The National tribune., 1911-01-12


us four and captured our flags.
Immediately after the firing ceased
many citizens came out of hotel. One
had a pitcher of brandy, and asked us
to drink We declined. The color bear
err reloaded the gun. and, with our re-
volvers drawn, told them to stand
back"
Very soon the negros came rushing
up. shouting: "Bres de Lo'd, de Yankees
nab come" / told one to run fast, meet
the squad and say the flag had been
fired upon and TO come double-quick.
We remained in our isolated and rather
perilous position until the rest of our
party came UP. On their arrival we adj
vanced to the Capitol Buildings We
found two. The first was brick not
finished; walls were finished up to the
square; doors not hung: no floors laid;
no sash in window frames; no roof:
no plastering: a mere skeleton and
work seemingly abandoned months be-
fore. Maj. Goodrich took the banner
of the 18th Iowa, and unfurled II from
the top walls of that building. Col. Ken
nedy, the color bearer, with the flag,
and myself crossed the street little
farther east, not over 200 feet
away, tc the old frame State
House. ran up the outside steps and be-
gan forcing the doors open The sexton
came hurriedly with the keys, unlocked
the doors. directed the way to the garnet
and to the top of the building. I dis
tinctly call to mind how terribly dark
and musty it was up in that old garrett
We could not see OUT hands before US.
/ succeeded in finding a piece of scan
Ting and knocked off a piece Of siding
to admit light. Then We all made q
break for the ladder, and soon were on
top and the flag flying.
Location of the Fifteenth Corps.
At this juncture we could see the de-
ployed skirmishers of the Fifteenth
Corps about mile and q half west In
a few minutes the skirmishers rallied;
then we felt much easier. Almost inn
mediately our battery south Of the river
began a rapid fire. Then the Fifteenth
Corps skirmishers deployed again on
the double-qufck. Imagine our anxiety
We feared the enemy had passed be-
tween us and the river. If so, a battle
would be fought, and possibly death or
capture would be our portion. few
minutes seemed like hours. Our bat
terry ceased firing, and II dawned upon
us that the firing was a salute to the
success of our undertaking.
Gen. Belknap and hundreds on the
south bank of the river were anxiously
watching for the appearance of the flag
and when Old Glory appeared the order
to fire salute was given. When the
Corps, who was then receiving the sur
render of the city, did not understand
II any more than we did. It was at this
time, to which the 30th Iowa comrades
refer, when Col. Stone drew his revolver
and Informed the Mayor, in words with
fire attached, IL he proved treachsrous
his life would pay the penalty. The
Mayor fell on his knees. calling God to
witness his sincerity and honesty in sur
rendering the city; that he had no
knowledge whatever of the cause of the
firing. Maj. r. d. Cramer. 30th Iowa,
who had command of the skirmish line,
was present, and heard what was said
He has often told me about It and Of
their great surprise and anxiety when
the battery opened fire.
At this point desire to call attention
to the fact that at the identical time
when the firing of our battery began
and the city was being formally surren-
dered to Col. Stone, the little squad Of
Crocker's Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth
Corps. had already taken forcible pos
session of the city, and were on the old
and new State Buildings, with the 18th
Iowa flag and banner unfurled, while
the advance skirmishers of Stones Bril-
gade were one and a half miles west
of US.
Shortly after the firing we were over
joyed to see our troops marching to-
our color bearer to remain with the COL
ors, after which he and I went below
In short time thereafter, while stand
ing in the rotunda and facing the out
side door. the first person we saw en-
ter was Lieutenant rushing into the
building with a flag. He was from the
9Th Iowa, and inquired the way to the
roof. Il asked him what he wanted to
do. place my flag on this building"
he answered. I took out my watch and
said: Lieutenant, we have had our flag
flying there three-quarters of an hour"
In great amazement he said: "The -
you have" / explained how we had
crossed the river. We'll, 1t is all right,
so Iowa gets the honor" he said
have always regretted not getting his
name. II he is living, 1 would like to
hear from him.
The 30ti Iowa Removes the Flag.
now come to an unexpected move
ment on the Columbia trestIe board
wherein Comrade Van Norstrand's goth
Iowa becomes very conspicuous After
Col. Kennedy and / had left the top of
the building our color bearer concluded
to get a relic of some kind from that
old building. Securely fastening his
fagstaff, thinking. of course, all would
be safe, rs We were now surrounded by
our friends. he went down to the Hall
. of Representatives TO see what he could
find. On his return his flag was miss
ing. and two soldiers of the Goth Iowa
had their flag unfurled. Col stones
brigade, the Goth Iowa in IL, had about
noou.--faken formal possession of the
city. They declared and insisted thar
no flag was found on the building when
they appeared on the roof
We were not at that time able to find
any trace of our na- or staff 1 assure
you we We're not in very anTiab bic
fra me of mind aboat 1t. When the
brigade came over in the evening they
would have come pretty near whipping
their weight in wildcats had il been
necessary, TO have secured cur flag We
did NIT sec that flag again until near
. Cheraw. 5. C., two weeks Afterwards
on March orr brigade had gone into
! camp near C1er7w. Otter troops we've
raSzlHg. Some It the f@t,l fo-~a 9trafc,l