad river bridges
were burned.
On the morning of the 18th Sher-
man came across Broad river, just
above the bridge, on his pontoon
boats and commenced coming into the
city. DR.. Goodwin, who was mayor
OF the city, met the advance guard
on the river road and surrendered the
city. It was about O'Clock when the
main army came in. was at the cor
ner Of Elmwood evenue and Main
street when they came in. Those who
had come in in the morning had been
plundering all day and when the main
army got in it was general plunder.
s. 'tThe plundering was kept up until
night and then the work Of destruc-
ton commenced from the Keenan,
home on north Main street, where
Bouknight's shop now stands, to the
state house, but one building was left
on Main street. 1t was small cot
tage on the 1900 block and was oc-
cupied by the French consul, who had
come here from Charleston and he
put up the French flag and saved his
house.
From Taylor street to Lady on the
east side of Assembly not house
was left and on through to Marion
street and on Washington to- Bull,
with the exception of the old high
school building, on Plain street to
Bull, on Taylor to Bull the house was
left on the corner of Marion and
Taylor; on Blanding one house to
Bull the house now occupied by F. G.
Troeger, and on the south side OF
Laurel to the house now occupied by
Mrs. Clark Waring, on Richland
street to Marion. Any one who will
go over these streets as have put
them down can form some idea of the
destruction. .
"Ebenezer Lutheran, Grace Epis-
copal, Washington Street Methodist,
.Ladson chapel and the Jewish syna-
gogue fell victims to the flames.
ION the morning of the 18th went
down town to see the ruins and it
was a fearful sight-women and chill
dren huddled together around what
little stuff they could get out of their
homes and no place to go. On AS
sembly street, near where the sub
station now stands, saw a woman
and her little children around few
things they hadgottenaut and among
her things she had saved piano, and
one of Sherman's men came riding
up and dismounting his horse, de-
liberately pulled four or five Of the
keys out of the piano and putting
them in his pocket, rode off.
MANY of the people went down in
the park, but there they followed
them, setting fire to the dry grass.
Plundering continued through Satur-
day and Sunday. On Sunday they
hauled ammunition from the state
arsenal in the lot at the governors S
mansion and threw it into the Con-
garee river just below the bridge,
and then stuck fire to the buildings
One of the teams hauling was blown
up on the river banks, one Of them
being blown into the river and the
other was left on the bank. They
never buried him but left him lying
where he died. He was pushed into
the river and that was his grave.
Sherman said war was hell and he
tried to make it as near so as pos
sible. He claimed that Columbia was
burned by the Confederates burning
cotton in the streets but his state
ment was absolutely false. The Con-
federates had left early in the morn