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.