Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/382

 at the capital Columbia two day later, at Cox Bridge on the 20th of March and the following day at Bentonsville. The Twenty-fifth was in all of these conflicts.

THE CAPTURE OF COLUMBIA

The Iowa Brigade took a prominent part in the capture of Columbia. Early in the evening of February 16th, Colonel Stone received orders to cross the Broad River on pontoon boats two miles above the city. He landed his troops on an island early on the morning of the 17th and erected earthworks which were attacked by sharpshooters. As reënforcements were preparing to come to the assistance of the enemy, Colonel Stone ordered an assault upon his lines at once. The Thirtieth Iowa led, following by the Twenty-fifth, supported by the Fourth. They moved forward rapidly, wading the bayous and scattering the enemy, took many prisoners. The way now open to the city, but before reaching it Colonel Stones was met by a carriage bearing a flag of truce in which were the mayor and aldermen who came to surrender the city. Colonel Stone received the unconditional surrender and with Major Anderson of the Fourth Iowa joined the officials in the Stars and Stripes above it. During the night the city was set on fire in several places and more than one-third of it was destroyed. The fires were believed to have been started by some of our released prisoners and negroes. Every possible effort was made to save the city but a strong wind carried the flames into the cotton warehouses and a vast amount of property was destroyed. Colonel Stone reported the capture of forty pieces of artillery, 5,000 stands of small arms and two hundred prisoners. Soon after the capture of Columbia the army continued its march northward meeting the enemy at Cox Bridge on the 20th of March, where the Twenty-fifth Iowa was in the thickest of the fight. It had about thirty men killed and wounded, among the latter Captain William G. Allen,