As soon as the bridge was done, I led my horse over it, followed by my whole staff.  General Howard accompanied me with his, and General Logan was next in order, followed by General C. R. Woods, and the whole of the Fifteenth Corps.  Ascending the hill, we soon emerged into a broad road leading into Columbia, between old fields of corn and cotton, and, entering the city, we found seemingly all its population, white and black, in the streets.  A high and boisterous wind was prevailing from the north, and flakes of cotton were flying about in the air and lodging in the limbs of the trees, reminding us of a Northern snow-storm.  Near the market-square we found Stone’s brigade halted, with arms stacked, and a large detail of his men, along with some citizens, engaged with an old fire-engine, trying to put out the fire in a long pile of burning cotton-bales, which I was told had been fired by the rebel cavalry on withdrawing from the city that morning.  I know that, to avoid this row of burning cotton-bales, I had to ride my horse on the sidewalk.  In the market-square had collected a large crowd of whites and blacks, among whom was the mayor of the city, Dr. Goodwin, quite a respectable old gentleman, who was extremely anxious to protect the interests of the citizens.  He was on foot, and I on horseback, and it is probable I told him then not to be uneasy, that we did not intend to stay long, and had no purpose to injure the private citizens or private property.  About this time I noticed several men trying to get through the crowd to speak with me, and called to some black people to make room for them; when they reached me, they explained that they were officers of our army, who had been prisoners, had escaped from the rebel prison and guard, and were of course overjoyed to find themselves safe with us.  I told them that, as soon as things settled down, they should report to General Howard, who would provide for their safety, and enable them to travel with us.  One of them handed me a paper, asking me to read it at my leisure; I put it in my breast-pocket and rode on.  General Howard was still with me, and, riding down the street which led by the right to the Charleston depot, we found it and a large storehouse burned to the ground, but there were, on the platform and ground near by, piles of cotton bags filled with corn and corn-meal, partially burned.

A detachment of Stone’s brigade was guarding this, and separating the good from the bad.  We rode along the railroad-track, some three or four hundred yards, to a large foundery, when some man rode up and said the rebel cavalry were close by, and he warned us that we might get shot.  We accordingly turned back to the market-square, and en route noticed that, several of the men were evidently in liquor, when I called General Howard’s attention to it.  He left me and rode toward General Woods’s head of column, which was defiling through the town.  On reaching the market-square, I again met Dr. Goodwin,