Silent was near by, but uttered not a word. He entered his tent, quietly
sat down, and wrote a dispatch describing the disaster.

"Time wore on without any very great results either way, until the
armies were all ready for the final movement in the Spring following.
Silent was still steadily gaining ground to his left, and holding Laws
close to his lines, at the same time keeping his cavalry in motion, to
the great annoyance of the enemy. In February, 1865, when I was at the
Capital, where I met the President, Secretary of War and Gen. Silent,
the campaign of Sherwood north to the rear of Richmond was about
commencing; but I was not then aware of it. Gen. Silent was also
getting ready for his final move against Laws, though he was waiting for
Sherwood and Scoven to make a junction at or near Goldsburg, in North
Carolina.

"In the meantime Charleston had been evacuated; Columbia, S. C,
surrendered, and many of our starving prisoners were there released from
their deadly and poisonous prison-pens, not fit for pigs, even, to live
in. Cotton had been piled in the streets of Columbia by the retreating
rebels and set on fire. When our troops entered the city they put the
fire out, as they thought. In the evening, however, the smoldering
fire was fanned into flames by a strong wind, and the burning flakes of
cotton lighting on and against houses, set them on fire. One division
of our forces worked hard to subdue the conflagration, but in vain.
The flames leaped from housetop to housetop, as if some unseen hand was
aiding in the terrible work of devastation. Men, women and children
left their houses in their night-dresses, screaming and crying for help.
Nothing could be done to allay the destruction. A great portion of the
city was laid in ashes, and many people were in the streets houseless
and homeless. The troops of Sherwood did all in their power to alleviate
the suffering, by dividing blankets and food, and also by taking as many
families as could be placed in the wagons to a point from whence they
could take shipping North, where, on their arrival, they were amply
provided for.

"Again moving forward rapidly, Sherwood's left wing struck Harding's
rebel corps at Averyville, and drove it in rout from its position. Our
left wing then moved by rapid marches on the Burton and Goldsburg road,
the right wing moving on a shorter and more direct route in the same
direction, many miles to the south. At Burton's Cross-roads the