At Monck’s Corner the Yankees shot an old man, a Mr. Maree, taking him for Mr. Denny, Col. Ferguson’s overseer. The old man opened the door when they knocked and instantly had three balls shot through him. One poor woman, a Mrs. Weatherford--Mrs. White’s overseer’s wife--the Yankees gave away everything she had to the negroes, even the hat she had on her head. They burnt her house, leaving her literally nothing but the clothes she had on. Friday, 17th March. Dr. Morton Waring here this morning, as usual bringing piles of news; had seen Dr. White,[47] who had been ordered down to act as surgeon to our scouts. A skirmish at Florence, our men cutting the Yankees up; the vandals had reached Columbia, arriving in the night, turned the people out of their homes, put torches to the houses reducing the city to ruins. Reputable ladies were following the army begging bread for their little ones. At Cheraw the Yankees got two wagon loads of specie from the banks--moved there from Charleston. Richard Strobhart was taken up by the black troopers in Pinopolis for Charlie Snowden and carried to Moss Grove their headquarters; cross-questioned about our scouts &c.; insisting this was the boy who had set the scouts on them at Blue Hole. While they were questioning him, a carriage with out-riders drove up in great style, and with all the form and ceremony of high life, “the General,” as he is called, handed out a black lady, very much dressed. When she passed Strobhart, she asked about him; said he could not be the boy they wanted as this one had come up with her on the train a few days before. On this evidence he was released. Saturday, March 18th. Anna Cain and her father dined here to-day; so pleasant to have a young person to talk to once more. Mr. Lewis Simons has had their minister Mr. Olmsted and his family living with him at Pawley. The Yankees visited the place and did no injury at first, but picked up a letter from Mr. S. written very bitterly. Not being able to read it, they carried it to the gun boat, had it read; returned to the house distributing everything, not even giving the old lady, old Mrs. Keating Simons (his mother), time to put on her shoes and stockings; made them walk over to the next place, over a mile across the rice field banks, in this condition.