The National tribune., 1908-04-09
THE SEVENTEENTH CORPS AT co
LUAfBIA.
Members With n Flag Beat the Fifteenth
Corps Into the City.

Editor National Tribune: Several
comrades have written concerning the
burning of Columbia, and one of the
latest is Chas. Schoott, Co. b, 66th Ill,
Fifteenth Corps. who seems to know
what he is talking about. He makes
one statement. however, that shows
there were some things he did not
know We says the Fifteenth Corps
was the only one that marched into
Columbia, an spite of all that other
comrades may claim. Now, 1 was
member of the First Division of the
Seventeenth Corps. and marched tAru
the city with that division, going into
camp Sst outside the city, as Comrade
Schoott's division did. The Fifteenth
Corps placed the pontoons and crossed
the river before the Seventeenth Corps
did haIt some of the men of the Seven
teenth beat them into the city. While
the Fifteenth Corps was placing the
pontoonS and crossing the river some
distance above the city our division of
the Seventeenth rested on the high river
bank just opposite Columbia, and we
saw the rebels hurriedly leaving with
their wagon trains. A section of artil-
lery was brought UP, and shells were
sent over the river and along a wide
street in our front, which seemed to
hasten the departure of the enemy.
Some of our men found 4 fiatboat in
| the river large enough to carry dozen
or so men. PERMISSION was granted
them to cross with their arms and a
flag. and thus they beat the Fifteenth
Corps men in getting into the city.
There was always great rivalry between
the two corps, and the rule of march
was that the first corps to reach a river
should cross first, when both had to use
the same pontoon. On this occasion
the men of the Seventeenth Corps We're
.,-l1 4.
ed up the street in full view of the men
of our division. It was a hazardous
venture, for we did not know whether
or not all the rebel soldiers had left the
city The flag disappeared up cross
street and after a few anxious mo-
ments we saw the Stars and Stripes re-
place the rebel flag on the State House.
L was told afterwards by one OF our
men that when Gen. Logan and his staff
came riding up and saw the Seventeenth
boys standing guard and the flag un-
furled he was so taken aback that he
Swore like a trooper at the Seventeenth
Corps men for thus stealing march
| on his beloved corps. As we were
marching thru the city some ladies, who
were standing on the portico of a fine
dwelling. asked an officer if it would
be safe for them to remain in their
home. They were assured that it would
be, that provost guard would soon be
placed in charge, etc. They were then
| in turn asked a simple question, where
upon they assumed a very scornful air
and said, You must excuse us. 1t is
as much as we can do to speak to a
Yankee, and you could hardly expect
US to carry on conversation with
one"
Before we crossed the river we saw
smoke in the city, and when we en-
tered the cotton in the streets wa:
burning. Two bales had been placed or
the ground, and on top of these another
single row was laid. AS the balint
burned off the burning cotton was by z
very strong wind blown about tbs
streets. / saw some, still burning, lodgt
in the trees. and. as has been Otter
stated, that is the way the building.
were fired. The next day, as | was rid
J, ing thru the burned district. Gen
Thomas and his staff came along, ant
the General dismounted and converseC
for some time with a group of anxiou,
Catholic sisters standing in the yard IN
front of a church.-C. l.. Thomas, Ser
geant, 25th Ind. Charlottesville, Ind.