Edisto on the 13th, concentrating | Howard touching the conduct of the troops.

his command at and below Lexington, 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.

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 through Columbia and out on the Camden road. The 17th did not enter the town at all; and, as I have before stated, the left wing and cavalry did not come within two miles of the town.

senals and public property not needed for These were: to destroy absolutely all arour own use, as well as all railroads, dépôts, and machinery useful in war to an enemy; asylums, 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 Gen. Howard, by Sherman's or- brigade of Col. Stone was already in the Citizens city, and was properly posted. der, promptly threw forward his left and soldiers were on the streets, and genacross the Saluda, skirmishing with eral good order prevailed. Gen. Wade cavalry; then, during the ensuing Hampton, who commanded the Confederate rear-guard of cavalry, had, in anticinight, threw a flying bridge over the pation of our capture of Columbia, ordered Broad, three miles above Columbia; that all cotton, public and private, should be moved into the streets and fired, to crossing Stone's brigade, and thus prevent our making use of it. Bales were securing a foothold on the Columbia piled everywhere; the rope and bagging side, north of the city, and enabling cut, and tufts of cotton were blown about in the wind, lodged in the trees and against him to lay his pontoons on the morn-houses, so as to resemble a snow-storm. ing of the 17th. Columbia was now Some of these piles of cotton were burning, 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.

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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 brigade on duty within the city. The whole of Woods's division was brought in; but it was found impossible to check the manageable, and raged until about 4 a. M.; flames; which, by midnight, had become unwhen, the wind subsiding, they were got under control. I was up nearly all night, and saw Gens. Howard, Logan, Woods, and others, laboring to save houses and 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 remains unconsumed. And, without hesitation, I charge Gen. Wade Hampton with having 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.

Charleston, thus described the scene before his eyes: Not a building for blocks here that is exempt from the marks of shot and shell. All have suffered more or less. Here is a fine brown-stone bank building vacant and deserted, with great, gaping holes in the sides and roof, through which the sun shines and the rain pours; windows and sashes blown out by exploding shell within; plastering knocked down; counters torn up; floors crushed in, and fragments of Mo

"At an early hour of the morning, before the retirement of Gen. Hardee's troops, every building, warehouse, or shed, stored with cotton, was fired by a guard detailed for the purpose. The engines were brought out; but, with the small force at the disposal of the fire department, very little else could be done than to keep the surround-saic ing buildings from igniting. On the western side of the city, the flames raged with great fury.

"The horrors of the conflagration were heightened by a terrible catastrophe. It appears, some boys had discovered a quantity of powder at the dépôt of the North-western railroad, and amused themselves by flinging handfuls of it upon the masses of burning cotton in the streets. It was not long before the powder running from their hands formed a train upon the ground, leading from the fire to the main supplies of powder in the dépôt. The result is easily conjectured. A spark ignited the powder in the train; there was a leaping, running fire along the ground, and then an explosion which shook the city to its very foundations from one end to the other. The building was, in a second, a whirling mass of ruins, in a tremendous volume of flame and smoke. About 200 lives were lost by the explosion, and not less than 150 bodies were found charred in that fiery furnace.

"From the dépôt, the fire spread rapidly, and, communicating with the adjoining buildings, threatened destruction to that part of the town. Four squares, embracing the area bounded by Chapel, Alexander, and Washington streets, were consumed before the conflagration was subdued.

"The destruction of public property had been as complete as Gen. Hardee could make it. He burned the cotton warehouses, arsenals, quartermaster's stores, railroad bridges, two iron-clads, and some vessels in the ship-yard. Among the captured property were 200 pieces of artillery; spiked and temporarily disabled, as they could not be brought off.

"The Yankees occupied Charleston on the 18th of February. A scarred city, blackened by fire, with evidences of destruction and ruin wrought by the enemy at almost every step, had at last come into their possession; but not until a heroic defense, running through nearly four years, and at last only by the stratagem of a march many miles away from it. The appearance of the city was eloquent of the sacrifices and hero

ism of its people. A Yankee correspondent, who had joined in the triumphal entry into

pavement, broken and crushed, lying around on the floor, mingled with bits of statuary, stained glass, and broken parts of chandeliers. Ruin within and without; and its neighbor in no better plight. The churches, St. Michael's and St. Philip's, have not escaped the storms of our projectiles. Their roofs are perforated, their walls wounded, their pillars demolished, and within the pews filled with plastering. From Bay street, studded with batteries, to Calhoun street, our shells have carried destruction and desolation, and often death, with them.'"

Lt. Col. A. G. Bennett, commanding on Morris island, receiving information which justified a belief that Charleston had been evacuated, at once dispatched a boat toward Fort Moultrie; which boat, when 40 yards east of Fort Sumter, was met by one from Sullivan's island, containing a band of musicians left behind by Hardee. These confirmed the rumored evacuation; whereupon, Maj. J. A. Hennessy was sent to raise the flag over recovered Fort Sumter; which was effected at 9 A. M. Fort Ripley and Castle Pinckney submitted promptly and gracefully to a like embellishment-their guns having been left in a serviceable condition. At 10 A. M., Bennett reached the city, which the enemy had not yet wholly evacuated; a mounted force being still engaged in setting fires. He at once demanded of Mayor Macbeth a surrender, which was promptly accorded. A small force was brought up so soon as possible, and the work of extinguishing the raging fires vigorously prosecuted-the Blacks of

FORAGING BY SHERMAN'S ARMY.

the city being impressed therefor. The U. S. Arsenal was thus saved from destruction, as were large quantities of Confederate rice, which were distributed among the poor of the city. Georgetown was at the same time evacuated-Hardee, with 12,000 men, gathered from all lower South Carolina, making all haste to cross the Santee and Pedee before Sherman could turn upon and crush him; which, as Sherman did not attempt to intercept him, having other objects in view, was safely accomplished.

Gen. Gillmore, then in command on the coast, reports the guns captured in Charleston and its defenses at 450; a good part of them 8 and 10-inch Columbiads and 7-inch rifled guns-many of foreign make. Much good ammunition, 8 locomotives, with many passenger and platform cars, also escaped the Rebel conflagration, and came into possession of the victors.

Before proceeding with the narrative of Sherman's Great March, it is but just to speak of the devastation of South Carolina by his army.

Sherman's general order, prescribing the conduct of his troops in their march, was precise and considerate, though its execution would naturally seem harsh to those it despoiled. He

says:

"IV. The army will forage liberally on the country during the march. To this end, each brigade commander will organize a good and sufficient foraging party, under

the command of one or more discreet offi

cers, who will gather, near the route trav

eled, corn or forage of any kind, meat of

any kind, vegetables, corn-meal, or whatever is needed by the command: aiming at all times to keep in the wagon-trains at least ten days' provisions for the command and three days' forage. Soldiers must not enter the dwellings of the inhabitants or commit any trespass; during the halt or at camp,

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they may be permitted to gather turnips, potatoes, and other vegetables, and drive in stock in front of their camps. To regular foraging parties must be intrusted the gathering of provisions and forage at any distance

from the road traveled.

"V. To army corps commanders is intrusted the power to destroy mills, houses, principle is laid down: In districts and cotton-gins, etc.; and for them this general neighborhoods where the army is unmolested, no destruction of such property should be permitted; but, should guerrillas or bushwhackers molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn bridges, obstruct roads, or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army corps commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless, according to the measure of such hostility.

"VI. As for horses, mules, wagons, &c., belonging to the inhabitants, the cavalry and limit; discriminating, however, between the artillery may appropriate freely and without rich, who are usually hostile, and the poor or industrious, usually neutral or friendly. Foraging parties may also take mules or horses to replace the jaded animals of their trains, or to serve as pack mules for the regiments or brigades. In all foraging, of whatever kind, the parties engaged will refrain from abusive or threatening language, and may, when the officer in command think's proper, give written certificates of the facts, but no re

ceipts; and they will endeavor to leave with each family a reasonable portion for their maintenance."

Of course, "the inhabitants" did "burn bridges, obstruct roads," and "otherwise manifest local hostility." Most of them were quite willing; but they would have been compelled so to act if unwilling. And such manifestations of "local hostility," according to the terms of the order above given, constrained the corps commanders to 66 enforce a devastation more or less relentless, according to the measure of such hostillity." But the mere necessity of subsisting such an army off the country, while passing rapidly through it, necessarily involved its devastation. It was like a cloud of locusts, devouring every thing edible, and many things that were not. And Gen. Sherman, in