Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-04-28

ItOJUUiV lotll--AiuEClcti tDOul IlNS
miles and came to a halt, with heavy
skirmishing in front. The wagon train
was corralled, and five companies de-
tailed from our regiment to guard them.
Company A was one of the number
We learned here that we were only five
miles from the, city of Columbia, of
which the rebs had possession. Next
morning their skirmishcrs We're driven
in, and the train received orders to adj
vance across the Saluda river. We
started, but did not succeed in getting
the train across until next morning,
Q7th), though we worked all night
Shortly after we got across the city was
evacuated by the rebels, and immedi-
ately occupied by our troops. The lst
Division, 18th Army Corps, were the
first Yankee troops in town. About 4
r. NJ. we crossed Broad river and march
ed up through the main street. The
rebs had commenced burning the cot
ton before leaving; but as they did not
quite finish the job our boys took hold
and did it up in short order. did not
learn the exact amount burned, but
know it to have been large. The bales
were strewn along in the middle of the
streets and then set on fire. 1t burned
nicely. Large quantities of liquor were
found, consisting of wines, whisky and
peach brandy, and some of the boys
"went in y. a little too strong, and came
out considerably intoxicated. Ofcourse
none of the I'd Iowa were in such n
.scrape. Columbia, when our troops
first took possession of it, was, without
exception, the prettiest place / have
seen in the South. The streets were
wide and pleasant, and the buildings
large and very fine. 1t is located upon
high and level piece ofground. Many
of the citizens seemed rejoiced to see
the " Ianks" in possession of the place
In fact everything combined to make it
one of the pleasantest places we have
passed through. 1t was situated, how
ever, in rcbellious country and had
been one Of the favorite resorts of rch-
els, and still moro to its discredit there
was located here one of those hell-holes
known as a Southern prison. The lat
ter, of all others, went TO seal its fate,
as we had at that time quite number
Of escaped prisoners, who had formerly
been confined at this place. These,
aided by some drunken negroes, began
the work of destruction in the early
part of the evening. No sooner was
the ball set i'm motion than it spread
throughoutthe wholep!acc, and dsoon the
whole city was on fire, illuminating the
country for miles around. All night
the work of destruction went forward.
and when the morning of the 18th
dawned there was litlle left of that once
beautiful city capital OF South
Carotina-save the tall statue like chim-
ncys, and few small houses in the out
skirts of town. Many of the officers
and men did their utmost to prevent
the wholesale conilagration, but their
efforts were unavailing. It is said that
it was in direct disobcdience TO General
S!crman's orders, and certainty was
not right; but some allowance should
be made for those who have for months
suffered all the pangs and horrors OF
death in this miserable prison.
On the morning OF the 18th we com.
menced tearing up and burning The rail,
road leading from Columbia to Charles
ton, and continued for two days, de.
stroying about twenty miles of 1t.
On the Goth we left the railroad and
resumed our march northwest. The
roads were dry and sandy the weather
warm and pleasant.
22nd-Crossed the Watcrcc river. -
Raincd Il little. Martin Adams, mem
Der of Company a, and formerly a
member of Co. X, Sd Iowa, who was
out foraging, was shot 10y guerrilla
and mortally wounded.
26tlI-We are in advance. We march
ed seven miles and crossed Linch creek
where we waded three-quarters of a
mile in water waist deep, carrying our
clothes, haversaeks, and cartridge box
es on our shoulders or over our heads 10
keep them dry. When about fifty men
had got across the rebs made q charge
upon US before we had, re-clothed our
selves, and we had to drop everything
but gun and cartridge box, and form q
skirmiSh line. IT was fun to see forty
or fifty men, many without shoes or
pants, some hatless and few shrtless,
with guns loaded and primed, slowly
advancing through thick brush and un-
dergrowth against an enemy whose
numbers we had no means of knowing.
However, "all's well that ends well y
and soon the remainder of the regiment
were over and we went back and pit.l
our clothes. There proved to bc only a
small force of cavalry, which was soon
dispersed. Our loss wGs one wounded,
a member of Co. 6, shot through the
wrist. ...
Aorch 3d.--i7th Corps took posses
sion OF Chcraw, capturing 900 stand
OF small arms and Il pieces of artillery
with only slight s,sisnish. ......
Gth.-Wo crossed the Pedcc river
Saw the 3lst Iowa. Company = boys
were all right, .. ..... ....t.....r ........,..
Sth.-Crossed the line into North Car.
olina, having marched nearly 30 miles
in South Carolina with scarcely a slsir-
mish. s. ......- .r.....f a..-.s
l2th.-Reached Fayetteville, on The
Cape Fear river, where we supposed we
were TO receive communications and
take little rest. We saw several of
our gunboats which had run up, md
we bought a few y. Y. papers but no
mail from home. We were disappoint-
ed here, for on the 18th we drew ono
days ration, and were informed that it
was to last four days, or until We could
reach communications. CT afterwards
turned out that that one days ration
had to last six days.. After getting our
ration5 we started for Goldsboro. The
roads very bad indeed, and the wca.uer
r1iny '.a '