Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-05-05
From Savannah to GOldsborO.
Interesting Particulars.

! utSpoSal tne 1oloWlng letter received by him
from III. G. Rohleder, of the 3lst Iowa, which
gives highly interesting and detailed account
of the march Of the "a Brigade of the 18th Ar
my Corps composed exclusively of iowa
troops) from Savannah to Goltsboro. IL is n
complete history - the part taken by our boys
in that memorable march, and as such Is wor-
thy of being perused-EDs. GAIL
HEADQUARTERS Sd BRIGADE. lsr DIV,
| 10TH A. T., NEAR Col DsBORo, N. c.
T.. II -E,ra-s. II. March 2Sth, 1865. O.
$. A. BlsHor, ESQ. Cedar Falls, Iowa--Deor Sir:
1t may probably not be
uninteresting to you, to. hear from our
march through the arch rebel State of
the Southern Confederacy, and l will
try to give you sketch Of the part ta-
ken by our Brigade in the campaign
just ended. Our Brigade consists of five
Iowa Regiments, the 4th, 9th, 25th,
Soth and Slst, commanded by Col. Geo.
A. Stone, 18th Iowa. On the 10th day
of January we broke up camp near Sa-
vannah, Ga, andmarched to Fort Thun-
derbolt on the Savannah river. On the
18th we took shipping for Beaufort, S.
G., and went into camp about 4 miles
from that place. During our stay hore
the weather was very bad, mostly rain
and very cold. On the 9th we broke
up camp again, and resumed the march.
We marched on the Pocotaligo road,
crossed Broad river, passedth the Charles
ton Railroad ut Pocotaligo station, and
went on the 30th into camp at McPher-
sonville, little town, about 80 miles
from Beaufort. No living soul was to
be found in the whole town !; all had left
the town. Here we received the last
mail, and our communication with civ
ilization ended. On the first of Fcbru-
airy, we resumed our march again,
crossed the Big and LittleSall1ahatcLie
marched through hamburg, little
town on the Augusta and Charleston
Railroad, and arrived on the Edisto riv-
er on the llth of February. Here we
expected the rebs would make n stand,
but nary q . Reb could be found. We
crossed the stream, and on thenext day
the Little Edisto, and then travelled on
the Columbia road. On the 10th day of
February we arrived ear tho Little
Congaree creek, and here from the na-
ture OF the ground, the enemy was en-
abled to make stubborn resistance
The Ind Brigade, which was in advance
on that day, commenced diminishing
with the enemy soon after we left camp.
Our Brigade was ordered up, and went
into position on the left of the 2nd Bri-
gade; one of our regiments (lth Iowa.
was deployed as skirmishcrs to cover
the front, and to move forward, to effect
crossing of the creek If possible I'm
mediately in front was a swamp, about
waist deep and about 800 yards wide,
but tho boys did not fnltcr at this obsta-
Gle, and gallantly plunged i'm. The en-
emy could not withstand the .impetuos-
ity of the skirmishers, and broke after
few minutes lighting to the opposite
side of the creek. We then went about
three-fourths of n mile up the creek,
beyond the cncmy's right flank. Here
the slSirmishers crossed the crock as
quietly as possible, to attack the enemy
in the rear, and we would have cap
tnred the enemy's artillery, but it is not
sure whether our men disclosed them
selves, or the rebs smeIt "rat," they
commenced Immediately preparations
to leave, and left the Notifications be-
fore our Brigade could cross. From our
camp, at sundown, we could see the
-pi IF hn to-, f,rf ~ IL
18th we crossed the Congarcc river,
about three miles above Columbia, and
went at dark into camp near Broad riv-
er, but received orders not to build any
fire, keep very still, and be prepared to
cross Broad river in the pontoon boats
during the night. We expected to have
effected crossing, and to have moved
on to the city by daylight; but the cur
rent of the river was very strong. The
engineers had to call for volunteers,
(W. Prouty, Co. B, 3lst Iowa, and one
man from the 9th Iowa, who volunteer
ed, were the first across, and did not
succeed in getting line across till 8
O'Clock Of the morning OF the 18th, and
then the crossing commenced as soon
ss possible. We found that we had
landed on little island. The enemy
was very active, and after we had four
regiments across, Colonel Stone ordered
an attack, and charged the rebs with
three regiments. In front of the island
were number of small bayous, but
the boys did not stop to find logs, but
went in, waist deep, holding gun and
cartridge box above the water. The
rebel troops in our front were Col. Pal
mer's Brigade Of Infantry, of General
Stephcnson's Division, and regiment
of cavalry. We drove the enemy, and
moved for the city. About mile from
the city, carriage, displaying flag OF
truce, approached, containing Mr.. Good
wyn, Mayor of Columbia, and the city
Aldermen, who surrendered the city OF
Columbia, Internationally to Col. Geo.
a. Stone, commanding Sd Brigade, 1st
18th A.C. We had no trout
bic in gaining the city, the rebs having
left. Colonel Stone formed the Brigade
on Main street near the State House,
and planted the first United States flag
on that building. The streets swarmed
with hundreds of negroes, who gave
the troops all kinds of liquors from
buckets, bottles, :demijohns, and all
sorts Of vessels. A number of build
ings were fired during the early part of
the evening, but the fire was put out
before 1t had gained much headway.-
At eight O'Clock p. n. the city was fired
in number Of places by some Of our
prisoners, and citizens, and as
some OF the fires originated IN base
nents stored full Of cotton, it was i'm
possible 10 estinguish it, The build
Ings were old and wooden ones, and the
wind blowing almost u gale, we had
TO leave town, and went into camp !