?T- V .'~*.
^ bi-eakhig^?t 8f the fire?, in. the *?u? of Ib'?j
oitj, and in tRe subnrbs in twenty ^ko*>Tie- i
sides, should conclude all doubt^ The attempt !
to lie it ?way, is aa atrocious in Its "reckless-,
sass, aa the deed Which the falsehood is meant
* to palliate. * .
Tbaro'are hundreds of witnesses who heard
tba explisit assertions to' this ejfeot from the
oom naen soldiery, and the detailed facts as
already givan, confirm their avowals. They
ware, as an army, completely is the banda of
their officers." Never was discipline more com?
plete-never authority more absolute.
L Enough that Sherman's army was ?nder
perfect disciplino.
SI. Tbat the fire was permitted, whether set
by dr a naen stragglers or negroes, to go on, and
Sherman's soldiers prevented, by their aetiv?
opposition, all efforts of the firemen, wh>l<
thousands looked on in perfect deren Hy, seeming
' totally indifferent to the ev eut.
t. That hundreds of soldiers, quite sober
were seen in hundreds of cases busily.engage?
in setting the fire, well provided with all th
implements and agencies, such as" the mot? ex
f eft of eity felons could conceive or devise.
?VThat they treated with violence the oit
zebs who strove to a rr esl the fiantes. J.
&. That, when entreated and exhorted b
citizens to arrest the. felona and ?prevent th
catastrophe, at the. very outset, tho officer?, i
ftufty cases, treated the applicants cavalierly
and gave no heed to his application.
6. That, daring the raging of ?h? fl a ufes, tl
act was justified by a reference to th? coun
- *?f Sooth Carolina in .originating the secessk
movement.
7. That the general aaigers themselves he
aloof until near lije close of the scene aud
the night; were net to be found; end that Gc
Sherman!? guard was not within the city* ai
yet ne person could be ignorant of what w
in progress. That Gen. -Sherman knew wli
-?? was going on, yet "kept aloof and made
effort to arrest it, anti! day-light OB Saturdc
ought, of itself, to be conclusive.
8. That, with his army under such admiral
discipline, he could have arrested it at any n
ment; and that he did arrest it, when it pleat
him to do so, even at the raising of ?finger,
the'tap of a dram, at the blast of a sin|
trumpet; * .
But. what need of these and a thouaa
other suggestive reasons, to establish a ebal
which might-be assumed from a.survey
Sher man'*! general progress, from the mom
when lie enteredj?outh Caroline. Every s
sequent step was taken in plunder and eon:
gration. The march of his army was a co:
lined flame, the tread ot' his horse was devai
tion, the presence of his troops was signifie
?if robbery and ail brutalities. On what j
&-US the picturesque village of Barnv
J **royedf We had no army there 'for
defence; no issue ef strength in its neighbor^
ha?! vxeited the [par-eions of the combata
Ye" it was plundered-every house-and u*<
- nil burned to the ground; and this, too, wi
. i'X:'. town waa occupied by women apd^chil^
jiiiy. ?Tc, too, the fate ef Blackril??, Ora'i
Bamberg, ' Buford's Bridge, OrAr-gtbofg, \
?*gtoa, Ac., all hamku vi most vuf?*si i
^a?terVw?ter^?^^
no fighting t4K*>k place-where there-?.te no
provocation of iiquo?- ?ven, and where Ute only
.ixcrciae of heroism was. nt the expense of wo?
man,- infancy and feebleness. Such, too,'waa.the
fat o of every fenn house-of aix in seven, at
i least; those only btrijtg spared which held forth
no temptation to lust nod cupidity; or which
were busried by in tl? hopes of yet belter
; prizes beyond. Surely, when such . was th?
fate and treatment in all cases, there need be
no effort now to s how that an exception waa to
be made io favor of the State capital, where
the otfen ces cb arg ed upon South Carolina bael
been necessarily of the rankest character; and,
.when they had passed Columbia-greatly be?
moaning the cruel fate which, under stragglers
A nd w hiskey - dri u kers ead negroes, b ad bro ugh t
her to ruin, In spite of the tears and entreaties
of their tender-hearted General--what were
the offences ui the villages of Allston, Pomaria,
Wiunsboro, Blackstocks, Society Hill and the
tuwB? of Camden and Cheraw! Tku? w^spitg
over the cn?elty which so unhappily destroyed
Columbia, was it that she should enjoy fallow
ship in woe and ashes, that they gave all these
towns and villngee.to the flames, and laid wast?
all the plantation sm nd farms between"? Bu
enough. If the conscience of any man b? snf
fioiently flexible on thia subject to coerce hi
understanding cvenyinto a momentary doubt
all argument will be%asted on him.
Our task has ended. Our narrative is draw.)
ny an ej'e-witness of much of thia terribf
drama, and of many of the scenes which i
includes; but the chief part has been drawi
from the living mouths of ? cloud of witnesses
malo and female, .the best people ia Columbia.
DOUBLE REFUGEES.-We hear j every now am
then, of parties who have taken the oath t
Lincoln, returning among us with Yank?
papers ia their pockets. Yankee papers ar
of no authority in this Confederacy. They ai
absolutely valueless, and ought not to bs su
fered to carry the owners anywhere in ot
precincts. These parties ought to be made f
give some good reasons fer b?ing here or elsi
whero in the Confederacy. If not with us, the
are against u?. If they cannot so 'cowmen
th emselvcs to our authorities as *o obtain pr
per passports, they na e to be considered i
spies, and to b? put under look and key by tl
fi rat provost marshal or guard which they ei
counter. Something ought to bc done to pe
j suad* these parties that, unless?they pnt then
i ?elv?s reclus in curia, their aspects are dotrbtf
t-their purposes doubtful-and that weet
tolerate no doubtful or double faces.
I TEREBEKE QU..-The manufacture of this o
j so important new to the people of Columbi
! has been resumed by D. D. Hocott, ID Camde
! We trust that he will contrive to consign
few wagon cargoes to this city, where we ne?
light, especially when tho ancient fart!,ii
candles (each) now requirj us to "fly" a Con fe
erate Eagfe.
M ilit?ry mattet s beyondie Mississippi a
entirely at ?stand still. Our troops hold tl
?owetr portion of Arkansas along the Wash i
River, sod command the greater portion
ike 'toe of Red River.
j ^gj? ??pg i
Tke office ef the Columbia J'/IO'U?J: U*>
Gates street, second door from Pluin.
PtTBXJC Tt???KTrvG.-Our cilizeas will notice th
call for a public meeting, at. the .Odd Fi tt-vw
School Howse, thia day'nt li o'clock. Wc e:
treat a general attendance of nil those cttisst
who Bhare'In our "foi tunes, and who ate au?
ioue to effect something for the general redie
?The object of this meeting ie to appeal te th
Legislature, shortly to assemble in Greenville
for succor, fcn,d to suggest and to devise tho:
measures by which succor may belt 1>e obtsri
ed. We trust that a full attendance may I
h%d, and that each reflecting citizen will con
duly prepared, by previous reflection, to coi
tribute his.share of thought and wisdom toll
! common stock, BO that our objecta may be ad
I quately presented to our Legislature, enfurc<
I by such arguments as shall prove sntietaetm
to thru august body. Let ne one be abe*;
I who can bring thought and wtedou tb cc-une
1 let none com^ ait prepared fully sympaUii
with the wan ? of u suffering community.
CaeuALTiKs.-Amonj,- the casualties report
to have taken place among the South Ca:
lindens, at the battle of Benton ville, wc And t
names of Lieut. J. P. Hancock, Stn S. C , fie
wound ia arm; Lieut. John Meddleton, 1st
C. artillery, slightly; Lieut E. S. Sauls, li
S. C., gun-shot .
The Yankees have established a negro
emiting office at Summerville, twenty-t
mile? r.bove Charleston, and a negro brigo
garrisons the town. ?
The Hebel, which has changed its-base sc?, e
time? since the war, got away safely from Sein
I but the other newspapers were lost .
I Despatches received announce that Con n
dore Hollins was not shot; he has arrived s
' in Richmond. ,
i ?' ? ? -Ml, ,
Public Meeting. .
THE citizens-of Columbia arc requested
attend a meeting, in thc Odd Fellow"? Sch
,Roora, THIS BAY, April K>, at 12 o'clock.
April 10 T. J. GOODWYN,' Jtfuyoi
True Brotherhood Lodge ^o. ?4.
A AN extra communication of thc at,
'X%rLodge will be held THIS A ?'TER IV CH
/^r\nt 8-1 e'clock, in,the Hall in the Coil
Campus. Tho Second and Titira* Degr< r> 1
be conferred. All Master Masons in i;
standing are fraternally iovited to attend.
By order of the W. M. "_A pril^ 1
? Card.
THE subscriber having retovned.to the c
will resume the Auction und Commis!
business, and would respectfully solicit a <
'tinuatiou of the patronage formerly besto
upon him. Orders left at the residence of
subscriber, Washington street, or Joseph S
son's residence,- Richardson street, (Mayra
house, below State Heose,) will be prom
attended to. I T. BETH
.April 10 -_
Headquarters.
COLUMBIA, S. C., Aron. 8, IS6
CIRCULAR.
ALL Officers ou Post Duty at this place
make n report lo th?se Headquarters o
men attached to their re^pe ive depnrtmi
who are entitled to draw rations at this po
All provibion returns must be made out at
departments and approved at thee? lie.-.dq
tere. Bv order -
. ' - A~ P". RUBLER, Col. Cin'd
W. J. Miainro, A. A. A. G. A iv il :
a