University of South Carolina Libraries
by e. b. murray & CO. ANDERSON, S. C, THURSDAY MORNINgTsEPTEMBER 25. 1879._VOL. XT-NO. 11. the Btnanre of columbu. A DARK CHAPTER OF UNWRITTEN The Report of the Committee of Citizen? Appointed to Collect Testimony?Scene* In the Stricken City?Incidents of the Night of Terror Caused by the Great Conflagration. By J. P. Carroll, Chairman of the Committee of The Committee who were charged with the dot/ of collecting the evidence in re? lation to the destruction of Columbia by fire on the 17th of February, 1865, submit the following report: By the terms of the resolution appointing them the com? mittee do not feel authorized to deduce any conclusion or pronounce any judg? ment, however warranted by the proofs, as to the person responsible for the crime. Their task will be accomplished by pre? senting the evidence that ha3 been ob? tained, with an abstract of the fact estab? lished by it More than sixty depositions and statements in writing, from as many individuals, have been placed in the hands of the committee. The array of witnesses is impressive, not merely be? cause of their number, but for the high tone and elevated character of some of them, the unpretending and sterl? ing probity of others, and the gen? eral intelligence and worth of all. The plain and unvarnished narrative sub? joined is taken from the testimony refer? red to solely and exclusively, except so much as refers to certain declarations of Geu. Sherman himself, widely circula? ted through the public press, and to the ravages of his army in this State after their departure from Columbia; matters of such notoriety as, in the judgment of the committee, to dispense with the nec? essity of formal proof. The forces of Gen. Sherman's command while in Georgia seem to have anticipated that their next march would be through South Carolina. Their temper and feel? ing toward our people, a witness, Mrs. L. Catherine Joyner, thus describes: "The soldiers were universal in their threats. They seemed to gloat over the distress that would result from their march through the State. I conversed with numbers of all grades belonging to the Fourteenth and Twentieth corps. Such expressions as the following were of hour? ly occurrence: 'Carolina may well fear us rshe brought this war on, and shall nay the penalty. You think Georgia has suffered; just wait until we get into Carolina; every man, woman and child may .'dread us there.'." Of Gen. Sherman himself the same witness informs us that, addressing himself to a lady of his ac? quaintance, he said to her: "Go off the line of railroad, for I will not answer for the consequences where the army passes." A HARVEST OF DESOLATION. The threats uttered in Georgia were sternly executed by the troops of Gen. Sherman upon their entrance into this State. For eighty miles along the route of his army, through the most highly improved and cultivated region of the State, according to the testimony of In? telligent and respectable witnesses the habitations of but two white persons re? mained. As he advanced, the villages of Hard ee vi lie, Grabamville, Gillison ville, McPhersonville, Barnwell, Black ville, Midway, Orangebarg and Lexington were successfully devoted to the flames; indignities and outrages were perpetra? ted upon the persona of the inhabitants; the implements of agriculture were bro? ken; dwellings, barns, mills and gin houses were consumed; provisions of every description appropriated or de? stroyed ; horses and mules carried away, and sheep, cattle and hogs were either taken for actual use or shot down and left behind. The like devastation marked the progress of the invading army from Columbia through this State to its north? ern frontier, and the Towns of Winnsboro, Camden, and Cheraw suffered from like visitation by fire. If a single town or village or hamlet within their line of march escaped altogether the torch of the invaders the committee have not been informed of the exception. The line of Gen. Sherman's march from his entering the territory of the State up to Columbia, and from Columbia, to the North Carolina border, was one continu? ous track of fire. The devastation and ruin thus indicted were but the execution of the policy and plan of Gen. Sherman for the subjugation of the Confederate States. Extracts from his address, at Salem, III., have appeared in the public prints, and thus he announces and vindi? cates the policy and plan referred to: "We wc-e strung out from Nashville clear down to Atlanta. Had I then gone on stringing out our forces what danger would there not have been for tbeir at? tacking the little head of the column and crushing it? Therefore, I resolved in a moment to stop the game of guarding their cities, and to destroy their cities. We were determined to produce results, and now what were those results ? To make every man and woman and child in the South feel that if they dared to rebel against the flag of their country they must die or submit." The plan of subjugation adopted by Geu. Sherman of by his army. His officers and men universally justified their acts by declar? ing that it was "the way to put down the rebellion by burning and destroying ev? erything." Before the surrender of our town the soldiers of Gen. Sherman, offi? cers and privates, declared that it was to be destroyed. "It was," deposes a wit? ness (Mrs. Rosa J.Meetze,) "the common talk among them (at the village of Lex? ington) that Columbia was to be burned by Gen. Sherman." At the same place, on the 16th of February, 1865, as deposed by another witness, Mrs. Frances T. Caughman, the general officer in com niand of his cavalry forces, Gen. Kilpat rick, said in reference to Columbia: "Sherman will lay it in ashes for them." "It was the general impression among a11 the prisoners we captured," says a Confederate officer, Col. J. P. Austin, of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, "that Col? umbia was to be destroyed." SHELLING south carolina's capital. ' On the morning of the same day (Feb? ruary 16,1865) some of the forces of Gen. Sherman appeared on the western side of the Congaree River, and without a de? mand of surrender, or any previous no? tice of their purpose, began to shell the town, then filled with women, children and aged persons, and continued to do b<>, at intervals, throughout the day. The Confederate forces were withdrawn and the town restored to the control of the municipal authorities on the morning of the 17th of February. Accompanied by three of the aldermen, the mayor, be? tween 8 and 9 o'clock a. m., proceeded in the direction of Broad River for the purpose of surrenderiug the city to Gen. Sherman. Acting in concert with the mayor, the officer in command of the rear guard of the Confederate cavalry, Gen. M. C. Butler, forebore from further resistance to the advance of the opposing army, and took effectual precautions against anything being done which might provoke Geu. Sherman or his troops to acts of violence, or severity to? ward the town or its citizens. The sur? render of Columbia was made by the HISTORY. CUizeru. was fully comprehended _ r i_i'?__tt:_ _? mayor and aldermen to the first general officer of the hostile army whom tbey met, and that officer promised protection to the town and its inhabitants until communication could be had with Gen. Sherman and the terms of surrender ar? ranged. By 11 o'clock a. m. the town was in possession of the Federal forces, the first detachment entering being the command of the officer who had received the surrender. They had scarcely march? ed into the town, however, [before they began to break into the stores of the merchants, appropriating the contents or throwing them into the streets and destroying them. As other bodies of troops came in the pillage grew more general, and Boon the sack of the town was universal. Guards were in general sent to those of the citizens who applied for them, but in numerous instances they proved to be unable or unwilling to perform the duty assigned them. Scarcely a single household or family escaped altogether from being plundered. The streets of the town were densely filled with thousands of Federal soldiers, drinking, shooting, carousing and rob? bing the defenceless inhabitants without reprimand or check from their officers, and this state of things continued until night. In some instances guards were refused. Papers and property of great value were in the vaults of the city banks, while the apartments above and in the rear were occupied by women and chil? dren, with their food and clothing. For a guard to protect them application was made by .one of our worthiest and most respectable citizens, Edwin J. Scott, Esq., first to the general officer who had received the surrender of the town, Col. Stone, and then to the provost marshal, Major Jenkins. The response made to the applicant by the former officer, though standing idly in the crowd, was that he "had no time to attend to him," and the answer of the latter was, "I can? not undertake to protect private proper? ty." Between 2 and 3 o'clock p. m. Gen. Sherman in person rode into Columbia, informed the mayor that his letter had been received and promised protection to the town. Extraordinary license was allowed to the soldiers by Gen. Sherman. SHERMAN'S ASSURANCE OF SAFEGUARD. On the afternoon of the 17th ot Feb? ruary, and shortly after his arrival in Columbia, the mayor of the town, at the reqest of Gen. Sherman, accompanied him on a visit to a lady of his acquain? tance. While proceeding to her resi? dence Gen. Sherman began to express his opinion very freely upon the subject of our institution of slavery. In the midst of his remarks he was interrupted by the sudden and near report of a mus? ket ; immediately before them in the di? rection they were going, they observed a group of Federal soldiers seeming to be excited, and upon approaching they saw a negro lying dead directly in their path, being shot though the heart "Gen. Sherman," the mayor Dr. T. J. Goodwyn narrates, "asked of the soldiers 'how came the negro shot,'" and was answered that he had been guilty of great insolence to them, and that there? upon Gen. Sherman remarked: "Stop this boys, this is all wrong; take away the body andjbury it." "Gen. Sherman," continues the mayor, "then stepped over the body of the negro and observed to this depo? nent that 'in quiet times such a thing ought to be noticed, but in times like this it cannot be done.'" General Sher? man, resumed bis conversation in relation to shivery, and no arrest was ordered or any censure or reprimand uttered by him except as above stated. About sundown, as the mayor deposes, General Sherman said to him: "Go home and rest assured that your city will be as safe in my hands as if you had control of it." He added that he was compelled to burn some of the public buildings, and in so doing did not wish to destroy one particle of private property. "This evening," he said, "was too windy to do anything." An esteemed clergyman, Rev. A. Toomer Porter, testifies that the same afternoon, between 6 and 7 o'clock, Gen. Sherman said to him: "You must know a great manly ladies. Go around and tell them to go to bed quietly; they will not be disturbed any more than if my army was one hundred miles off." He seemed obvious of the fact that we had been pillaged and insulted the whole day. In one hour's time the city was in flames. Meanwhile the soldiers bad bumed that afternoon many houses in the environs of the town, including the residence of Gen. Hampton and that of his sisters, formerly the residence of their father, and once the seat of genial and princely hospitality. Throughout the day, after they had marched into the town, the soldiers of Gen. Sherman gave distinct and frequent notice to the citi? zens of their impending calamity, usually in the form of fierce and direct threats, but occasionally, as if in kindly fore? warning. A lady of rare worth and in? telligence, and of high social position, Mrs. L. S. McCord, relates the following incident: "One of my maids brought me a paper, left, she told me, by a Yan? kee soldier; it was an ill-spelled but kindly warning of the horrors to come, written upon a torn sheet of my dead son's note-book, which, with private pa- j pers of every kind, now strewed my | yard; it was signed by a lieutenant, but of what company or regiment I did not j take note. . The writer said he had rela- j tives and friends at the South, and that he felt for us; that his heart bled to think of what was threatening. 'Ladies,' he wrote, 'I pity you ; leave this town; go anywhere to be safer than here.' This was written in the morning; the fires were in the evening and night." WAS IT A PRECONCERTED SIGNAL ? One of our citizens of great intelligence and respectability, Wm. H. Orchard, was visited about 7 p. m. by a squad of some six or seven soldiers, to whose depriva? tions he submitted with a composure which seemed to impress their leader. Of his conversation with this person the gentleman referred to testifies as follows: "On leaving the yard he called to me aud said he wished to speak to me alone. He then said to me, in an undertone: 'You seem to be a clever sort of a man, and have a large family, so I will give you some advice ; if you have anything you wish to save, take care of it at once, for before morn? ing this d?d town will be in ashes?ev? ery house in it.' My only reply wa9, can that be true. He said 'yea, and if you do not believe me you will be the sufferer; and if you watch you will see three rockets go up soon, and if you do not take advice you will see h?11.' " Within an hour afterward three rockets were seen to ascend from a poi n t i n fron t of the mayor's dwelling. But a few minutes elapsed before fires in swift succession broke out, and at points so far apart that they could not have been communicated from tbe one to the other. At various parts of the town the soldiers, at the ap? pearance of the rockets, declared that they were the appointed signals for a general conflagration. The fire compa? nies, with their engines, promptly re? paired to the scene of the fires and en? deavored to arrest them, but in vain. The soldiers of Gen. Sherman, with bay? onets and axes, pierced and cut the hose, I disabled the engines, and prevented the I citizens from extinguishing the flames. The wind was high and blew from the west. The fire spread and advanced with fearful rapidity and soon enveloped the very heart of the town. The pillage, which had begun upon the entrance of the hostile forces, continued without ces? sation or abatement, and now the town was delivered over to the accumulated horrors of sack and conflagration. The inhabitants were subjected to personal indignities and outrages. A witness. Capt. W. B. Standley, testified that several times during the night he "saw the soldiers of Gen. Sherman take from females bundles of clothing and provis? ions, open them, appropriate what they wanted, and throw the remainder into the flames." Men were violently seized and threatened with the halter or the pistol to compel them to disclose where their gold or silver was concealed. The reverend and beloved pastor of one of our churches, Rev. P. J. Shand, states that "in the midst and during the pro? gress of the appalling calamity, above all other noises might be heard the de? moniac and gladsome shouts of the sol? diery." Driven from his home by the flames, with the aid of a servant he was bearing off a trunk containing the com? munion plate of his church (his wife walking by his side,) when he was sur? rounded by five of the soldiers, who requested him to put down the trunk and inform them of its contents, which was done. The sequel he thus narrates: "They then demanded the key, but I not having it, they proceeded in efforts to break the lock. While four of them were thus engaged the fifth seized me with his left band by the collar and presenting a pistol to my breast with his right, he demanded of me my watch. I had it not about me, but he searched my pocket, thoroughly, and then joiued his comrades who, finding it impracticable to force upon the lo?k, took up the trunk and carried it away. These men (he ad? ded) were all perfectly sober." TWO?THIRDS OF THE TOWN IN ASHES. By 3 o'clock on the morning of the 18th of February, 1865, more than two thirds of the town lay in ashes, compos? ing the most highly improved and the entire business portion of it. Thousands of the inhabitants, including women del? icately reared, young children, the aged and the sick, passed that winter night in the opon air, without shelter from the bitter and piercing blasts. About the hour mentioned (2 o'clock a. nr...,) another highly esteemed clergyman, lie v. A. Toomer Porter, personally known to Gen. Sherman, was at the corner of a street conversing with one of his officers on horseback, wh in Gen. Sherman, in citi? zen's attire, walked up and accosted him. The interview is thus described: "In the bright light of the burning city Gen. Sherman recognized mo and re? marked, 'This is a horrible sight.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'when you reflect that women and children are the victimes.' He said: 'Your Governor is responsible for this.' 'How 80?'VI replied. 'Who ever heard,' he said, 'of an evacuated city being left a depot of liquor for an army to occupy. I found one hundred and twenly casks of whiskey in one cellar. Your Governor, being a lawyer or a judge, refused to have it destroyed, as it was private prop? erty, and now my men have got drunk and have got beyond my control and this horseback be said: 'Li Andrews, did I not order that this thing should be stopped?' 'Yes, General,' said the Cap? tain, 'but the first division that came in soon got as drunk as the first regiment that occupied the town.' 'Then, sir,' said Gen. Shermrn. 'go and bring in the second division; I hold you person? ally responsible for its immediate cessa? tion.' The officer darted off and Sherman bade me good evening. I am sure it was not more than an hour and a half from the time that Gen. Sherman gave his order before the city was cleared of the destroyers." From that time until the departure of Gen. Sherman from Columbia (with perhaps one or two exceptions) not another dwelling iu it was burned by his soldiers, and during the succeeding days and nights of his occupation perfect tranquillity prevailed throughout the town. The discipline of his troops was perfect, the soldiers stand? ing in great awe of their officers. THE INCENDIARIES SOBER. That Columbia was burned by the sol? diers of Gen. Sherman, that the vast ma? jority of the incendiaries were sober, that for hours they were seen with combusti? bles firing house after house, without any affectation of concealment, and with? out the slightest check from their officers, is established by proof full to repletion and wearisome from its very superfluity. After the destruction of the town his of? ficers and men openly approved of its burning and exulted in it. "I saw," de Sose? the mayor, "very few drunken sol iers that night; many who appeared to sympathize with our people told me that the fate and doom of Columbia had been common talk around their camp fires ever since they left Savannah." It was said by numbers of the soldiers that the order had been given to burn down the city. There is strong evidence that such an order was actually issued in relation to the house of Gen. John S. Preston. The Ursuline Convent was destroyed by the fire and the proof referred to comes from a revered and honored member of that holy sisterhood (the Mother Superi? or) and it is subjoined in her own words; "Our Convent was consumed in the gen? eral conflagration of Columbia, ourselves and pupils were forced to fly, leaving pro? visions, clothing and almost everything. We spent the night in open air in the church-yard. On the following morning General Sherman made us a visit, ex? pressed his regret at the burning of our Convent, discliamed the .ict, attribut? ing it to the intoxication of his soldiers, and told me to choose any house in town for a convent and it should be ours. He deputed his Adjutant-General, Colonel Ewing, to act in his stead. Colonel Ewing reminded us of General Sherman's offer to give us any house in Columbia we might choose for a convent. 'We have thought of it,' said we, 'and of ask? ing for Gen. Preston's house, which is large.' 'That is where Gen. Logan holds his headquarters,' said he, 'and orders have already been given, I know, to burn it on to-morrow morning; but if you say you will take it for a convent, I will speak to the General and the order will be countermanded.' On the following morning, after many inquiries, we learned from the officer in charge (Gen. Perry, I think,) that his orders were to fire it un? less the Si?ters were in actual possession of it, but if even 'a detachment of Sisters' were in it it should be spared on their account. Accordingly wc took possession of it, although fires were already kindled near and the servants were carrying off the bedding and furniture in view of the house being consigned to the flames." A DOUBT ABOUT ACTUAL ORDERS. Although actual orders for the burn? ing of the town may not have been giv? en, the soldiers of Gen. Sherman certain? ly believed that its destruction would not be displeasing to him. That such was their impression we have the authority of a personage not less distinguished than Hie officer of highest rank in the army of the invaders next after the commander Perce." the officer on in-chief himself. The proof is beyond impeachment. It comes from the hon? ored pastor of one of our city churches, Rev. P. J. Shand, to whom reference has already been made, and it is thus ex? pressed in bis written statement in the possession of the committee: "As well as I recollect, in November, 1865, I went in company with a friend to sec General Howard at his headquarters, in Charles? ton, on matters of business. Before we left the coversation turned on the des? truction of Columbia. Gen. Howard ex? pressed his regret at the occurrence, and added the following words: 'Though Gen. Sherman did not order the burning of the town, yet somehow or other the men had taken up the idea that if they destroyed the capital of South Carolina it would be peculiarly gratifying to Gen. Sherman.' These were his words in the order in which I have set them forth. I noted them down as having great signifi? cance, and they are as fresh in my re? membrance as they were immediately af? ter they were spoken. My friend (whose recollection accords fully with my own) and myself on our way home talked the matter over, and could not but be struck by the two following facts: First, that although Gen. Howard said that Gen. Sherman did not order the burning, he did not state that Gen. Sherman gave orders that the city should not be burned. Second, that it was surprising if General Sherman was opposed to the burning that his opposition should have been so disguised as to lead to the conviction on the part of his soldiery that the act, so far from iucurring his disapprobation or censure, would be a source, to him, of "peculiar gratification." The cotton bales in the town bad been placed in the cen? tre of the wide streets in order to be burued to prevent their falling into the possession of the invaders. But upon Gen. Hampton suggesting that this might endanger the town, and that as the South Carolina Railroad had been destroyed the cotton could not be remov? ed, Gen. Beauregard, upon this represen? tation, directed Gen. Hampton to issue an order that the cotton should not be burned. The proof of this fact is to be found in the written statement of Gen. Beauregard himself. Accordingly, and in due time, the order forbidding the burning of the cotton was issued by Gen. Hampton aud communicated to tbo Con? federate troops. The officer, then actiDg as Gen. Hampton's adjutant (Capt. Rawlins Lowndes,) speaks as follows: "Soon after Gen. Hampton assumed command of the cavalry, which he did on the evening of the 16th of February, he told me that Gen. Beauregard had de? termined not to burn the cotton, as the Yankees had destroyed the railroad, and directed me to issue an order that no cotton should be fired. This I did at once, and the same order was extended to the cavalry throughout their march through South and North Carolina." The general officer commanding the di? vision forming the rear guard of the Confederate cavalry (Gen. M. C. Butler,) deposes: "That be was personally pres? ent with the rear squadron of his divis? ion ; that Linut.-Gen. Wade Hampton withdrew simultaneously with him, with a part of this deponent's command, and that Gen. Hampton, on the morning of the evacuation and the day previous, directed him that the cotton must not be set on fire, and this order, he adds, was communicated to the entire divis? ion and strictly observed." A cler? gyman, highly esteemed at the North, as at the South (Rev. A. Toomer Por? ter! thus testifies: "General Hampton had told me at daylight, in answer to the question whether he was going to burn the cotton: 'No, the wind is high ; it might catch something, and give Sher? man an excuse to burn the town.'" "Be? tween 8 and 9 o'clock on the morning of the 17th of February," deposes the mayor, "General Hampton, while sitting on his horse, observed some cotton piled not far off, in the middle of the street. He ad? vised me to put a guard over it, saying: 'Some careless ones, by smoking, might set it on fire, and in doingso might endan? ger the city. From that hour Isaw noth? ing more of Gen. Hampton until the war was over." "Not one bale of the cotton had been fired by the Confederate troops when they withdrew from Columbia. The only thing on fire at the time of the evacuation was the depot of the South Carolina Railroad, which caught fire ac? cidentally from the explosion of some ammunition." This is the statement of Gen. Beauregard himself. It is sus? tained by the testimony of the officer, high in rank, but higher still in charac? ter, who commanded the rear guard of the Confederate cavalry (Gen. M. C. Butler,) and is concurred in by other witnesses, comprising officers, clergy? men and citizens?witnesses of such rep? ute and in such numbers as to render the proof overwhelming. HOW THE COTTON WAS FIRED. The fire at the South Carolina Rail roid depot burned out without extending to any other buildings. Shortly after the first detachment of Gen. Sherman's troops had entered the town, and while men were seated or reclining on the cot? ton bales in Main street, and passing to and fro along them with lighted cigars and pipes, the row of cotton bales be? tween Washington and Lady streets caught fire, the bales being packed, with the cotton protruding from them. The flames extended swiftly over the cotton, and the fire companies with their en? gines were called out, and by 1 o'clock p. m. the fire was effectually extinguish? ed. While the fire companies were en? gaged about the cotton, an alarm was given of fire in the jail, and one of the engines being sent there the flames were soon subdued, with slight injury only to one of the cells. About 5 o'clock in the oftcrnoon, as deposed to by a witness (Mrs. ?. Squire,} the cotton bales in Suratcr street, between Washington and Lady streets, were 6et on fire by Gen. Sherman's wagon train, then passing along the cotton. But that fire was soon extinguished by the efforts of the wit? ness referred to and her family. "I saw," says a witness (John McKenzie, Esq.) "fire-balls thrown out of the wagons against Hon. W. F. De Saussure's house, but without doing any damage." No other fires in the town occurred until af? ter night, when the general conflagration began. As already stated, the wind blew from the west, but the fires after night broke out first on the west of Main and Sumter streets, and to windward of j where the cotton bales were placed. "The cotton," it is-testified and proved (Ed. J. Scott, Esq.,) "instead of burning the houses, was burned by them." Gen. Sherman, as has been shown, on the night of the 17th of February, and while the town was in flames, ascribed the burning of Columbia to the intoxica? tion of his soldiers and to no other cause. On the following day, the 18th of Febru? ary, the lady to whom reference was pre? viously made (Mrs. L. S. McCord) at the request of a friend, having undertaken to present a paper to Gen. Howard, sought an interview with that oflicer?second in command of tbo invading army?and found Gen. Sherman with him. The narrative of a part of the interview is as follows: "I handed him the paper, which he glanced at, and then in a somewhat subdued voice, but standing so noar Gen. Sherman,that I think it impossible that the latter could help hearing him, he said: "You may rest satisfied, Mrs. -, that there will be nothing of the kind happening to-night. The truth is, our men last night got beyond our con? trol; many of them were shot; many of them were killed; there will bo no repe? tition of these things to-night. I assure you there will be nothing of the kiud; to? day will be perfectly quiet.' And it was quiet?peaceful as the grave?the ghost of bis predecessor." "The same day (18th of February) Gen. Sherman," deposes the mayor, "sent for me. I went to'seo him aboutl o'clock. Hemetme very cordially, and said he regretted very much that our city was burned, and that it was my fault. I asked him how? He said in suffering ardent spirits to he left in the city after it was evacuated, saying: 'Who could command drunken soldiers?' There was no allusion made to General Hampton, to accident, or to cotton." THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY THE FIRE. On the succeeding day?Sunday, Feb? ruary 19, 1895, the mayor and six of the citizens visited Gen. Sherman in ordor to obtain food for the subsistence of the women and children until communica? tion could be had with the country. Gen. Sherman, upon that occasion, talked much. "In the course ofliis discourse," deposes one of the gentlemen ; Edwin J. Scott, Esq.,) "he referred to the burning of the city, admitting that it was done by his troops, but excusing them because, as he alleged, they had been made drunk by our citizens, one of whom, a druggist, he said, had brought a pail full of spirits to them on their arrival. Again, on our leaving the room, he expressed regret that the liquor had not been destroyed before his men entered the place; but he never mentiooed or alluded in any way to Gen. Hampton or the cotton, nor gave the slightest intimation that they were instrumental in the destruction of the city. At that time," deposes the same witness, "the universal testimony of our people was that Sherman's troops burned the town. Since then I have been in the habit of daily intercourse with all classes in and about Columbia, high and low, rich and poor, male and female, whites and blacks, yet I have not met with a single person who attributed the calami? ty to any other cause." "If," he adds, "a transaction that occurred in the pres esence of forty or fifty thousand people can be successfully falsified, then all human testimony is worthless." As evidence of the general distress and suffering which resulted from the sack and burning of our city, and the desola? tion of the adjacent country, the com? mittee refer to the fact established by unimpeachable testimony, that for about three months daily rations, consisting generally of a pint of meal and a small allowance of poor beef for each person, were dealt out at Columbia to upwards of eight thousand destitute people. The committee have designed by the preceding summary of the more promi? nent events and incidents connected with the destruction of Columbia to present only an abstract of the numerous deposi? tions and proofs in their possession. The proprieties imposed upon them by the very nature of the duties to which they have been assigned have precluded their doing more. In the evidence thus col? lected may be read in all its pathetic and heartrending details the story of the tragic fate that has befallen our once beautiful city. Impressed with the his? toric value of the proofs referred, to, and their importance to the cause of truth, and with a view to their preservation, the committee respectfully recommend that they be committed to the guar? dianship of the municipal authorities and be deposited with the archives of the town, trusting that in after and better times they will yet be found effectual as well to vindicate the Inno? cent as to confound the guilty. Facts Learned From Drought. Before the drought of this year is for? gotten let us take a brief review of the lessons it has taught us, so we may im Eress them on our memories and profit y them in the future. 1. Droughts are of incalculable advan? tage to the soil. They are to the earth what sleep is to the human body, "tired nature's sweet restorer." While the sur? face of the earth is parched with heat, by the mysterious force of capillary at? traction, various fertilizing properties are continually rising from the subsoil, which but for the heat and drought in the surface would have remained below. The rising of the oil in the lamp wick, to supply the place of that which is con? sumed by the dame, is a familiar illus? tration of this process. If any farmer doubts the fact, let him notice the won? derful recuperation of the crops since the rains have fallen and let him account for it upon any other hypothesis if he can. 2. Before the 10th or 15th of July droughts are not dangerons. Up to this date they are in one or two respects like bomb shells; they make a great show and produce alarm and demoralization, but do very little execution. The splen? did crops now growing all over our coun? try prove this fact. 3. It will not do to stop work ou ac? count of dry weather. The editor of this paper very correctly observed, in his re? cent trip to Welford, that more com was injured by not receiving the last work? ing, than by the dry weather?a fact which many farmers are now realiziug to their sorrow. 4. Corn should be replanted, notwith? standing there may be no missing hills. It requires both a silk and tassel to make an ear of corn. These die very soon in dry weather, but when the raius come, the stalks if not completely exhausted, will throw out fresh silks, and these silks will make ears, provided there are any fresh tassles within reach to furnish the pollen. If there are no such tassles these efforts to make ears must prove abortive. A close inspection of any field of early corn to this time, will convince any one of these truths. We should have a stalk, then, about eve? ry fifteen feet square, planted two or three weeks after the main crop to fur? nish pollen in case a drought should kill all the old tassels. 5. The best provisions against drought are deep and thorough preparation, plenty of distance, liberal manuring, lev? eling the rows so as to save every drop of the partial showers that usually fall in time of a drought, and rapid and thor? ough cultivation. He who will remember the above facts and reduce them to practice will hold his hand against any ordinary drought. ? Carolina Spartan. ? Europe promises to be for all time to come a profitable market for our sur? plus apples. If there U anything in the 'survival of the fittest' Dr. Bull's Baltimore Bills must be 'counted in;' they have lived long aud do better work Ihau ever. ? There arc now only about 500,000^ members of the patrons of husbandry in the United States. At one time the organization numbered nearly a mil? lion. "THE BLOODY" BATES. Revolutionary Incidents Connected with SpurtanUurg County. Sjutrlanburij Spartan. Never was sobriquet more justly earned than this scoundrel assassin did the one attached to his name. He was known by it throughout the Revolutionary war, and died with it ringing in bis ears. Born and brought up in the mountains of the Carolinas, he sought to lead the In? dians, at the commencement of the Revo? lutionary war, on his old neighbors, friends and kindred. He strove to sur? pass his savage followers in all their hor? rible atrocities on the Whigs in the up? per parts of Spartanburg and Greenville. After committing many outrages on the thinly settled citizens of this region of country, he came to the house of a Mr. Sillman, on Pacolette River, who had been living there for a number of years with his family. As soon as Bates and his Indians made their appearance, those of the family who were at home attempt? ed to make their escape. They were im? mediately fired on by the Indians, and a son of Mr. Sillman's then a young man grown felled to the ground. He was shot through the body, and supposed for some time to be dead. But Bates discovered whilst plundering the bouse that he was alive, and he ordered one of his savage band to dispatch him. As the Indian ap? proached him, young Sillman raised his hands and implored for mercy; but the savage was as insensible to mercy as he was ignorant of the language in which he was addressed. Instead of mercy, he first stamped bis foot on the face of the white man and drew his butcher-knife and thrust it in the breast and side of his vic? tim. Sillman swooned away, and was again left for dead. The Indians having loaded themselves with plunder, left the house. Not long after the departure of Bates, Mrs. Sillman returned and found her son still breathing. Terrified and alarmed with the apprehension that the savages would again come back, and moved Dy that maternal love which is the strongest and most deep-rooted affection of the human heart, she took up in her arms the mangled body of her son, and made the best of her way with it to the swamp, not fr.r distant. After washing tiie clot? ted blood from his bead, breast and side, she went in search of assistance and pro? tection. Some of the neighbors who had escaped the Indians and Bates, returned with her, and in her fright, confusion and alarm, she was unable at first to lead them to the place where she bad con? cealed her son. After some search, how? ever, the spot was discovered, and the young man found to be yet alive. He received all the attention that his family and neighbors could bestow, and, won? derful to say, recovered, and was living at the time of my visit to the battlefield of theCowpensI In after life he wore his hair combed forward in such a manner as to couccal the scalp. After his outrages in Spartanburg District, Bates divided his band of sava? ges, and sent one portion of them to at? tack Mill's Station in North Carolina, whilst he led the others to Gowen's Fort in Greenville. Those who were dis? patched to the former place, found the station wholly unprepared for an attack. The greater part of the garrison was dis? persed in the neighborhood, and the fort fell an easy capture in the hands of the Indians. When they first made their appearance, Mrs. Mills was sitting with an infant in her arms suckling at the breast. She was shot at through the interstices of the logs of the fort, and the ball passed through the head of her Dabe and the breast at which itwassuck ing. A more shocking and dreadful sight cannot well be imagined. The news of the capture and massacre of this station was carried that evening to Captain John Earlc, who immediately raised his company and went in pursuit of the Indians. They were tracked into the mountains, when the savages, finding themselves pursued, set the woods on fire and dispersed, which precluded the pos? sibility of further pursuit. Bates and his party proceeded to Gow? en's Fort in Greenville, which, after a short but vigorous defence, was surren? dered on condition that the unfortunate captives were to receive protection from their savage assailants. But no sooner was Bates in possession of the fort, than recreant to his word of honor and all the feelings of humanity, he ordered a gener? al and indiscriminate massacre of all the prisoners. A most shocking butchery ensued of men, women and children. Neither age, sex nor even his own kin? dred were spared. But few made their escape, and they in a horribly mangled condition Mrs. Thompson, the wife of Abner Thompson, Esq., made her escape after being scalped, and was still living in Greenville in 1830, venerated with her husbaud for their moral worth and Revolutionary services. Amongst those who were killed was the Motley family, all but one son, who lived to avenge in a signal manner the murder of bis relations. Some of the garrison were not executed immediately, but re? served for a more cruel death. Amongst this number was young Motley. This young man, after being made to witness the murder of his father, mother, brothers and sisters, was taken for the purpose of being burnt to the stake. All the horrid preparations for such a fate were in readiness. He was stripped of his coat, waistcoat and shirt, and one Indian was unhitching his knee-buckles for the pur? pose of taking off his breeches, when he discovered Bates. Motley and Bates had been raised together, and an appeal was made to their old acquaintance and for? mer friendship, but all in vain. Bates was insensible to all feelings of friend? ship and humanity. In fact, he pos? sessed all the vices of the savage without any of his virtues. He was cowardly and treacherous, as well as vindictive and re? vengeful in his purposes. The reply of Bates to Motley's appeal for protection was, "Damn you, I have nothing to do with you !" At that in? stant Motley received a blow which felled him to the ground, and as he arose he determined to make an attempt to escaped, hoping that he would be shot or an ond put to ids life at once. As he broke to run he was shot in the thigh, but notwithstanding this wound, he ef? fected his escape by means of the bushes and reeds growing on the creek close by. He ran several miles and got to tho house of a tory whose wife protected him. Major Gowen, who was also in the fort, was taken with some others to the mountains for the purpose of being killed at leisure, and in such manner as savage ferocity might suggest. The negroes were taken off by the Indians and Bates for the purpose of making property of them. An opportunity oc? curred during the night of despatching one of these negroes, a trusty servant of Maj. Gowen's, to Captain Parson's, who lived somewhere in that section of country. The Captain immediately col? lected a company of men and followed on until he overtook the Iudians. They were completely surprised and routed. The prisoners were all released aud re? turned to their homes in safety. Many years after the close of the Revolution, and whcn^country courts were established.in the upper country, Bates returned from the Cherokee coun? try, where he had taken refuge, and stole a horse. He was pursued and captured and securely lodged in Greenville jail. His captors recognized him as ' the bloody" Bates. Motley heard of Bates being in Greenville jail whilst plowing in the field. He immediately left his plow, girded on a pair of horseman's pis? tols, and went to Greeuvillc Court House. Col. Carter, a gentleman of high charac? ter aud great popularity, was Sheriff of Greenville at that time. Motley deman? ded of him the keys of the jail, which the Colonel refused to give.him. He told the story of Bates murdering his father, mother, brothers, and sisters, and pre? sented a pistol at the Colonel's breast. The keys were given up, and Motley en? tered the jail. He seized Bates by the throat and emptied the contents of it into his heart. Bates fell dead, and was taken from the jail and buried on the lot now belonging to Col. Hoke's estate ad? joining the public square. Motley returned home aud lived in Greenville for many years. No one thought of prosecuting him for killing Bates. All applauded the act and hon? ored Motley for doing it. About the same time a similar execution took place at Ninety-Six. Gen. Butler, of Revolu? tionary fame, went into the Court House aud took a notorious tory assassin from the prisoner's, box after he had been ac? quitted of stealing a horse, and carried him out and hung him to a tree in the court yard. Judge Burke was presiding in Court, and when the wife of the prisoner appealed to him to save her husband, he replied, "Before God, my good woman, if I were to attempt to do so, they would hang nie too. Sam Souci, July 22,1879. "2Iy Darling's Blind." A lady entered a car on the Oakwood road one day the past week leading a lit? tle girl perhaps four years old. The moth? er sat down and fitted the little one to the seat beside her. The child was nibbling at a bit of cake or sugar, now jthd then turning her face, full of childish love, up to her mother and murmuring some unin? telligible words of affection. Opposite to the mother aud child sat another young lady, who often smelled a fresh rose which she held. The innocent little one before her attracted her atten? tion, and natural kindliness of the sym? pathetic woman's heart prompted her to at once offer the fragrant flower to the budding lily opposite. So she leaned a bit forward and spoke : "Baby want the posey ?" But the child seemed not to hear. Per? haps it was the moving car that prevent? ed. Then she upoke a little louder, and held the flower forward temptingly? "Baby may have the posey." The mother heard, for she looked to? ward the other lady and smiled?and oh 1 such a look of heartfelt gratitude of motherly love, yet saddened with such an expressive tinge of sorrow km is seldom seen. And still the lady <>f the rose pressed upon the littleone the acceptance of the flower. "Baby take the rose," holding it almost to the child's hands. And now it seemed she was heard, for the blue eyes turned full upon her would-be patron, and then in a moment she strongly drew toward her mother's face. The lady with the flower showed her bewilderment in her look, while a pained expression flit? ted across tflj. face of the mother, who leaned forward and whispered 'just a word? "My darling is blind!" Then the whole sunless, darkened life of the fair little being?fair as the flower which had been offered to her?came up before the mind. All beauty shut out forever! For her no foii.igestrewn, flower-studded scene to follow the bleak? ness of winter. No looking with awe into the mysterious depths of the night sky, sparkling with glittering, twinkling star gems, for over those blue eyes the Crea? tor, in the mystery of His designs, had hung the impenetrable veil. No expec? tant gaze toward the mother's face for the gentlest smile that ever soothes a childish trouble ; only the blind passage of the little hand over and over those features, for one moment's sight of which that growing little one will often willingly offer years of existence. For her the birds will sing; the lovliness of form and feather are not. For her while the babbling stream may make mysteri? ous music, dimpled waves and winding reaches and verdant banks do not exist. How bitterly vivid all this as the lady opened the little hand and shut within it the thomless stem of the rose, now bear? ing a tear in the petals. And there were other swimming eyes in the car. Wanted a Specimen.?They were sitting in the office of Engineer DeHass yesterday afternoon, that is, a few of Burlington's most worthy officials, when a Hawlceye reporter intruded upon them in search of news. There was a positive declaration from each individual that he knew nothing. After a few moments' commonplace remarks, one of the gentle? men told a story. This reminded an? other official of a little incident in his experience as a school-teacher. He said: "I had a small microscope in the school, and I thought I would entertain the children with it one afternoon. I had heard that a louse was a wonderful thing under a magnifying glass, so just bofore school was dismissed at noon, I told the children that I wanted a big, fat louse, and that for the finest and fattest one I would give fifteen cents. Well, sirs, I dismissed that school, took my dinner and went over to a corner to eat it. I had my lunch nicely laid out, and had just got started, when 1 noticed a little six-year-old come in the doorway, and start toward me with his right hand extended and a triumphant expression lighting up his little countenance from ear to eye and back again. He marched right up to me, and as he got within reaching distance, unclosed his hand, and said: 'There, teacher; there, I got him,' and with that he deposited a fine, fat gray-back alongside ol the lunch. He was about to start off, when in came a little girl in the same manner, walked up with her head down, her thumb in her mouth, and laid down two. Well, they began to come in then right along, until about seventy-five were crawling around before me. I told the children to take them out, and save me two of the best gf them. Then they gathered them up and took them away; but, gentlemen, I ate no more dinner. It took a week's salary to pay off the various fifteen cents I had promised, and when the debts were all paid, the study of animated nature in that direction was suspended for the looked around for the "next.'' but no one j offered to go one better, and soon the news-seeker quietly withdrew.?IJurliii\r ton Hawkeye. Settlement of a long dispute.?Physi? cians have at last come to the conclusion that the best medicine for teething chil? dren is Dr. Bull's Baby Syrup. B. F. P2BBY. Here the official paused and An Extraordinary. People ? At the meeting of the British Associa? tion at Sheffield on Aug. 23, the well known African explorer, Commander Cameron, who was received with ap? plause, apologized for not having his paper prepared, but be did not believe, in detailing the manners and customs of the people of Urua, in Central Africa, this would be a drawback. Urua was one of the largest native States in Africa. It was bounded on the east 'by Tanga? nyika, on the north by independent tribes iu Mangueina, ou the west by Ulunda, and on the south by mountains south of the lake Bangueola. The great chief was Ivasongo, and the race was per? haps the most civilized in Central Africa. The chief claimed Diviue honors. On his death all his wives save one were slaughtered at the grave, and the one whose life was not taken was handed over to the chiefs successor. The spirit of the deceased Prince was supposed top;iss into the body of the successor. The center of the religion of the people was an idol, which was held iu great rev? erence. The idol was placed in the midst of a dense jungle, and it had for wife one of the sisters of the reigning sovereign. Under the principal chief were smaller chiefs, who collected and paid over to the sovereign tribute. He had seen this tribute come in, and some of it must have come from distant parts of the coun? try. There was a numerous class of wiz? ards in the country who did a large trade in idols and charms. Many of the wiz ards were ventriloquists, and in this way the idols were made to give answers to the questions put to them. Caste was very clearly defined in the race. No one dare sit down in the presence of the chief without permission, which was very sel? dom granted. In one case where, in the traveler's presence, a native had neglect? ed etiquette, severe punishment was about to be inflicted, but the traveler saved the offender. Authority was maintained by mutila? tion. Hands, feet, ears, noses, were mu? tilated, and the natives did not seem to mind it much. One woman had cut off her own ears. This woman was one of Kasongo's wives; he had about 1,000 of them. She asked permission to mutilate herself, and did it at once. The body? guard of the chief was composed to a great extent of mutilated people, whose afTection for the chief seemed in no way decreased; indeed, it would appear that mutilation strengthened their regard for their chief. [A laugh.] The name of the idol was Kungwe a Bnuza, and pro? found reverence was shown to it. Fire was obtained by friction from a fire block, and in oue case a chief used the shin bone of one of the other chiefs who had been conquered. The dress of the people was very simple, consisting of an apron. Members of the royal family wore three large skins, and junior members of the family wore aprons of green monkey skins. The hair dressing of this people was curious, varying more with districts than with rank. In some cases it was worked up into four ring plaits crossing at the top of the head like a crown, and sur? rounded at the bottom by a band of cow? ries 'or other shells. Skewers were in inserted in the hair, one end of which could be used in tattooing. The people were not a hairy race, but they mauaged to grow their beards long, and platted them like a Chinaman's pigtail, usually putting at the end of each a lump of mud to weight it. Some of the beards reached to the waist*. The women, not having beards to amuse themselves with, were tattooed extensively. Tattooing gen? erally commenced at the age of seven, and might be completed about the age of twelve or fourteen, which was the age for marriage. Beautiful patterns were used, and the tattooing was done in raised cuts. Sometimes a husband, when he was dis? pleased with his wife, cut off all these raised pieces, and the woman could not appear in public again ; she was not re? ceived into society until she was rctat tooed. [Laughter.] He saw one of their weddings, which was very curious. The festivities lasted several days. A ring was formed of the natives, two men with big drums being in the middle. The drums were played and the people round danced. The bride was brought out, dressed in leathers and other finery, on the shoulders of the women. The bride threw shells and beads about, for which there was a scramble, as the possession of them was supposed to cenfer luck. Ultimately the husband came into the ring, and putting the bride under his arm, carried her off. [Laughter.] The means of communica? tion was by drum signals. They had a call on the drum for everybody's name, and they could ask questions and convey intelligence over hundreds of miles and receive ?answers almost immediately. In war messages were constantly sent enor? mous distances to bring up re-enforce? ments or to stop their coming. The mass of the people lived in huts on dry land, but there were one or two exceptions to this. He saw two lakes on which people were living in huts. In one case the people had covered over the long grass growing in the water with earth, and on that had built their huts; in the other the huts were built on piles. The lan? guage of the country belonged to the same broad family which stretched across the large belt of Africa traversed by him, and the grammar was on the same prin? ciples as the grammar of the Swaeli. [Cheers.]? London Times. The Political Outlook. The next presidential campaign will have one important feature?It will vir? tually express the people's verdict upon the questions at issue between the lead? ing political parties. For behind our government, behind our politi? cians, behiud all the legislative machinery, rings, and petty partizan or? ganizations, is the real ruler and direc? tor of our government?the sovereign people. Every official will be brought before the inquisition of the people's tri? bunal, and all proved unworthy will be ignominiously sent home to tend the farms and their own business. The people will endorse nothing whatever, be it a presi? dent or a pill, that has not proved itself a genuine article. That the American Eeople have so long acknowledged, by oth word and patronage, the genuine? ness and value of Dr. Pierces Family Remedies, is proof conclusive that their use fully justifies their discoverer's claims for them. No other proprietary medi? cines sell so largely The Golden Medi? cal Discovery is a sovereign remedy for all scrofulous, blood, and skin diseases. It has pretty thoroughly superseded the old-time sarsaparillas. The Favorite Prescription has no equal as a remedy for those chronic weaknesses and painful affections peculiar to women. Pleasant Purgative Pellets, sugar coated and scarcely larger than mustard seeds, arc now the popular laxative atid cathartic. Sold by druggists. ? On the bills of fare at the White Sulpher Springs Hotel, in Old Virginia, the following significant line appears: "Engagement rings can be had at the jewelry store."