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Howard had marched up from the burning bridge to the
Saluda, by
Sherman's orders, with directions to cross that stream and the
Broad River, and
march upon
Columbia, from the north.
Slocum was also ordered to cross both rivers, and to march directly upon
Winnsboroa, destroying the Greenville and Columbia railroad around the village of
Alston, where it crosses the
Broad River.
Both orders were executed.
Howard crossed the
Saluda on a pontoon bridge, near
Granby, and made a flying bridge that night over the
Broad River, three miles above
Columbia.
Over that the brigade of
Colonel Stone (Twenty-fifth Iowa Infantry), of
Woods's division of the Fifteenth (
Logan's) Corps, passed, and under its cover a pontoon bridge was laid on the morning of the 17th.
General Sherman was there, and at eleven o'clock information reached him that
Mr. Goodwyn, mayor of the city, with a deputation of the common council, had come.
out in a carriage, and made a formal surrender of
Columbia to
Colonel Stone.
There seemed to have been no adequate military force for its protection.
Wheeler's cavalry had done all in its power, in front of the
National army, but the advance of the latter was irresistible.
The shallow
Beauregard was in command at
Columbia.
As usual, he had promised much, but did little.
He made a slight show of resistance and withdrew, leaving
Hampton's cavalry as a rear-guard for covering the flight of the
Creole's army.
Governor Magrath and suite, and a large train of officials had fled, and nothing could save the town from destruction but a peaceable surrender.
This was done at the time when a small party of the Seventeenth Corps had crossed the
Congaree in a skiff, and entered the city from the west, unopposed.
Before noon, on the 17th of February, the
National flag, so dishonored at the chief seaport of
South Carolina four years before, was waving in triumph over the old and new Capitols of the
State at the seat of Government.
In anticipation of the occupation of the city,
Sherman had made written orders to
General Howard, touching the conduct of t he troops.
They were to destroy absolutely all arsenals and public property not needed for the use of the army, as well as all railroads, depots and machinery, useful in war to an enemy, “but to spare all dwellings, colleges, schools, asylums, and harmless private property.”
1 The
commanding general was the first to cross the pontoon bridge, and, in company with
General Howard, rode into the city.
It was already in possession of
General Stone, who had posted men about it