Posted on 02/17/2020 8:06:30 AM PST by Bull Snipe
Union Army troops under the command of Major General William T. Sherman enter the city of Columbia, South Carolina. The evening of the 16th, retreating Confederate cavalry set fire to cotton bales in the streets of Columbia. High winds spread the flames. Sherman’s troops, under orders set fire to government buildings, installations and war factories. In addition, drunk Union soldiers and civilians also started fires. These flames spread and by the morning of the 18th, a majority of Columbia had burned. Sherman in his memoirs says “Though I never ordered it and never wished it, I have never shed any tears over the event, because I believe that it hastened what we all fought for, the end of the War.”
several sources, Sherman’s memoires for one. Nevins 7 vol. History of the Civil War. Foote’s three vol. History of the Civil War. Wiki has some useful information. Google of the event produces many articles related to the subject.
Wheeler was not the only ex-Confederate general to serve in the U.S. Army during the Spanish American War. Mathew Butler, Fitzhugh Lee and Thomas Rosser also held commissions as General of Volunteers during the SpanAm war.
Wheeler later was commissioned a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines after his service in Cuba.
Story is in 1902 at West Point with Joe Wheeler said hope he died before Wheeler “ Said wanted to be at Pearly Gates to hear Jubal Early cuss him out when saw Wheeler arriving in blue uniform”
In 1867 group of New Yorkers donated a new hose wagon to city to help with rebuilding - it sank in storm . They replaced it
Following 911 citizens collected money to buy new fire engine for FDNY to replace equipment lost as a gesture for the donation over hundred years before
forgot to add it was James Longstreet with Wheeler at West Point
Weren't the Germans foreigners? Lincoln's position was that the seceded states were still part of the Union.
Perhaps China and Tienanmen square is a more apt analogy.
Both are excellent general histories of the Civil War. Nevins writings have a slight Northern bias, while Foote’s have a slight Southern bias. Both histories are well documented with foot notes and sources.
In those days and up to WW 2, winning the war was the only concern.
Columbia, South Carolina, is not “the gem of the ocean” of the song. (It’s way inland.)
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