The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-05-28
COLUM BIA, S. G.
The First Regiment to Enter the City.

To THE EDITOR: see in your issue of May
II that F. Garfield thinks am Off my base in
claiming for the 3lst Iowa the honor of being
the first regiment TO enter the city of Column
bia, s. c. and to plant our flag on the State
house l still adhere to my statement, and
that | WAS the first man of Shcrman'S army
mot prisoner) who put foot on the Columbia
side of the river, and have the documents to
prove what / say. Gen. Sherman in his Me-
moirs, written by himself, page 49, VOL ii.
saws: 1.-THE next morning viz, Feb. II, rode
to the head of Gen. Towards column, and
found that during the night he had ferried
Stones Brigade of Woods's Division of the
Fifteenth Corps across by RATS made of pom
toons, and that brigade was then deplOyed on
the opposite bank to cover the construction of
a pontoon bridge nearly finished. l sat with
Gen. Howard on a log watching the men lay
the bridge, and about or 10 a. IN. messenger
came from Col. Stone, on the other side saying
that the Mayor of Columbia bad come out of
the city to surrender the place, and asking for
orders. i simply said to Gen. Howard that he
had his orders to let Col. Stone go on into the
city, and that we would follow as soon as the
bridge was ready" Stones Brigade was made
up of the 4th, 9th, 18th, Both and 3lst Iowa. f.
Canfeld's claim brings to my mind that
few men belonging to some regiment of the
Seventeenth Corps that were encamped on the
opposite side of the river, and who took no part
in the fighting of the day previous or the morn
ing of the 18th of February crossed the river
in a small boat with their regimental colors
after the city had surrendered to Col. Stone,
and hoisted their colOrs, it may be, on the State
House; but if my memory is not at fault they
went back to their command without their flag,
and the flag of the 31st Iowa held its place of
honor on the top of the State House from the
entrance of Sherman's old corps into the city
until it was consumed by the flames that de-
stroyed the building Probably f. Garfield
remembers what a time they had getting their
flag again. The Seventeenth Corps, Of which
the 18th Iowa was part did not enter Column
bia at all, but crossed directly over to the Wins
boro road from the pOntoon bridge at Broad
River, which was about four miles above the
city, Now. if there is any honor in a few men
planting flag in city after it has surrendered
10 another body of men who did all the work
and bore the brunt of the battle, F. Garfield is
welcome to it. The 31st Iowa did not gain or
claim any hOnOrs that way. / do not claim
that Stones Brigade did any more than Bel
knaps Brigade would have done had they been
in our place, but do claim that my statement
is true, and can back it up with history and
the records.
The following extract from letter written
by III. c. Rohleder from near Goldsboro, N. c.,
March %, 1865, and published in the Cedar Falls
Gazette of May 5, 1865, will explain itself Speak
ing Of the crossing of Broad River near Col
umbia, it says:
We expected to have effected a crossing and
to have moved on to the city by daylight; but
the current of the river was very strong. The
engineers had to call for volunteers, (W. Prouty,
Go. Il, 3lst Iowa, and one man from the 9th Iowa,
who volunteered, were the first TO cross,) and did
not succeed in getting line across till o'clock of
the morning of the l7th and then the crossing
commenced as soon as possible.
A correct copy. +. A. SNYDER,
Publisher of Gazette.
w. NJ. PRoUTY, Co. B, 31st Iowa, Peace Dale,
T. l.