During William Tecumseh Sherman's march to the sea at the end of the civil war he destroyed much of what his men couldn't use, including heating and twisting the rails so they couldn't be used. Sometimes they would even wrap them around trees. Are there any of these left, particularly the ones around trees?
Is this what you're talking about? (scroll down for the image)
Yes they do still exist--there are a few held in museums around the South. I don't know of any still left around the trees. As I understand it, they would not leave them wrapped around the tree, if only because they probably wanted to use the same tree for more than one tie.