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SHERMAN ENTERS SOUTH CAROLINA.

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threatening an advance on Augusta | army, with its trains, to traverse her -Gen. Sherman thus pursuing his whole extent, from south-west to favorite strategy of dividing the ene- north-east, in mid-winter, was a phymy's forces and distracting his atten- sical impossibility. Yet, to provide tion from his real objective, so as to against the chance of Sherman's provprevent a concentration to resist him ing able to overcome the resistance in the difficult, inhospitable region of the elements, Gov. Magrath had, through which his course lay, by proclamation, summoned to the field as militia every White male in the State between the ages of 16 and 60, not already in the service; proclaiming that those who did not voluntarily come out should be forced out, and that all former exemptions would be disregarded.

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Ample time had been afforded for felling her abundant trees across her narrow roads-that being about the last conspicuous service which her slaves were constrained to render to their masters. Wheeler's troopers

Incessant rains, which flooded most of the adjacent country, giving the Savannah at Sister's ferry a surface width of nearly three miles, submerging the causeway road, and breaking up Gen. Slocum's pontoon-bridge, compelled a delay of a fortnight; during which, Savannah was made over " to Gen. Foster: Gen. Grover's division of the 19th corps having been sent by Gen. Grant to form its garrison. Some feints were made from Pocotaligo of an advance on Charleston; Foster's position between the Coo- hovered around our advance, watchsawhatchie and Tullifinny abandoned ing for chances; while a brigade of as no longer of use; and at length-infantry lay behind the Salkehatchie the flood having.somewhat abated Sherman's whole army moved" nearly northward; Slocum, with Kilpatrick, crossing the Savannah at Sister's ferry or Purysburg, and moving on Barnwell and Beaufort's bridge, threatening Augusta; while the right wing, keeping for some distance west of the Combahee and Salkehatchie, should cross at Rivers's and at Beaufort's bridges and push rapidly for the Edisto; thus flanking Charleston and compelling its precipitate evacuation by the enemy, after they should have been kept paralyzed so long as might be in apprehension of a siege.

Southern South Carolina is so inveterately and generally a swamp, and was now so sodden and covered with water, that the belief was common among her people that for an

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at Rivers's bridge, prepared to dispute its passage. This, however, was brushed" aside by a turning movement from below-to make which, Mower's and G. A. Smith's divisions of Blair's corps waded through a swamp three miles wide, covered with water, one to four feet deepthe weather having become bitterly cold-the two Generals wading at the head of their men. Once over, the Rebels were quickly driven off in disorder, retreating behind the Edisto at Branchville: our loss here being 18 killed and 70 wounded. Our infantry pressed rapidly after them: the enemy burning the bridges over the Edisto while our men broke up the South Carolina railroad for many miles; and Kilpatrick, skirmishing heavily with Wheeler, 25 Feb. 3, 1865.

** Dec. 29, 1864.

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cess.

CROSSING OF THE EDISTO AND CONGAREE.

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moved by Barnwell and Blackville to guns of a substantial fort on the
Aiken, threatening Augusta. Thus, north side, with a smaller work or
by the 11th, our whole army was on bridge-head on the south: the ap-
the line of the railroad aforesaid, proach being over level, open ground,
tearing it up, and holding apart the covered with mud from the recent
enemy's forces covering Augusta on inundation. Gen. Chas. R. Woods,
one hand and Charleston on the other. whose division had the advance,
Our right was now directed on turned the bridge-head by sending
Orangeburg; the 17th corps crossing up Stone's brigade through a cypress
the South Edisto at Binnaker's swamp on the left; when the enemy
bridge, while the 15th crossed at decamped, after having fired but not
Holman's bridge, farther up; the destroyed the bridge, which was
two approaching at Poplar Spring: promptly repaired; so that our guns
the 17th moving swiftly on Orange- were brought over, and at night the
burg bridge over the South Edisto, head of the column bivouacked near
and carrying it by a dash; the enemy the fine bridge over the Congaree
trying to burn it with but partial suc- leading into Columbia, which was
A battery was in position be- fired and consumed as our van ap-
hind it, covered by a parapet of cot-proached it next morning.
ton and earth, with wings extending
so far as could be seen. Blair con-
fronted it with G. A. Smith's divi-
sion, and sent his other two to a
point two miles below, where pon-
toons were quickly laid and Force's
division crossed; Mower's holding
the bridge as a support. When
Force emerged from the swamp on
the right flank of the Rebels at
Orangeburg, they gave way; when
Smith pushed over; occupied their
works, repaired the bridge; and by
4 P. M. the whole corps was in and
around Orangeburg, tearing up the
railroad leading to Columbia; press-
ing thence, so soon as possible, on that
metropolis, regardless of Branchville
or Charleston on their right; as Sher-
man knew that, being thus flanked,
they must be abandoned rather than
run the obvious risk of losing the
troops by whom they were held.

The 15th corps was again resisted" at the crossing of the Congaree; where the bridge was swept by the

The left wing, under Slocum, had found the crossing of the swollen Savannah so difficult, that it was not entirely clear of that river till the 7th; but it had encountered thenceforth very little resistance; Wheeler's cavalry being the only force that infested its march, and this being kept quite busy by Kilpatrick alone. Augusta was full of Rebel stores; and, in painful apprehension of a visit from Sherman, was defended by such Georgians as could be mustered for militia; but Sherman had no notion of molesting or being molested by them. The shattered remnant of Hood's army-once more consigned to Jo. Johnston-was making its way, under Cheatham, from north Mississippi across Sherman's track through Georgia to his front in the Carolinas, but was not yet near enough to give us trouble: so Slocum, unvexed by any obstacle but the necessity of corduroying the interminable swamps he must traverse, crossed the South

3c Feb. 15.

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Edisto on the 13th, concentrating | Howard touching the conduct of the troops. his command at and below Lexing-senals and public property not needed for These were: to destroy absolutely all arton, and reaching the Saluda a few miles above Columbia only an hour or two after Howard appeared on that river (which here unites with the Broad to form the Congaree) on the 16th.

our own use, as well as all railroads, dépôts, and machinery useful in war to an enemy; asylumns, and harmless private property. I but to spare all dwellings, colleges, schools, was the first to cross the pontoon-bridge, and, in company with Gen. Howard, rode into the city. The day was clear; but a perfect tempest of wind was raging. The brigade of Col. Stone was already in the and soldiers were on the streets, and gencity, and was properly posted. Citizens eral good order prevailed. Gen. Wade Hampton, who commanded the Confederate rear-guard of cavalry, had, in anticipation of our capture of Columbia, ordered that all cotton, public and private, should be moved into the streets and fired, to prevent our making use of it. Bales were piled everywhere; the rope and bagging. in the wind, lodged in the trees and against cut, and tufts of cotton were blown about

Some of these piles of cotton were burning, especially one in the very heart of the city, near the court-house; but the fire was partially subdued by the labor of our soldiers. During the day, the 15th corps passed road. The 17th did not enter the town at through Columbia and out on the Camden all; and, as I have before stated, the left wing and cavalry did not come within two

miles of the town.

Gen. Howard, by Sherman's order, promptly threw forward his left across the Saluda, skirmishing with cavalry; then, during the ensuing night, threw a flying bridge over the Broad, three miles above Columbia; crossing Stone's brigade, and thus securing a foothold on the Columbia side, north of the city, and enabling him to lay his pontoons on the morn-houses, so as to resemble a snow-storm. ing of the 17th. Columbia was now plainly ours; there being no adequate force present to dispute its possession; so the Mayor came out, at 11 A. M., and formally surrendered it to Col. Stone, of Logan's corps, on the north, about the same time that some of the 17th corps, crossing the Congaree in a skiff, entered it, unresisted, from the west. Sherman and Howard now rode in; Col. Stone having already taken possession and posted sentinels: the inhabitants moving fearlessly through the streets. During the day, the 15th corps marched through the city and out on the Camden road. The 17th corps did not enter it at all while the left wing and the ; cavalry, crossing both rivers above, were at no time within two miles of it. Yet night saw that city in flames, and a great part of it reduced to ashes: hence, mutual accusations and reproaches by Gens. Sherman and Wade Hampton. Here is Gen. Sherman's statement in his report:

"In anticipation of the occupation of the city, I had made written orders to Gen.

"Before one single public building had been fired by order, the smoldering fires, set by Hampton's order, were rekindled by the wind, and communicated to the buildings around. About dark, they began to spread, and got beyond the control of the whole of Woods's division was brought in; brigade on duty within the city. The but it was found impossible to check the flames; which, by midnight, had become un

manageable, and raged until about 4 A. M.; when, the wind_subsiding, they were got under control. I was up nearly all night, and others, laboring to save houses and and saw Gens. Howard, Logan, Woods, protect families thus suddenly deprived of shelter, and of bedding and wearing apparel. I disclaim on the part of my army any agency in this fire; but, on the contrary, claim that we saved what of Columbia retion, I charge Gen. Wade Hampton with mains unconsumed. And, without hesitahaving burned his own city of Columbia; not with malicious intent, or as the manifestation of a silly Roman stoicism,' but from folly and want of sense, in filling it with lint, cotton, and tinder. Our officers and men on duty worked well to extinguish the flames; but others, not on duty, includ

PILLAGE AND BURNING OF COLUMBIA.

ing the officers who had long been imprisoned there, rescued by us, may have assisted in spreading the fire after it had once begun, and may have indulged in unconcealed joy to see the ruin of the Capital of South Carolina."

It will be seen that Gen. Sherman does not charge Hampton with intending to burn the city, which he was confessedly unable to hold; nor does he deny that some of our men, not on duty, may have aided to extend the conflagration. Nor does Beauregard, who was Hampton's superior in command at Columbia, and who ordered its evacuation, indorse the charges against his successful antagonist. Nor does Pollard —who never misses an opportunity to defame the detested Yankees'

directly accuse Sherman of having ordered or desired the conflagration; though he evidently wishes to convey the impression that he did. Here is his account of the capture:

"A white flag, displayed from the steeple of the City Hall, announced the surrender of the town. With bands playing, drumcorps beating, flags flying, and their men in step, the Yankee army marched down Main-street to the Capitol square.

"No sooner had the enemy entered Columbia than a wild and savage scene of pillage commenced. Stragglers, bummers,' pontoon men, and the riffraff of the army, were to be met in every street and almost every house. If they wanted a pair of boots, they took them from one's feet.

Watches were in constant demand - in

several instances, being snatched from the persons of ladies. Ear and finger rings were taken by force; and, in isolated cases, the dresses of ladies were torn from their bodies by villains who expected to find jewels or plate concealed. Search for silver and provisions was made in every conceivable place. Ramrods were used as probes to indicate where boxes were buried; and gardens, out-houses, cellars, garrets, chimneys, and nooks never thought of by anybody but a thief in search of plunder, were turned, so to speak, inside out. Rev. Mr. Shand, the Episcopalian clergyman, while conveying a trunk containing the communion service of silver from the church to

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the South Carolina College, was accosted by a Yankee and a negro, who compelled him, under threat of death, to give it up.

The conflagration which destroyed the city commenced about dusk. The fire started near the rear of the jail. A high wind prevailed; and, in a short time, the flames were in full and unconquerable progress, spreading rapidly in three directions —up and down Main-street, and eastwardly. From 10 P. M. till 3 A. M., the scene was appalling. The sky was one broad sheet of drifted in eddying circles a myriad of sparks: flame; above which, amid the lurid smoke, these falling, scattered the conflagration on every side. The monotone of the roaring, leaping, hissing tongues of flame, as they careered on their wild course, alone filled hearts with dismay. The air was like that passable. Frightened men, women, and of a furnace. Many of the streets were imchildren, ran in all directions; some only to flee again from the fresh attacks of the destroying element. Property thrown out of houses was either burned or stolen. Many of the Federal soldiers, maddened by liquor, dashed through the city with lighted torches to inflame the dwellings yet untouched. Morning revealed, to some extent, the broad sweep of destruction. Four and homeless. From the State House to Cotton Town, and an average of two or three squares on each side of Main-street, nothing but blackened ruins remained. Every vestige of that once busy street was gone. After having completed, as far as possible, the destruction of Columbia, Sher

thousand or more citizens were houseless

man continued his march northward."

As the fall of Columbia involved that of Charleston, including Fort Sumter and all its other defensesHardee properly declining to be here isolated and consigned to capture at our convenience and, as the scene of destruction which marked that evacuation has not even been charged to the Unionists, we will copy Pollard's graphic description of this also, as a companion-piece to that of Columbia. He He says:

'The movement of Sherman had already been decisive of the fate of Charleston. Gen. Hardee, finding himself flanked at Charleston, and appreciating the instant necessity of effecting a junction with Beauregard and Cheatham and concentrating all available forces in Sherman's path, resolved

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