The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-04-09
ENTERING COLUMBIA.
Second in Command of the 18th Iowa Tells
About It.

Row mc ~ llttlc SfdCc III JOui faio"b'S f"fSe
TO reply to Lieut.. McPeak's article In
relation to Gen. Howard's letter on the
capture of Columbia, Feb. II, 1866. The
Lieutenant says, strictly speaking, Gen.
Howard may be correct. Now, strictly
speaking Gen. Howard was correct; so what
more is necessary
The Lieutenant asks: "Was the placing of
the colors of the 18th Iowa on the Statehouse
of Celumbia by Lieut.-Col Kennedy and his
squad honOrably done; and in all fairness
could they Justly claim the honor that Gen.
Howard has given them ?"
Was there anything dishonorable, 1 will
ask, in connection with the capture of CO.
lumbia by the 18th Iowa? The Seventeenth
Corps, of which my command was part,
occupied the eight wing of the army from
Pocotaligo to the Congaree River, conse-
quently met most of the resisting forces OF
the enemy. Our fighting was almost con-
tinuous, and at times very severe, particu-
| larly at the crossingo of the EdistO and Salka-
hatchie Rivers. AS we fought our way
| toward Columbia, there was feeling that
the prize of its capture by right belonged to
the Seventeenth Corps.
Gen Logan, with his cavalry, made a dash
in front of our column to save the bridges
that spanned the Congaree, but they were
burned upon his approach. Then Logan
moved four miles north, but was unsuccess-
full in saving the bridges across the Saluda
and Broad Rivers, SO laid pOntOons Tor the
army to pass over.
The Seventeenth Corps lay all day chatting
ON the bluffs overlooking Columbia. The
city was not shelled, but solid shot was
fred now and then at troops, perhaps pro-
vost-guard, that were seen moving about
during the day in different parts OF the city.
Gen. Sherman had expressed a wish that
the city could be captured without being
obliged to go four miles up the river. Gen.
Beiknap, learning of Sherman's desire, asked
for volunteers 10 attempt the crossing of the
river, provided an old boat found on its
banks could be made seaworihy. / found
Co. G of my regiment keen to undertake
the venture A detail was made, the boat
put in order during the night, and although
Gen. Smith sent word to Belknap he had
better stop the movement, NE were allowed
to lanch the scow, jump aboard and push
away from the shore.
The letter of Gen. Giles A. Smith, copied
BY Gen. Howard, explains the complete sue
cess Of our undertaking. When three COM
psnies had crossed they were depleyed as
skirmishers, and | started for the Capital.
The Mayor in a carriage, with "A large white
flag, passed up Main street, and, not seeing
the skirmsh-line, proceeded on his way
north TO surrender the city. But before that
was accomplished the colors of the 18th Iowa
were.fying over the Capitol Building So
the affair of the Mayor WAS a secondary
matter ntirely. The colors of the 18th Iowa
were hoisted over the Capitol of South
Carolina % minutes by actual time before
Col. Stone reached the building with his
brigade, and instead of only a squad of my
msn nearly the whole regiment had advanced
ahead of the men of the Fifteenth Corps.
As we approached the city the colored
people tlocked to us in great numbers On
Name street Lieut.. Goedell pressed into
service horse and buggy, and, with Lieut..
Macarthur, the color-bearer. and myself
standing on The axletree holding TO the flag
staff, started, with the administers, down
the street; had not gone far when we were
fired On from cavalry that were in line on
cToss-stTeet.
No damage was done, however, save the
w0unding of one of the enemy. Before
reaching the Capitol the yelling Of the over
Joyous and half blacks and an occa-
sional rush for the old fias by an escaped
YaHk made scene the widest, most excit-
ing and tumultuous ever experienced.
ne entlTe IoeVcuteenII CDT pS WAS "tiCH-
ing our every movement, and when the flag
was displayed on the Capitol of South Caro-
lima for the first time since Secessions glar-
ing wrong had torn it down the enthusiasm
was wonderful. salute was fired in honor
of the occasion by Capt Clayton LIST Mimi.
battery of Is guns There was no rebel
flag flying over the Capitol on the 18th of
February, 1865.
Lieut.. Macarthur and others were on the
roof, and it is simply ridiculous to say a rebel
flag was left Haunting i'll our faces and net
taken down. A large flag was taken rom
the Library, which was sent from GoldsbOro,
N. c., to Mrs. Sherman, Chicago, to be dis
posed of as she deemed proper, the Sanitary
Fair then being held there, with Mrs. SheI
man as its President. 1t is nearly 81 years
since the close of the war. Weare all floating
down the ebb tide of life. Lieut.. McPeak
wants no controversy; still, he tries to cast
odium on the action of the 18th Iowa at Co
lumb;a which resent. There is not blem-
ish on the record Of that regiment during its
almost four years fighting for Old Glory
during the rebellion. / will say, inadver-
tently, right here, no one had the oppor-
tunity to know better the causes for the
burning of Columbia than myself
think the Lieutenant doesn't want his
question of how and when the 18th re-
covered their flag answered. There is
scroll of paper with an answer in my hand,
but the index finger points to the word OF
much meaning-Charity.- c. KENNEDY,
Lieutenant Colonel, 18th Iowa, Milwaukee,
Wis.