One-third of Columbia, SC, was destroyed in the fire of February 17, 1865.  Over thirty-six square blocks, including all of city’s business district and much of the upper class residential area, was reduced to rubble and ashes.  Only one southern death was reported, a black male.  A thriving city and economy was turned into a city on welfare over night.    

On July 15, 1865, General Wade Hampton wrote of Sherman and his March through South Carolina:  “For these deeds history will brand him a robber and incendiary and will deservedly ‘damn him to everlasting fame.’” 

However, the only official government investigation was the Commission formed by the United States and England to assess each country’s charges that the other was responsible for loss of property during the war.  Regarding the burning of Columbia, in 1873 this Mixed Commission concluded that neither Federal nor Confederate officers were responsible for the intentional or unintentional fire that consumed the city.

For his part, Sherman was unapologetic.  “If I had made up my mind to burn Columbia I would have burnt it with no more feeling than I would a common prairie dog village; but I did not do it…”