'The whole heavens became lurid'

摘要

While resting after a long day following the fall of Columbia, S.C., William Te-cumseh Sherman became alarmed by an ominous glow in the night sky. "Soon after dark I became conscious that a bright light was shining on the wall," the Union general wrote in his memoirs. He sent an aide to find out the cause, and soon learned that a block of buildings was on fire. Sherman ordered his generals to respond to the conflagration, but the blaze was spreading.