The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-10
cOLoRS AT COLUMBIA.


COLORS AT COLUMBIA.
First Planted by the 18th Iowa, but Claimed by
the 9Th.
To THE EDITOR observe By your issue of
june that Conrade Garfield wishes to know
what troops raised the first colors at Columbia
S. C. The evening before the city was cap
tured while the Iowa brigade of the Six
teenth Corps was getting ready 10 throw pom
toons across the river, above the city, the Iowa
brigade of the Seventeenth Corps was lying
across the river on the bluffs in plain sight of
the city, and also in sight Of the ground that
the troops had to pass over to get into 1t.
During the night the colonel of the 18th
Iowa was busy constructing scow that would
hold Is men, and by daylight he had it COM
pleted. He had command of the Iowa brigade
ut the time) About II o'clock, If | remember
Alright, the troops above made a crossing and
we could see the Iowa brigade Of the Sixteenth
Corps deploy as skirmisheTs and push on toward
the city,-disfant think, about four miles
and we could also see the enemy fire the cotton
and leave. As soon as our commander saw this,
he took the cOlor-guard of the 18th Iowa
and crossed the river in his scow, marched to
the State House, and raised the colors on it.
Our artillery then fired a salute. On hearing
the artillery Capt. Clark, of Gen. Shermans
/ staff, who had charge of the skirlnishers, rail-
lied his skirmishers by companies, formed them
in square. and took the responsibility of charg-
ing, as he supposed, the enemy. He charged
into the city-his horse Oh q rnn-unti he got
where he could see the State House. and there,
10 his disappointment apparently, found no
enemy, but the Union colors flying. There
upon he rode back and marched his men into
the CITY. If this meets the eye of Capt Clark,
will he let US know where he Is and whether
i have described his gallant charge, with his
support a mile in the rear, correctly or not? l
will not tell whether the 18th colOr-guard got
on a tear that night and let an Illinois regiment
steal their coors; or about their marching sew
eral days without them, until the thief nap
pened 10 pass by and twitted them with having
lost the colors; or how Gen. Beknap rode up
10 him, took him in charge, and found the col
OTs on him Let the 18th color-seTgeant tell
this himself Never mind, sergeant, you had
the honor of placing them on the capitol of the
hotbed Of treason, whether you kept them there
or not.-D. L. SWEET. Color-Sergeant, llth
Iowa.
/ [Comrade Robert B. Cox, Co. !, 18th Iowa,
/ HinesborOagh. H., also writes that the col
ors of his regiment were the only ones that
! fOated over the State House while Sherman's
army was there.-ED
THE 9TH IOWA CLAIM THEM. TOO.
To TIE EDITOR: In answer to Comrade f.
4 Garfield as TO what troops or regiment raised
| the stars and stripes on the capitol building at
Columbia, ). C., at the time OF its surrender
during the war, l would say that the honor
rightly belongs TO the 9th Iowa, your humble
servant being one ofthe color bearers We be-
longed then to the First Brig, First Div, Fiji
teenth Corps, commanded by Gen. John A.
Logan. Our brigade crossed the river above the
city some two three miles on poatoon floats
about daylight In the morning under fire of
heavy line Of rebel skirnlishers. As SOON as
! the brigade was gotten over, We moved toward
H. -.
about mile or so of the city, we were met By
the mayor. who surrendered it 10 Col. Woods,
! / think, Of the 18th Iowa, who was in command
4 of our brigade As we marched into town. our
7 coionel-Abemethy- us to go and place our
colOrs on the capitol building. Scrg't Orlando
/ Searls OF Co. I, carried the stars and stripes
and myself the banner When we arrived at
the State House, we found to our dismay that
a stand Of colors had already preceded US. 1t
/ had been run across the river in a small boat
when they saw US marching in. ] think they
were from some Ohio or Illinois regiment
know there was only five or six men with them
and when we arrived at the scuttle on the roof
they refused to let US come up. But when
Serg't SaaTis told them to stand back or he
would clean cut the whole lot and throw them
I CT the root, they consented 10 let US come up.
4 They sat there for a few moments, and finally
/ sneaked back 10 their regiment the same as
! they came. y. MoULToN, Color Bearer, 9Th
Iowa, 0swegO, \. Y.
THIS SETTLES IT
To THE EDITOR: The following congratu-
latory order Of Gen. Giles A Smith viii furnish
the information desired by Conlrade T. Can
field, Sheffield. Iowa:
HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DTv THIRD CoRPs
NEAR CoIuABIA, 5. G., FEB. :, 1865.
BRIG. -GEs. Y. w. BEIKNAP.
Commanding Third Brig.
STR; Allow me 10 congratulate you and through
you, Ieut.-Col. j. &. Kennedy, 18th Iowa inf
( Vet Vols. aud the under his command for
FIRST entering the city Of Columbia the morning
Of Friday, Feb. H. and being the first TO plant his
colors on the capitol Of south Carolina. While
Saiuda and Broad Rivers three miles above the
city. Lieut.-Coi. Kennedy. under your direction.
lifted up en- old WORKOUT fatboat, capable of car
ryiDg about twenty men, and. accom- panied by
I1ieuts. IL. IL. Macarthur and Wnl. IL Goodrich, OF
yGHF staff crossed the river in front Of the city and
boldly advanced through its streets, sending back
Z the boat with another procured on the opposite
shore tor more troops and on their arrival, with
% men IN All. drove portions Of Mheeler's cavalry
from the town, snd at 1l:3O o'clock III. planted
his two stands Of colors, upon the old and the
other upon the new capitol
The swift current OF the Concaree River and its
rocky channel rendered his crossing both difficult
and dangerous, and the presence of the enemy
bat ia what force unknown, rendered the UNDER
taxing still more hazardous Lieut-Col. Kennedy
and is regiment entitled TO great credit for its
successful accomplishment
! have tue honor 10 be- very respectfully your
obodient servant,
/ GILES A. SMITH
Breyet Major-General.
WIN. A. HUNTER, late 18th Iowa, Belle Plain,
Iowa.