Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-13
The Old Flag Of the seth-Its History

Quartermaster General LUND has received
the battle rent flag of the 26th regiment-or
what the shot, she'll and winds have spared of
(which is now deposited in the Capitol
with the other glorious proofs of the valor
of the brave soldiers of this State, and the
perils through which they have passed.
Major WINcKLER, in forwarding the flag,
accompanies it with the following very in te-
resting history. He says:
"The appearance of the flag will attest the
hard service it has seen.
Its first experience of battle was towards
the evening of the I'd of May, 1868, in the
Wilderness, Va, where it stood in the Gen.
tire of a line of battle which stubbornly re-
fused to give way to many times its numbers,
though left without support on either right or
left, and did not begin to retreat until the en-
envy had strongly doubled about both of its
TANKS and the order to fall back had been twice
repeated by the brigade commanders. During
the retreatit became again and again the rally
ing point Ofstrong lines which presented bold
front and checked the impetuous advance OF
the enemy. The loss of the regiment was
heavy; one color-bearer was shot through
the eye, and both flags bore the marks of many
bullets.
"On the first day of the battle of Gettys
burg the regiment partook OF the hottest Of
the fight, when two of our corps fought the
whole of Lees army. Every one of the col
or-guard was wounded The national color
now riddled by bullets, was brought off the
field by Sergt. Weinreich of Co. b.
"The State color, during the retreat wa:
successfully borne by three different men
each of whom in his turn was wounded anC
disabled. One Of them unable to get any
further, severed it from the staff to concea
it from the enemy, when he succeeded II
hailing Private Stubanus of Co. q, to whom
lie gave it but he too was Immediately sho
down, receiving one ball in the breast ant
one in the leg, and though not fatally injured
was unable to get away, and thus the flag fel
| into the hands of the rebels.
"Since then the U. S. flag and the regi
ment have borne their part of the most i'm
portant campaigns of the West. They have
been present and active in the campaign into
Lookout Valley, the battle of Wauhatchie OF
the night of the 2Sth of October, '63, tn,
battle near Chattanooga the 23d, oath and
25th of November, and the subsequent cam
paign fOrthe relief of Knoxville.
"During the present campaign the flag
has been with US in hot skirmish at Buz
yards Roost May Sth, in the battle of Resacf
the 18th, 18th and 18th of May, where we
were on the last day very holly engaged, in
the battle of Dallas, which opened with a
sharp engagement in which we partook and
suffered severely on the 25th of May, and III
numerous skirmishes in moving from there tc
our present position in front of Kenesaw
Mountain, and here in a sharp fight on the 22d
inst, in which we charged upon and took a
line of rebel rife-pits. On the 10th inst. ave
captured rebel batle-hag in a-skirmish,
which is some compensation for the one lost
at Gettysburg, and l should be glad to send il
to the State, but the Commanding General OF
the division has appropriated and will not
part with the trophy"