American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-03-29


residence ofthe novelist, Gilmore Simms,
whose house and library were carefully
guarded by our troops.
About this time the foragers began to
spread over the country. These enter
prising characters were known by. the
names of "Bummers," "Smoke-house
Rangers and "Do-boys." A hummer
is and individual who by favor of wag-
on master becomes possessed of a broken
down mule, or elso starts. if need be, on
foot, in either case, of course, armed with
his musket He makes his way into the
enemy's country, finds horses in number
by help of the negroes, bitches a team to
wagon. loads on it all the stores and sup
plies he can find in the nearest house,
mounts his negroes on the rest of the hor-
ses. and returns with his spoils. lie new
objects 10 gold watches or silver plates
.'il he can finds them in a swamp mile
from any house. These men were strag
glcrs not in rear but in front of the army
and they went before it like cloud, be-
ing often twenty to thirty miles in ad-
vance of the head of the column. They
would fight anything. Three .'bummers"
together would at any time attack a com
pany of Robelcavalry, and in favorable
circumstance would disperse them and
capture their booty. With the exception
of Columbia alone, every town in South
Carolina through which the army passed
was first entered by the bummers, At
Chesterfield they were two days and halt
ahead of the army, the whole Corps hav
ing congrcgated at this point They rig
ged up two logs, for cannons, sent a flag
to the town, which was occupied by de-
tachment of Buffers Division of cavalry
demanded its surrender, frightened off
the Rebel cavalry, and entered the town
in grand procession ofbroken down mules
ragged "bummers," and the Quaker
guns" The coat tails of the Rebels dis
appeared at one end OF the town as the
"Do Boys" entered at the other.
When the army was marching toward
Midway, as above described, a smoke
house ranger was seen rushing toward the
front, with an old hit Of carpet on his
mule for blanket, aud a couple Of ropes
with nooses for stiuups, in which his
feet rcsted This hero came rushing up
to Gen Howard. and shouted out: Gen.
the bummers have taken the railroad and
are in line of battle, fighting to hold it,
and ifyou'Il only hurry up | think they'll
hold it" The General did hurry up,and
found the railroad as the smoke ranger
had said in possession of about seven
bummors, who were busily engaged skir-
mishiug at long range with detachment
Of Wheeler's cavalry.
At Congareo Creek, Just in front of
Columbia, the enemy was met in some
force on the 10th of February, Wade
EIampton's cavalry there making its first
appearance. The army was then entire
ly in hand, all the corps being united and
Hampton discovering the condition Of
affairs and the number of the enemy he
must expect to meet, disappeared, burn
ing the bri ges after him onall the roads
This made it necessary to bring the pom
toon trains to the front. A bridge was
thrown across the Saluda River, just be
low the dam on the Saluda cotton facto-
ry. and about five miles above the city Of
Columbia The Saluda and Broad rivers
Join Just above Columbia, forming a pc
nusular, to which the 18th Corps cross
ed on the evening of the 10th of Febru.
ary. During the night and the following
morning most of the Seventeenth Corps
crossed The men were at once sent
over a swing ferry across the road Riv-
er, arriving on the main land on the same
side as Columbia. The Fifteenth Corps
started on the same morning to march
into the city, Col. Stones brigade having
the advance, and entered the city about
the middle of the day. Meantime, the
18th Iowa, under Lieut. Col Kennedy
(Gen, Giles A. Smiths division of the
Seventeenth Corps), crossed the river on
pontoons directly opposite the city. Gen.
Smith wrote the following note to Gen.
Blair:
HDoRs, FouRTH DIVISION, SEVENTEENTH 4. c.
COLUMBIA. S. c., Feb. II, 1860
Major.-Gen. =. P. BLAIR, Commanding 18th A. &,
The colors of the 18th Iowa were sus-
pended over the Capitol at IL O'Clock a.
m National salute is now being fred
by Capt. Clayton, lst Minnesota Battery,
to commemorate this event.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
GILES A. SMITH, Brevet Maj. Gen.
As there has been some dispute about
the hoistiag of these colors, give this
note in order to put on record. the official
declaration of the fact that the honor be-
longs to the 18th Iowa.