Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-09-18
, FIlag Prss.entation.
MECHANICS Gar, NEAR RoMSEY,
GnnAnmhnn L.. 1922 =

L kluS FEGboDGutloms |'
MECHANICS Gar, Man RoMSEy, a
ID b. - s.. September Is; 1868. 3.
Editors Intelkigeneer
A very patriotic and interesting scene oc-
cnrred here yesterday in the camp Of the
! 18Th regiment West Virginia volunteer in
fautry. -str lan '' 81
d The ladies of Independence add vicinity,
Preston county, prepared Q beautiful flag
to present TO company Z; of this regiment,
and yesterday the banner arrived. The
officers and men were at onceiu full uni
form and drawn up in lius, when Major
Wells, of the 18th regiment, on behalf OF
the ladies presented the flag, and read the
following remarks from the ladies: 81
To the Officers and I2sipdtes of Company e,
18th Regiment, West HrginiG Volunteer
Infantry: ma.la a.ayfs j.
We here present you a flag which has
the Stars and Stripes beautifully repre-.
senting the principles of free government.
tits not the flag, but the principles which
1t represents that we all love so dearly. and
for the maintainauce of which you have
nobly volunteered your services to your
country. We present it because we know
you will accept IL in preference to any other
gift. You deserve the banner because it
was with zeal and animation that you
rushed to the field of battle to defend it
from the enemies of our country, when they
were about to overWhelm US in ruin.
We present You this flag 10 gratitude for
the alacrity and zeal with which you left
US, and your pleasant homes and friends
to,defend the principles which it represents.
We know you love the flag because our
illustrions ancestors created, upheld, and
planted it upon the Western World after a
long and bloody conflict, as representing
one of the family of nations. We present
it because it will bring to memory the
times when we used to assemble around 1t
in our then peaceful land to hear its his
tory rehearsed. %" '- t-.
We present it to you because it was
sustained through a seven years struggle,
by the agency of Divine Providence, and at
last triumphad over tyranny and oppres-
sion. And we frost that the same Almighty
hand will still continue to be its defender
aud that he will be your shield and
strength while standing in defense of such
glorious principles. And may it's folds
flaunt tIiumphantly in the breeze for gen.
eratious to come, and may the stars that
are now dim in the constellation, shine
with renewed lustre, and guide the Union
to the highest principles of perfection. g
Finally, when you return to your homes,
you in the dark hour of danger and accept
the pleasures of a peaceful and quiet re-.
pose which We trust you will be permitted
to eujoyIt
After Maj. Wells closed, the following
response was offered by Lieut.. A. E. Fort
pey on behalf Of the company. 7'
To the ladies of Independence and surround
ing vicinity:
The reception of a gift is always an oc-
casion of interest, but the reception of one
around which such mighty memories clus-
ter in rich profusion as those which invest
the American flag in this dark hour of re-
bellion, is one above all our feeble powers
to acknowledge.
Yet not to attempt to respond to the
beautiful sentiment and language in which
the gift presented would be equally unjust
upon our part as it would be e,uugenerous.
We accept this beautiful flag from the
hands of our fair county ladies as the
proudest emblem Of our nations glory, as
also an expression of the deep and abiding
interest felt and cherished BY them in all.
that concerns the dignity and glory OF our
land, one of the chief distinctions of which
as nation, is the high estimationin which
the female character has 4sgersbeen held.
In taking our position under the banner
duty we owed to the land which gave us
birth--a duty we'owed tUthe sacredmem-
ory of our fathers who m6tiand venqished
our civil and savage foes and bequeathed'
10 ms under that flag, a country, an empire.
and q government extending from ocean
to ocean, the fairest and freest the world
ever rbeheld. q - y A1
And .inallyin accepting this flag around
which cling the loved associations Of home
and the memories Of those we have left
behind. We promise our fair ones of Pres
ton that in the day of battle, when We have
barred our breasts to the storm, amidst the
thuuders and lightuings and hail of the
foe, we will gage proudly upon this ban-i
ner and say Z: Victory shall pearch there;
and do or die lille we follow the emblem
of our seouutry's glory enpaer whleb.our
fathersfoight, hledand died. And ladies,
may that patriotic spark that has Tbeeu
kindled within your bosqmsF continue to
burn and Illuminate the dark clouds that
overshadow our cOnutryguntili all its foes
are vanquished, and peace and harmony
restored to this our once happy country;
and when this Is accomplished, and we re-
turn td our homes bringing with us this
flag which yop presented 70 US In the tent
ed field, it will be our pleasure as we
trust it will be our happy rriyilege to as.
| semble beneath its folds and hold sweet
converse with its ffatr donors, looking still
Ito the formations of Usio'is, lasting, hap
py, and prosperous. 5ss5 6a Z
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l,u7t From Hancock County, 2
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