“After a brief interview, in which the aldermen informed Col. Bennett that the city had been fired by the rebels in various places, and that the town was threatened by a total destruction, as the firemen were all secreted, in consequence of the operations of the rebel cavalry, who were impressing them and driving them from the town whenever found; and they desired protection from the rebels, in order that the firemen might perform their duty without fear of being seized. To this application Colonel Bennett returned to the Mayor the following communication:
“ ‘Headquarters U. S. Forces, Charleston Harbor, }
near Atlantic Wharf, Feb. 18, 1865. }
“ ‘Mayor Charles Macbeth: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date. “ ‘I have in reply thereto to state that the troops under my command will render every possible assistance to your well-disposed citizens in extinguishing the fires now burning. I have the honor to be, Mayor, very respect fully, &c.
“ ‘A. G. Bennett,
“ ‘Lieut.-Col. commanding U. S. Forces, Charleston.’
“Alderman Williams, who happened to be mounted on a fine horse, rode back to the Mayor to deliver the communication. He had not proceeded more than a block or two when he came upon fifty rebel cavalry, who were watching affairs. They instantly halted the peace commissioner, and blandly observed that they thought they should be compelled to dismount him, as they were under the impression that they would take the horse in the country. He reflected an instant, and then observed, in a careless way, that perhaps the Yankees, who had just landed five hundred strong, might object, and he would think of the matter. The announcement of the arrival of five hundred Yankees was quite enough for the bold troopers. Without taking his horse or further palaver, they wheeled, and rode wildly up Meeting Street, announcing the approach of the Yankees to all stragglers, and there was instantly a great commotion and a hurrying off trains. Meanwhile the fires were spreading with great rapidity, and threatened to sweep over the city, until fifty men from Morris Island reënforced Colonel Bennett’s little handful of men, when he instantly moved up into town with twenty-five men, sending small detachments to take charge of the public buildings and depots. His march up Meeting Street was one continued ovation. Crowds thronged the streets and cheered, hurrahed, waved handkerchiefs, and in other ways manifested their delight at the arrival of our troops, and at the sight of the old flag, borne ahead of the little company of colored troops. The officers were mounted on horses, borrowed for the occasion, and could hardly keep their saddles, so many enthusiastic individuals, of both sexes, were at the same time shaking them by the hand, catching hold of their garments, hugging their horses, and welcoming them in other violent styles. Charleston never witnessed such a scene before, or echoed so loudly to the cheers for ‘President Lincoln,’ the ‘Stars and Stripes,’ the ‘Yankee army,’ and other patriotic subjects, as it did on that memorable day. One would suppose that the people had gone mad with joy. It was a universal outburst of joy, and the little band of Yankees moved on with all the éclat of most honored friends, instead of successful enemies and conquerors. Was this, indeed, the hotbed of treason; the very home of disloyalty and rebellion? None would have dreamed of it had they witnessed the reception of our flag and troops that day. It was the most wonderful display of loyalty and patriotism.”
And thus, after all the terrific cannonading of four years, with the sufferings and death of the long siege, the “accursed city” fell without a battle for its possession. When the Confederate and Palmetto flags were raised on the walls of Fort Sumter in place of the dishonored banner of freedom, in the spring of 1861, the boastful Mayor of Charleston made a flaming speech, declaring that they should wave there forever!—that Southern independence was secure, and her career of glory begun. He assured the enthusiastic people, that if their ensigns were struck down they would be trailed in “a sea of blood!” We may leave him to his meditations while we join in the shouts of victory.
Standing on the walls of Sumter, look away in the direction of General Sherman’s march. From Atlanta to the shattered fortress, in this campaign “our great victories were almost bloodless, and therefore the more joyous and the more memorable. Branchville fell by manœuvre, not by the costly price of heroic troops. The turning of Branchville was the signal for the evacuation of Charleston, and its capture was the capture of Charleston. It was as if Sherman, sixty two miles distant from Hardee, had sent him a telegraphic message to vacate the premises, and the notice was obeyed without question.
“Ordinarily, one would have supposed that the streams which crossed Sherman’s path at every step would have been successfully contested. But he appears to have passed them without a day’s delay at any one. Of such vital importance was time to both parties—to the one, that he might make his combinations and concentrations; to the other, that he might break them—that no sacrifice would have seemed too great on the enemy’s part to ensure delay. But, at the very first show of resistance at a river crossing, our advance, not waiting for support, would dash into it, waist deep, with loud cheers, while the rest of the column hurried to flank the position above and below, and invariably in a few hours the enemy was in hot retreat.