The National tribune., 1886-08-05
THE BOTH OHIO.
March Throuxh sonth CarolIna-At CoInmb


To THE EDITOR: The 3Oth Ohio was a part
of the Second Brigade. Second Division, Fiji
teenth Corps. The brigade consisted of six
regiments, to wit, the 30th, 37th, 47th and SD
Ohio SD Ind, and 4th w. Va. During the
march through the Carolinas, owing to the
wretched condition Of the roads, it was neces-
sary that one regiment out of the brigade
should act as pioneers each day, carrying axes,
etc, in order to repair the roads and see that
the wagons were brought into camp, and on the
succeeding day the pioneer regiment would be
at the head of the regular column.
It so happened that the 30th Ohio was the
pioneer regiment on the day that the army
reached the vicinity of Columbia, and the
roads being pretty bad we did not get in with
the train until several hours after dark. We
found our brigade lying ensconced behind
hastily CONSTRUCTED breastworks, and selecting
a fair-looking camping ground a short distance
in the rear of the line we stacked arms, built
cooking fires, pitched out pup tents, ana pro-
ceeded to put the products of the days forag
ing through the necessary culinary process
preparatory to filling up the painfully apparent
vaeuums lying just behind the u. s. belt plate
belonging to each man in the regiment.
About % or 30 minutes after we got into
camp the enemy sighted our biyousc fires, and
before we had had time to coax the most for
ward coffeepot to boil the audaeious rebs be-
gan to shell our camp at such lively rate that
we lost our appetite for the time being and ac-
cepted their advice to go, and we stood not on
the order Of our going, but went at once" out
of the lights of those campfres, and spent the
balance of the night digging riAe-pits.
Early the next morning we pulled up stakes
and started for them again. We were now di-
rectly across the Congaree River from Column
bia, and as the enemy seemed to be IN pretty
good shape, our Generals thought it prudent to
make detour and cross the Saluda and Broad
Rivers above the junction or head of the Con
garee.
The 30th Ohio being now in advance of the
entire army VIC started for the bridge across
the Ssluda. but the rebs had it thoroughly sat
urated with some infamable substance-prob-
ably turpentine, and when we drove them
across the bridge they set il on fire, and IL was
q mass of flames before we could get to it. The
pontoon train was now brought forward, and
the boys stretched the canvas over several OF
the boats under fire from the rebel skirmishers
on the other side of the river Gems. Sherman
and Logan were standing near our company,
between us and one OF the pontoon wagons, and
in plain view of the rebel skirmisheEs, looking
at the preparations being made for throwing
our regiment across the river in boats, when
some OF the enemy opened fire on the Generals
and fiattened a bullet on a wagon-wheel within
few feet of Gen. Sherman. who appeared to
take no notice of il whatever; but Gen. Logan
or he might get killed. Well" says Gen.
Sherman, guess / am in no more danger
than the balance of you"
Yes" said Logan, that is true; but what
Is the use OF exposing yourselff Who could
take your place just at this timer"
well, we'll" said he, probably it would
be best to go back little" Meanwhile Logan
had brought old Tecumseh's horse forward and
told him to "get ON that horse and get out OF
hat md ar ia uxyEi oh he ltxr
did, leaving Gen. Logan in immediate charge
of operations.
The boats being now ready the regiment
crossed, charged the rebel skirmishers and
drove them into the woods on the dividing
ridge between the two rivers-Saluda and
Broad. Here they made stand for an hour
or two, meanwhile saturating the bridge
across the Broad with turpentine.
The pontoon was now laid across the Saluda,
and more OF the brigade crossing-I do not
now remember which regiments-we formed
line and made dash for the bridge hoping
to get it before they could burn it, but they
were too quick fer US, and threw irebrand
into the bridge before they were quite all
across, and in an incredibly short time the
bridge fell. 1t now became necessary to bring
up the pontOon bridge again in order to get
across the Broad, which We succeeded in ac-
complishing by about p. M, and we then
marched into Columbia with but little if any
opposition.
do not think, however, that we were the
first troops in the city, as some others had
crossed the Congaree in boats while we were
bridging the Broad and stole march on Us OF
an hour or so, but the city was still intact when
we marched through il and bivouaeked just
outside Of it, on the opposite side from the
river. / said the city was intact however,
mean by that that it had not yet been burned,
though there were several storehouses burning,
which we understood had been fired by the
rebels to keep us from capturing the supplies.
Immediately after supper / returned into the
city and remained there until about 10 p. m;
and, knowing il would be historical event,
watched closely the causes of the burning and
the conduct of the soldiers, and / am prepared
TO state that so far as / could see there was nc
building fired by Federal soldiers, but the fires
appeared to spread from the fires started by the
rebels before we entered the city, and the SOL
diers appeared to Re assisting the people to gel
| their goods out of their houses into the middle
of the street to save them from the flames
There can be no doubt, however, that there
| were quite number of small articles of more
or less value confscated by the boys as trophies
and keepsakes from the cradle of the rebellion,
as the boys called it, but that "a Sherman's bum
mers" Intentionally or purposely burned Co
lumbia, 5. C., is not the fact. L. WALTON
Co. /, 30th Ohio. Kolun, Ind.
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