memoirs of general william t. sherman-2-第59部分

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ille；　North　Carolina；　and　is　conclusive　that　I　then　regarded　Columbia　as　simply　one　point　on　our　general　route　of　march；　and　not　as　an　important　conquest。

During　the　16th　of　February　the　Fifteenth　Corps　reached　the　point　opposite　Columbia；　and　pushed　on　for　the　Saluda　Factory　three　miles　above；　crossed　that　stream；　and　the　head　of　column　reached　Broad　River　just　in　time　to　find　its　bridge　in　flames；　Butler's　cavalry　having　just　passed　over　into　Columbia。　　The　head　of　Slocum's　column　also　reached　the　point　opposite　Columbia　the　same　morning；　but　the　bulk　of　his　army　was　back　at　Lexington。　　I　reached　this　place　early　in　the　morning　of　the　16th；　met　General　Slocum　there；　and　explained　to　him　the　purport　of　General　Order　No。　26；　which　contemplated　the　passage　of　his　army　across　Broad　River　at　Alston；　fifteen　miles　above　Columbia。　　Riding　down　to　the　river…bank；　I　saw　the　wreck　of　the　large　bridge　which　had　been　burned　by　the　enemy；　with　its　many　stone　piers　still　standing；　but　the　superstructure　gone。　　Across　the　Congaree　River　lay　the　city　of　Columbia；　in　plain；　easy　view。　I　could　see　the　unfinished　State…House；　a　handsome　granite　structure；　and　the　ruins　of　the　railroad　depot；　which　were　still　smouldering。　　Occasionally　a　few　citizens　or　cavalry　could　be　seen　running　across　the　streets；　and　quite　a　number　of　negroes　were　seemingly　busy　in　carrying　off　bags　of　grain　or　meal；　which　were　piled　up　near　the　burned　depot。

Captain　De　Gres　had　a　section　of　his　twenty…pound　Parrott　guns　unlimbered；　firing　into　the　town。　　I　asked　him　what　he　was　firing　for；　he　said　he　could　see　some　rebel　cavalry　occasionally　at　the　intersections　of　the　streets；　and　he　had　an　idea　that　there　was　a　large　force　of　infantry　concealed　on　the　opposite　bank；　lying　low；　in　case　we　should　attempt　to　cross　over　directly　into　the　town。　　I　instructed　him　not　to　fire　any　more　into　the　town；　but　consented　to　his　bursting　a　few　shells　near　the　depot；　to　scare　away　the　negroes　who　were　appropriating　the　bags　of　corn　and　meal　which　we　wanted；　also　to　fire　three　shots　at　the　unoccupied　State…House。　　I　stood　by　and　saw　these　fired；　and　then　all　firing　ceased。　　Although　this　matter　of　firing　into　Columbia　has　been　the　subject　of　much　abuse　and　investigation；　I　have　yet　to　hear　of　any　single　person　having　been　killed　in　Columbia　by　our　cannon。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　night　before；　when　Woods's　division　was　in　camp　in　the　open　fields　at　Little　Congaree；　it　was　shelled　all　night　by　a　rebel　battery　from　the　other　aide　of　the　river。　　This　provoked　me　much　at　the　time；　for　it　was　wanton　mischief；　as　Generals　Beauregard　and　Hampton　must　have　been　convinced　that　they　could　not　prevent　our　entrance　into　Columbia。　　I　have　always　contended　that　I　would　have　been　justified　in　retaliating　for　this　unnecessary　act　of　war；　but　did　not；　though　I　always　characterized　it　as　it　deserved。

The　night　of　the　16th　I　camped　near　an　old　prison　bivouac　opposite　Columbia；　known　to　our　prisoners　of　war　as　〃Camp　Sorghum；〃　where　remained　the　mud…hovels　and　holes　in　the　ground　which　our　prisoners　had　made　to　shelter　themselves　from　the　winter's　cold　and　the　summer's　heat。　　The　Fifteenth　Corps　was　then　ahead；　reaching　to　Broad　River；　about　four　miles　above　Columbia；　the　Seventeenth　Corps　was　behind；　on　the　river…bank　opposite　Columbia；　and　the　left　wing　and　cavalry　had　turned　north　toward　Alston。

The　next　morning；　viz。；　February　17th；　I　rode　to　the　head　of　General　Howard's　column；　and　found　that　during　the　night　he　had　ferried。　　Stone's　brigade　of　Woods's　division　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps　across　by　rafts　made　of　the　pontoons；　and　that　brigade　was　then　deployed　on　the　opposite　bank　to　cover　the　construction　of　a　pontoon…bridge　nearly　finished。

I　sat　with　General　Howard　on　a　log；　watching　the　men　lay　this　bridge；　and　about　9　or　10　A。M。　　a　messenger　came　from　Colonel　Stone　on　the　other　aide；　saying　that　the　Mayor　of　Columbia　had　come　out　of　the　city　to　surrender　the　place；　and　asking　for　orders。　　I　simply　remarked　to　General　Howard　that　he　had　his　orders；　to　let

Colonel　Stone　go　on　into　the　city；　and　that　we　would　follow　as　soon　as　the　bridge　was　ready。　　By　this　same　messenger　I　received　a　note　in　pencil　from　the　Lady　Superioress　of　a　convent　or　school　in　Columbia；　in　which　she　claimed　to　have　been　a　teacher　in　a　convent　in　Brown　County；　Ohio；　at　the　time　my　daughter　Minnie　was　a　pupil　there；　and　therefore　asking　special　protection。　　My　recollection　is；　that　I　gave　the　note　to　my　brother…in…law；　Colonel　Ewing；　then　inspector…general　on　my　staff；　with　instructions　to　see　this　lady；　and　assure　her　that　we　contemplated　no　destruction　of　any　private　property　in　Columbia　at　all。

As　soon　as　the　bridge　was　done；　I　led　my　horse　over　it；　followed　by　my　whole　staff。　　General　Howard　accompanied　me　with　his；　and　General　Logan　was　next　in　order；　followed　by　General　C。　　R。　　Woods；　and　the　whole　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps。　　Ascending　the　hill；　we　soon　emerged　into　a　broad　road　leading　into　Columbia；　between　old　fields　of　corn　and　cotton；　and；　entering　the　city；　we　found　seemingly　all　its　population；　white　and　black；　in　the　streets。　　A　high　and　boisterous　wind　was　prevailing　from　the　north；　and　flakes　of　cotton　were　flying　about　in　the　air　and　lodging　in　the　limbs　of　the　trees；　reminding　us　of　a　Northern　snow…storm。　　Near　the　market…square　we　found　Stone's　brigade　halted；　with　arms　stacked；　and　a　large　detail　of　his　men；　along　with　some　citizens；　engaged　with　an　old　fire…　engine；　trying　to　put　out　the　fire　in　a　long　pile　of　burning　cotton…bales；　which　I　was　told　had　been　fired　by　the　rebel　cavalry　on　withdrawing　from　the　city　that　morning。　　I　know　that；　to　avoid　this　row　of　burning　cotton…bales；　I　had　to　ride　my　horse　on　the　sidewalk。　　In　the　market…square　had　collected　a　large　crowd　of　whites　and　blacks；　among　whom　was　the　mayor　of　the　city；　Dr。　Goodwin；　quite　a　respectable　old　gentleman；　who　was　extremely　anxious　to　protect　the　interests　of　the　citizens。　　He　was　on　foot；　and　I　on　horseback；　and　it　is　probable　I　told　him　then　not　to　be　uneasy；　that　we　did　not　intend　to　stay　long；　and　had　no　purpose　to　injure　the　private　citizens　or　private　property。　　About　this　time　I　noticed　several　men　trying　to　get　through　the　crowd　to　speak　with　me；　and　called　to　some　black　people　to　make　room　for　them；　when　they　reached　me；　they　explained　that　they　were　officers　of　our　army；　who　had　been　prisoners；　had　escaped　from　the　rebel　prison　and　guard；　and　were　of　course　overjoyed　to　find　themselves　safe　with　us。　　I　told　them　that；　as　soon　as　things　settled　down；　they　should　report　to　General　Howard；　who　would　provide　for　their　safety；　and　enable　them　to　travel　with　us。　　One　of　them　handed　me　a　paper；　asking　me　to　read　it　at　my　leisure；　I　put　it　in　my　breast…pocket　and　rode　on。　　General　Howard　was　still　with　me；　and；　riding　down　the　street　which　led　by　the　right　to　the　Charleston　depot；　we　found　it　and　a　large　storehouse　burned　to　the　ground；　but　there　were；　on　the　platform　and　ground　near　by；　piles　of　cotton　bags　filled　with　corn　and　corn…meal；　partially　burned。

A　detachment　of　Stone's　brigade　was　guarding　this；　and　separating　the　good　from　the　bad。　　We　rode　along　the　railroad…track；　some　three　or　four　hundred　yards；　to　a　large　foundery；　when　some　man　rode　up　and　said　the　rebel　cavalry　were　close　by；　and　he　warned　us　that　we　might　get　shot。　　We　accordingly　turned　back　to　the　market…　square；　and　en　route　noticed　that；　several　of　the　men　were　evidently　in　liquor；　when　I　called　General　Howard's　attention　to　it。　　He　left　me　and　rode　toward　General　Woods's　head　of　column；　which　was　defiling　through　the　town。　　On　reaching　the　market…square；　I　again　met　Dr。　Goodwin；　and　inquired　where　he　proposed　to　quarter　me；　and　he　said　that　he　had　selected　the　house　of　Blanton　Duncan；　Esq。；　a　citizen　of　Louisville；　Kentucky；　then　a　resident　there；　who　had　the　contract　for　manufacturing　the　Confederate　money；　and　had　fled　with　Hampton's　cavalry。　　We　all　rode　some　six　or　eight　squares　back　from　the　new　State…House；　and　found　a　very　good　modern　house；　completely　furnished；　with　stabling　and　a　large　yard；　took　it　as　our　headquarters；　and　occupied　it　during　our　stay。　　I　considered　General　Howard　as　in　command　of　the　place；　and　referred　the　many　applicants　for　guards　and　protection　to　him。　　Before　our　headquarters…wagons　had　got　up；　I　strolled　through　the　streets　of　Columbia；　found　sentinels　posted　at　the　principal　intersections；　and　generally　good　order　prevailing；　but　did　not　again　return　to　the　main　street；　because　it　was　filled　with　a　crowd　of　citizens　watching　the　soldiers　marching　by。

During　the　afternoon　of　that　day；　February　17th；　the　whole　of　the　Fifteenth　Corps　passed　through　the　town　and　out　on　the　Camden　and　Winnsboro'　roads。　　The　Seventeenth　Corps　did　not　enter　the　city　at　all；　but　crossed　directly　over　to　the　Winnsboro'　road　from　the　pontoon　bridge　at　Broad　River；　which　was　about　four　miles　above　the　city。

After　we　had　got；　as　it　were；　settled　in　Blanton　Duncan's　house；　say　about　2　p。m。；　I　overhauled　my　pocket　according　to　custom；　to　read　more　carefully　the　various　notes　and　memoranda　received　during　the　day；　and　found　the　paper　which　had　been　given　me；　as　described；　by　one　of　our　escaped　prisoners。　　It　proved　to　be　the　song　of　〃Sherman's　March　to　the　Sea；〃　which　had　been　composed　by　Adjutant　S。　H。　M。　Byers；　of　the　Fifth　Iowa　Infantry；　when　a　prisoner　in　the　asylum　at　Columbia；　which　had　been　beautifully　written　off　by　a　fellow…prisoner；　and　handed　to　me　in　person。　　This　appeared　to　me　so　good　that　I　at　once　sent　for　Byers；　attached　him　to　my　staff；　provided　him　with　horse　and　equipment；　and　took　him　as　far　as　Fayetteville；　North　Carolina；　whence　he　was　sent　to　Washington　as　bearer　of　dispatches。　　He　is　now　United　States　consul　at　Zurich；　Switzerland；　where　I　have　since　been　his　guest。　I　insert　the　song　here　for　convenient　reference　and　preservation。　　Byers　said　that　there　was　an　excellent　glee…club　among　the　prisoners　in　Columbia；　who　used　to　sing　it　well；　with　an　audience　often　of　rebel　ladies：


SHERMAN'S　MARCH　TO　THE　SEA。

Composed　by　Adjutant　Byers；　Fifth　Iowa　Infantry。　　Arranged　and　sung　by　the　Prisoners　in　Columbia　Prison。


I

Our　camp…fires　shone　bright　on　the　mountain　That　frowned　on　the　river　below；　As　we　stood　by　our　guns　in　t