In February 1865, as General William Tecumseh Sherman’s Union forces marched through the South on their 'March to the Sea,' they made their way into South Carolina, the first state to secede from the Union. On the 17th, as Columbia was surrounded by Union soldiers, the Confederate army faced a critical decision. The retreating Confederate troops, retreating under General Joseph E. Johnston, unveiled a strategy to abandon Columbia to prevent it from falling intact into Union hands. The evacuation resulted in chaos, and shortly after the Confederate forces departed, fires erupted across the city. While blame for the fires was contentious, many accounts suggested that the soldiers set ablaze supplies and munitions, igniting uncontrolled fires that engulfed much of the city. In total, approximately two-thirds of buildings in Columbia were destroyed, including homes, businesses, and institutional structures.

The burning of Columbia not only represented a tactical retreat but also symbolized the collapse of Confederate infrastructure. This act marked a pivotal point in the war, demonstrating the unraveling of Confederate power and foreshadowing their eventual defeat. Columbia, as the capital of South Carolina, suffered immense losses, and its destruction served as a stark reminder of the war’s consequences. Sherman's march through South Carolina was particularly notable, as he aimed to punish the state that had ignited the conflict over secession.

The devastation in Columbia was part of a broader strategy employed by Sherman to undermine Confederate morale and resources by targeting civilian infrastructure. The fire served as a physical manifestation of the war's impact on Southern society, leading to significant civilian hardship and further eroding the Confederate’s military capabilities. The event captured national attention, and it reflected the tragic realities of the Civil War as Union and Confederate forces vied for control over the South’s critical regions.