in response to this wade hampton got into the mix. he wrote an interesting letter to a maryland senator. it's 1866 at this point, and south carolina does not have a senator right now. he emphatically denied ordering the cotton be fired, he says that the citizens set fire, and he also denies that there was any cotton on fire at all and federal troops entered the city. he is completely disavowing any involvement. in fact, hampton said, i pledge myself to prove that i give a positive order by direction of general beauregard that no cotton should be fired, that not one bail was on fire when sherman street took possession of the city, that he promised protection to the city, and that, in spite of his promise he burned the city to the ground deliberately systematically, and atrociously. what i think is so interesting about this exchange is there is this real personal tone to it. this is personal now. this is about honor reputation, truth telling. sherman always seemed to have the upper hand in this exchange. he cared less about his reputati