Columbia was burned February 17, 1865. This photograph shows the remains a few days later. Photo by George N. Barnard
“I’m going to march to Richmond… and when I go through South Carolina it will be one of the most horrible things in the history of the world. The devil himself couldn’t restrain my men in that state.” —Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman The second major disaster suffered by Pineville, the first being the Fever of 1833, was during the final months of the Civil War. The Civil War began with the firing on Ft. Sumter in Charleston harbor by South Carolina militia April 12, 1861. Within a few months, all the able-bodied men of Pineville had joined the Confederate forces.
On January 15, 1865, U.S. Gen. William Sherman’s forces crossed the Savannah River into South Carolina. Charleston was evacuated. On February 17, Sherman’s troops burned Columbia then continued on to Camden, Cheraw, and North Carolina. No men remained in Pineville, only invalids, old men, women, and children. It was defenseless.
The following description of the Burning of Pineville comes from the personal account of W. Mazyck Porcher of Mexico Plantation.
After the withdrawal of Confederate troops, Federal troops under General E.E. “Ned” Potter marched up to the St. Stephen’s railroad depot. On Monday, February 27, 1865, Lt. Gilbert and ten armed black soldiers went seven miles along the River Road to Pineville. They demanded entrance into the homes where they quietly helped themselves to towels, sheets, and valuables. Widows and orphans were stripped of their clothing and food supplies. After two days of pillage, they moved on down River Road.
At Mexico Plantation, they confronted Mazyck Porcher, an old man who had not served in the military. Relying on Sherman’s promise that people remaining in their homes peacefully would be protected in person and property, Porcher opened his home to the soldiers.
The soldiers were joined by 150 plantation negroes in a sacking of the historic plantation. Every goose, duck, fowl, and turkey in the yard was taken along with all the smoked bacon. From the storeroom they took all the sugar, lard, and groceries.
Lt. Gilbert and his squadron then entered the house. When Gilbert went after the silverware and a copy of the Madonna painted on copper, Porcher demanded they leave them alone and act like gentlemen. The soldiers withdrew from the house and left with Porcher’s horse and mules.
The next day, March 2, General Potter’s army of over 2,000 men marched into Pineville. Within two hours, they had ransacked every home, taken every item of value, and left.
On Friday, March 3, Major Rodgers, Captain Loomis, and three men dashed back into Pineville with the mission to burn it to the ground. Dr. Ravenel tried to dissuade them, informing them that these homes were only summer residences of planters seeking refuge from the deadly fever. Their reply was, “One house is enough for a rebel.” With that, they set fire to a dozen homes which were quickly consumed.
Eighty-four-years-old and blind, Col. Ferguson and his family of refugee females were driven from their home and forced to watch it burn. The widow Marion’s home was saved by her faithful Negro, Tim, who also rescued her eight helpless children. Later that day, Tim stopped the fire before it spread to the Episcopal Church as the soldiers looked on and smiled.
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