Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

[649] Commander-in-chief. General Hampton's command consisted of Wheeler's corps of cavalry, and a division of cavalry under General M. C. Butler, amounting in all to about 4100 men, in and about Columbia, when Sherman advanced on the city with 75,000 men. The only attempt to check the advance of the Federal troops was made at Congaree Creek by General Butler, who had under his command a few of his own and Wheeler's men and a small Kentucky brigade under Breckinridge, the whole number not exceeding six hundred men. This affair occurred on the 15th, after which the advance of Sherman was undisputed. The Federal army arrived opposite Columbia on the 15th, and without any warning began to shell the town in every direction. Hunt's Hotel, where General Beauregard had his headquarters, was struck by a piece of shell; two or three shells struck the workshops; one passed through the old State House, and three struck the new State House, the marks of which are still to be seen. Some of the shells were thrown as far as the Charlotte road, which is two miles from the river, and some passed near the asylum, which is the northeastern boundary of the city. The shelling took place early on the morning of the 16th, and during that night the Federal troops commenced the passage of the river. On the morning of the 17th General Hampton directed the officers under his command to withdraw their men from Columbia and its vicinity, as the city was to be surrendered and no offensive acts were to be committed. The Confederates were ordered to be moved to Winnsboroa. When General Beauregard was advised of what had been done he left the city and also went off towards Winnsboroa, feeling quite unwell at the time. General Hampton then instructed the Mayor of Columbia, Dr. T. J. Goodwyn, to send out a flag of truce to meet the advance-guard of Sherman's army, and to announce that the city was evacuated, and that he had come out to surrender it. This was about six o'clock on the morning of the 17th. General Hampton gave the Mayor directions how to proceed, where to go, and what he was to do; he then called his attention to the cotton that was lying along Richardson Street, and recommended that he should put a guard over it, telling him there was danger that it would take fire, and that if it did so it would endanger the city. This cotton had been removed from the warehouses where it had been stored, in order to transport it to the open fields adjoining the city, where it might be burned; but finding there was not sufficient means for transportation, it was left in Richardson Street. The Mayor, with a flag of truce, met the leading column of the Federal army, composed of Stone's brigade, and surrendered the city. General Hampton had moved out by the Asylum road, with one of Butler's brigades, and stationed himself at the upper boundary street, facing towards Richardson Street. From the position he occupied he commanded a view of the whole town and vicinity. He saw the Mayor come back with the flag, and surrounded by columns of troops. It was about 10 A. M. when the Federal troops entered Columbia, and about 9 A. M. when General Hampton had the conversation with the Mayor in the vicinity of the cotton. There were no Confederate troops in Columbia when the Federal army entered. General Hampton was the last officer in the town, and he left just prior to the entry of the Federal army. He states positively that up to that time there