![]() Fires also continued to burn throughout the city at least nine separate groups of fires were extinguished during the day. Despite efforts by Union commanders, drunkenness began to spread through the army. Union forces set about garrisoning the city with a provost guard, and extinguishing numerous fires that were already burning. The Union Army entered the city on the morning of the 17th. Fires broke out in the street cotton during the night, due either to drunk Confederates, Union shelling, or both. Realizing the city was lost, Confederate forces withdrew from the city overnight. The city fell into disorder, and martial law was declared on the 16th. Retreating and demoralized Confederate elements began to stream into the city, precipitating riots. The city's considerable cotton reserves were ordered taken into the streets to be burned so that they could not fall into the hands of the enemy. Hasty last minute attempts were made to evacuate the city's military supplies, but almost none were salvaged. When it became apparent in mid February that the full might of the Union army was bearing down on Columbia, the city erupted into panic. No preparations had been made for the evacuation of the city's citizens, army materiel, or administrative functions (including the Confederate treasury's printing presses). Beauregard, had been spread thin rather than concentrated to take Sherman in field combat. Poor planning and leadership on the part of the Confederates meant that Columbia was underdefended. ![]() Columbia was of considerable strategic importance: it was a center of manufacturing, a rail hub, a state capital, and a symbolic origin point of the secession movement. Splitting his forces to deceive the Confederates, Sherman maneuvered towards Columbia in early February 1865. Sherman's March to the Sea captured Savannah, Georgia, he turned his forces north and marched into the Carolinas. Much of the city was burned, although it is not clear which side caused the fires.Īfter Gen. The state capital of Columbia, South Carolina, was captured by Union forces under Maj. The capture of Columbia occurred February 17–18, 1865, during the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War.
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