Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-05-20
BATH MAINE THURSDAY MORNING. MAY 90 1871
NO. 5


THE TIPPEcANoE FLAG Mr. Brooks, one of
the editors of the New York Express, at the grea
convention on the Tippecanoe battle ground, in
May last, was entrusted by the surviving sol
ders Of that battle with the flag that was in the
tmckest of the contest with instructions to bear
II to washington after the election of General
. Harrison, for placing among the trophies Of the
republic. MIR. Brooks delayed the duty until
matters should be quietly settled after the inau-
guration at Washington-and waited, as he says
until, " alas there was the quiet of the grave
On the ist of May, in fulflment of his commits
| sion, Air. Brooks transmitted the flag to Presi-
dent Tyler, with an accompanying letter To
this letter the President has replied in an elegant
and patriotic letter, which we subjoin
To JAMES BRooKs, ESQ.
WASHINGTON; May 4, 1871.
" The flag which was in the midst and thick
est of strife, and which was committed to your
care on the Tippecanoe battle-ground by the
viving soldiers ofthat memorable field, and which
they commanded you to bear to this metropolis
as a speaking emblem of the valor of their old
commander, and of the pers he had undergone,
has been delivered over to my hands, and will be
placed by me among the honored trophies the
Republic. The account which was given me some
years ago, by the gallant ensign now no more,
who upheld that banner amid the perls of the
fight, had prepared me to it, it is, gashed
by the tomahawk and rent by balls hat En-
sign alone, of all the officers, with but twenty
men of the gallant company over which, when
the sun went down, that flag proudly waved, sur
vived to tell in the morning of the hazards of that
terrible night. From that brave soldier, who af-
forwards held high place in the hearts of the
the people of Indiana, learned properly to ap-
preciate the fearless bearing and noble conduct of
the patriotic citizen who has recently exchang-
ed this earthly tabernacle of clay for one that
dureth forever. Death is the common heritage
of all mankind; but so to live as that the dark
ness of the grave shall not obscure our names,
and that they may be placed in close association
with the names Of the great and good who have
gone before and who are 10 come after US, makes
death itself contamination rather to be wished
than feared, and throws light Of glory over the
grave. Such, now, is the condition of ssthe old
| commander" into whose hands, when you re-
ceived this flag, you jealousy anticipated its
delivery. His deeds are now ''enroled in the
Capitol, and this banner shall be preserved as
memorial of "a battle well fought, and of victory
most nobly won.
pray you, sir, to accept assurance of my
great respect, JOHN TYLER.
The be arer of the flag at the battle of Tippe-
canoe, alluded to in the above reply of the Presi-
dent, some Of our readers may not recollect was
Ensign Upton, Tennessean by birth, who start
ed from home with only his axe for patrimony,
and who subsequently became a Senator in the
Congress of the United States, and one of the
most distinguished men in Indiana. Of him the
anecdote is narrated, we have seen in the public
journals, where Gen. Harrison is represented as
riding up in the heat of the battle, inquring of
young Upton, "Where is your captain ?" "Dead!
sir" stYour lieutenant? p "Deadl sir" "Your
second lieutenant" "Dcadl sir" "Your ensign?"
ole stands before you" where Upton then
stood, holding and defending this very aag but so
covered with dirt and so besmeared with blood,
that Gen. Harrison scarcely knew him. ssHold
on said Harrison, 'for moment longer; 1 will
reinforce you" and he rode off and led up there
the company of Capt. Robb; by which time or
soon after. of the seventy five men under Capt.
Spencer, there were only ten or twelve left not
killed or wounded in this company was this flag
[N. Y Express.