The National tribune., 1885-07-02
ONCE MORE TO THE BREACH
Whose Flag FIoated Over the State House at Co.
Iumbia, 5. CT

To THE EDITOR: see in your issue of June
1S that Comrade Garfield still sticks to it. that
the 18th Iowa was the first regiment to enter
Columbia S. c., but gives no authority but his
own word for it. Now, after the eomrade has
made the statement that their flag was flying
on the State House. and his company X was
quartered in the State House yard, and one
man of the 3lst Iowa stole their flag and put
ours in its place, and they allowed it to float
there the remainder of the day (as it surely
did, l must say, give US rest" That state
ment will bear grain of SALT for / know that
Co. III, 18th Iowa. was made of better stuff than
that, and if / were one of the company would
have his scalp for making such statement and
having it published in The NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE, where every one in the country is sure to
see it aud form very poor opinion OF the COM
pany that would allow one man to do such a
deed. Comrade Garfield says: "If our COM
pany was not the first, for what reason did
Gen. w. w. Belknap have two pieces of artil-
lery planted and shell the street in front of us
as we marched to the State Housef" Gen.
Belknap did no such thing on the 18th of Feb
ruary, nor will he indorse the statement of
Comrade Garfield. Gen. Sherman, in his Me-
moirs. page 27S, Vol. g says: Capt. De Grasse
had a section of 20-pound Parrott guns unlim-
bered, firing into the town. l asked him what
he was firing for. He said he could see some
rebel cavalry occasionally at the intersections
of the streets and had an idea that there was
a large body of infantry concealed on the op-
posite bank. lying low, in case we should cross
over directly into the town. l instructed him
not to fire any more into the town, but con-
sented to his bursting few shells near the
depot, to scare away the negroes who were ap-
propriating the bags of corn and meal which
we wanted; also. to fire three shots at the un-
occupied State House. l stood by and saw
these shots fired, and then all firing ceased.
Although this matter of firing into Columbia
has been the subject Of much abuse and inves-
tigaton 1 have yet to hear of any single person
having been killed in Columbia by our can
non."
That don't sound much as if Gen. Belknap
ordered the streets shelled in front of the 18th
Iowa as they marched to the State House.
Comrade further says we did not see pom
toon bridge at Columbia, nor cross the river on
one. Gen. Sherman says on page 2Sl, Vol. g:
During the afternoon of that day, Feb. II,
the whole of the Fifteenth Corps passed through
the town and out on the Camden and Winns-
borough roads. The Seventeenth Corps did not
enter the city at all, but crossed directly over
to the Winnsborough road from the pontoon
bridge at Broad River which was about four
miles above the city" The 18th Iowa belonged
at that time to the Third Brigade, Fourth Di-
vision, Seventeenth Corps, and am fully con-
WINGED Uncle Billy" knew the position Of his
troops as well as Comrade Garfield does. Now,
| will be satisfied if the comrade will furnish
half the sworn statements he says he can. He
does not and cannot deny that the flag of the
3lst Iowa was burned while flying on the State
House at Columbia, S. G. Now, unless he can
furnish something in history or records, or
something better than the yarn he told (of one
man taking a flag from whole company. and
tell US where to find it, l shall drop the discus
sion. and still think was there and saw some
thing of the affair myself-W. NJ. PRoUTY, Co.
r S1St Iowa Peaca Dale r 7