take mary wilton. she came to columbia in 1863 after the union bombardment of charleston. she was living with her family a few blocks from main street in february, 1865. when it became inevitable that they abandon her house, she gathered her family and household items, and as they fled from the home, the entire family stopped to watch a mansion burned to the ground. one of the grandest scenes of this mammoth moment was the burning of a house. the building was surrounded by an arched colonnade, consisting of 39 collins, extending from the roof to the ground. these were massive brick works which stood while the dwelling within burned. the fire scene through the arches was grand beyond description. it was an illuminated picture such is seldom seen in real life. so despite her fear in that moment, and the fact that she was a victim of these violent acts wilton reacted to the destruction of the house aesthetically. she actually stopped in the street to watch this house burn. the scene was captivating to her because of its visual contrast between the red flames leaping and the b