surrendered by the inhabitants who claimed, though in vain, that protection which is always accorded in civilized warfare to non-combatants; to fire the dwelling houses of citizen after robbing them; and the petrate even darker crimes than these - crimes too black to be mentioned?

You have permitted, if your have not ordered, the commissioned of these offenses against humanity and the rules of war; you fired into the city of Columbia without a word of warning; after its surrender by the mayor, who demanded protection to private property, you laid the whole city in ashes, leaving amidst its ruins thousands of old men and helpless women and children, who are likely to perish of starvation and exposure. Your line of march can be traced by the lurid light of burning houses, and in more than one household there is now an agony far more bitter than that of death. The Indian scalped his victim regardless of age or sex, but with all his barbarity he always respected the persons of his female captives. Your soldiers, more savage than the Indian, insult those whose natural protectors are absent.

In conclusion, I have only to request that whenever you have any of my men "murdered" or "dospised of," for the terms appear to be synonymous with you, you will let me hear of it, that I may know what action to take in the matter. In the meantime I shall hold fifty-six of your men as hostages for those whom you have ordered to be executed.

I am, yours, &c.,

WADE HAMPTON,

Lieutenant-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Tiller's Bridge, S. C., February 27, 1865.

Major General W. T. SHERMAN,

Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi:

GENERAL: Your dispatch just received. I have just sent a cipher message as you desired. The Lynch is over its banks a mile wide and now swimming deep. We will do well to get our trains across to-day. I am sorry for the accident at the Catawba. They should make platforms and ferry over the balance of their wagons. But I suppose they know best.

Respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT AND ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,
Tiller's Bridges, S. C., February 27, 1865.

Major General JOHN A. LOGAN,

Commanding Fifteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: Owing to the freshet, the orders of march for to-day are so modified as to make the first stage, to get everything across the Lynch as soon as it can be done, and then begin the march on Cheraw, for which three days will be designated.

Respectfully,

O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General.