Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-01
The Flag Of the ThIrty.sevsuth Wisconsin.
H'D-QRs. @. NJ. DEPT. 37I. Wis. yoL.l
Near PETERsRuRG. Va, Sept. 10.

! NEAR PETERSBURG, Va, sept. 10.
| To HIS Erceileucy James a. LeaOis, Gouer1'Or:;
sR:-At the request of Col. Hartman,
commanding S7th Reg Wis. Vol, | took the
warworn battle flag of the s7th to City Point
few days since, and forwarded il by Adams
Express to your address. The broken and
shattered flagstaff, and the torn and disman-
tied flag, will plainly and eloquently speak of
the bloody contests through which the gallant
37th has passed.
On the 10th of May last Col Hartman sent
the flag by me 70 the regiment, then encamp-
ed on Arlington Heights, just south of Wash
ington. On the evening of the 10th of May,
| reached Camp Casey, ON Arlington Heights,
and delivered the flag to Lieut.. Col Doolttle,
commanding the regiment. From that time
until the S0th of July it was proudly floating
in the breeze at the headquarters of the reg
iment, or still more proudly borne at the head
of the regiment in its marches and its advan-
ces upon the rebel works on the ever memoir.
able days, the 18th and 18th of June and 30th
of July.
On the 18th of June, the Color-Sergeant,
VIM. III. Green, of Co. G, while carrying the
flag in the action in front of Petersburg, was
seriously wounded, and, although it required
the use of both his hands to drag himselffrom
the field, yet he did not abandon the glorious
flag which he had so honorably borne during
the storm OF shot and shell intn which an~
regiment was led he seized the flag with his
teeth and crawled off the field, taking the flag
with him, drawing it fully hundred rods with
his teeth. Serg't Green's wounds proved ia
tai, and he died in Washington a few weeks
after.
On the 18th of June Corp. Jesse S. Hake,
of Co. A, carried the flag, and although he
was in the midst of the battle of that day, yet
he came out unscathed. From the 18th of
June to the 23d of July the flag was carried
by Corp Thomas w. Argue, of Co. G.
From the Esd to the 31st of July Private
Reuben ID. Shaw, of Co. c., was color bearer,
and it was he who carried the flag into the
rebel fort after it had been blown up before
Petersburg, and there planted it III full view
of the rebel batteries to the right and left,
both of which soon opened upon our forces
an ineessant fire, in which our flag was terri
bly, cut to pieces, and the flagstaff being shat
tered and broken, the flag was blown some
distance out of the fort. At this junction.
Aulutdilb VI Vic otbu, -lCdIlCSci1
walked out, picked up the flag, and wentsafe-
ly back into the fort, amid a terrific fire OF
musketry, with shot and shell added by way
! of variations" and there was not much
variation" about it either, for every shot
and shell brought death and carnage on its
wings to some of our brave boys.
The flag being no longer serviceable, il
was rolled up, and Private Shaw carried il
safely from the fort on our retreat, and was
afterwards placed in Col. Harriman's tent
where it remained until delivered to me to
be forwarded to you.
Many Wisconsin regiments have sent home
their fattle-hags, bearing sad evidence of the
| bloody strife through which the regiment:
| had passed; but what regiment, in so brief &
| period, has suffered so much in killed, wound
| ed and missing as the 37th Wisconsin anC
| what regiment, other than the 37th, has haG
! its colors rendered so totally unservieeable il
| actual battle in the short space of two months
and half? Respectfully yours,
w. G. WEBB,
Lieut.. q Q. NJ. S7th Wis. Vol