The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-06-26
"A pLUCIIY STANDARDIZED AItEil.

A correspondent of the Boston Journal gives
the following "reminiscences of the attack upon
the Massachusetts Regiment by the Guerrillas Of
Baltimore:
"There was one man who carried himself so
bravely while in the midst Of danger, that some-
thing more than passing notice should be taken
| Of him. Two days before that Friday, the Sixth
were gathered in front Of the State House, Bos-
ton, to hear the parting words Of Gov. Andrew.
At the end Of his remarks, the Governor presen-
ted the Regiment with standard, telling them
to see 10 it that no foe should ever take it from
them, They received it with cheers, and swore
to die ia its defence. Poor fellows, they little
thought then how soon their mette would be
tested Well, when they got out of the cars at
Baltimore, to march across the city, the cOlors
were given 20 The breeze, and bore aloft in def
ance Of every foe. The standard bearer, az no
bic "A fellow az ever wore the uniform of the Old
Bay Safe, Was Timothy Crowley. His two aids
were Sergean,s Derrili and Marland. Unused,
as indeed all our soldiers were, to the rough U.s.
age of actual warfare, it would not have been
strange if Crowley had shown some signs of fear
Indeed, he might have rolled up the colors which
would inevitably call down upon him the hatred
Of the vast aud murderOus mob. But Crowley
was not made of such stuff. He had sworn to
stand by his standard, and with him it was only
either succeed or die in the attempt. Pistols
were freely fired, but the company saw at their
head that standard proudly leading them On. No
one who has never been in the service can imag
inc how the colors of regiment keep up its
courage. So long as they are defiant, the COM
pany have light hearts if they should be taken
away a strange distrust runs through the whole
force. Well, the troops had lost their band ;
they did not have even fife and drum and SO
they kept their eyes fixed upon this Standard
Tramp. tramp, tramp-left, left, left-the music
of their own steady, measured tread - this was
all they had. Crowley was target for many a
missile, for the mob knew that to disgrace the
regiment it was only necessary to down with the
standard Paving stones flew thick aud fast
some just grazing Crowley's head, and some lift
ing the standard ITSELF marks of which were
shown us. And this shows the everlasting plGck
Of Crowley. One stone-my informant said it
seemed as large as a hat-struck him just be-
tween the shoulders a terrible blow, and then
rested On his napsack. And yet Crowley did not
bulge. With a firm step, he went on, carrying
the rock on his knapsack for several yards, until
one of the sergeants stepped up and Knocked it
off, And, said the chaplain, "Heaven only
knows what our boys would have dcne if that
standard had been taken they never would have
recovered from such Disgrace Such noble
act, it seems to me, is worthy of record. Crow
ley showed himself man. 1t was not that i'm
| pulsive kind of action which We call brave; it
was something better. The soldier who is only
| simply brave, stands only on the lowest round OF
the ladder OF herosm. All men may me brave.
Crowley was cool; he knew before hand what
the consequences might be; be reckoned all the
chances. He showed true courage-an element
of character which is Godlike; it was not i'm
| pulse, it was real mauliness"