Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-12-21
ANOTHER GREAT WALKING SENSATION

4
| Walk from Vfcksburg TO Washington
| Through the Southern tstes, Carry
/ Ing th e American Flag above MS H-a
/ lie Is a PIucky Boy and Will DO IT.
From the Milwaukee Daily Wisconsin, Dec. l2thl
Recently at Edgerton, in this state, a
novel wager was laid between citizen
and a soldier, and the parties have
drawn up the matter in writing and
will soon enter upon it. The soldier
agrees to walk from VickHburg, Miss 4,
| TO Washington, ID. O., through the
south, displaying on his route the stars
and stripes-our national colors.-
The undertaking is great one,
recurring some pluck and more
muscle. The soldier who I'M
dertakes to do this is Quartermaster
Sergeant Geo. ii. BATES, late of Bat
tery n. LIST Wisconsin Artillery. ser
Qeant BATES is about twenty eight
years of age--full of pluck-small sized
vet we'll built, nervous, energetic and
not easily overcome by obstacles. He
is a modest, unassuming young man,
who loves the stars and stripes, and
would lay down his life rather than seq
them insulted. He enlisted during the
late war, and as the writer of this
knows, made good soldier. He does
not enter upon this new and novel
march, in any spirit of bragadociO, but
to show that the stars and stripes will
command respect wherever they are
cast to the breeze.
Sergeant BATES, in a private letter,
tells how the march wager was made.
He does not desire that any sensation
should be made over 1t. but writes to
bis old commanding officer asking his
opinion and some advice. The advice
is given 10 private letter, nut il is,
"Go In, George, and win.
Sergeant BATES tells us thai previous
to the last cleo ION he was In conver sa-
ton with a gentleman of Edgerton who
declared that the flag OF our country
was not respected at the South by the
mass of the people, and only by the
blacks alone. That were the govern
ment to Withdraw the military from
the Southern States leaving their flags
hoatiDg at their fiag-staff5, the blue |
coats would hardly be out Of sight |
before every flag would be torn down !
aud trampled in the dust.
At this Sergeant BATES be came in
dignRnt. lie declared he did not be- |
ieve it. He loved the old flag too well |
20 think that there was any section of |
our country where it would not be re-
spected. aud he at once declared that |
if the gentleman was in earnest he had |
a proposition to make. The gentle |
man declared he was in earnest. |
"Then," said the Sergeant, ''you know |
I am poor man, hut If you will |
pay me one dollar day for my family, |
A will fit myself out with a good large |
United States flag, and will carry it |
to Vicksburg. At Vicksburg / will I'M
fold the flag to the breez9 and will carry |
II, on foot across the country to Wash
iugtoD. The flag shall be plainly in
view TO all. and will go alone aud un-
armed, and without cent In my peck 1
ct when l leave Vicksburg. The gem
tleman replied that there was not a
man in the Northern States who would
dare to do that-that any mans life
who should attempt such a thing would
not be worth one cent, aud it would be
the most foolhsrdy thing ever attempted
by a sane nan. Sergeant Bates de- /
ClaE14 tutb nc dttl uOb ASSA III thS lcdsb
afraid of being molested, that the old |
flag would protect him and he was
ready TO go.
The gentleman accepted the PROPOSE
ton, and at once writings were drawn
up to that effect, Sergeant BATES
agreeing to set out after the first of
January, and to enter Washington on
or before the 4th of July, with the glo-
rious old flag flying over his head. So
then the march is sure to come of.
Sergeant BATES has taken big thing
on his shoulders, but we know him
we'll enough to believe that he will sue
coed, if any man living can do so. His
route will take him through the entire
breadths Of the states OF Mississippi,
Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina,
North Carolina, Virginia and Mary land.
1t will be long one, and through the
very depths of rebeldom, but we shall
see how the flag is received in those
dominions, and this
very trial may be the means of doing
much towards opening the eyes of the
un1econstructed. There is no back ont
to Sergeant BATES, and if he lives, he
will go through.
We shall keep orr readers posted as
to progress, for the Sergeant will keep
a regular journal of his trip for the
readers of the WISCONSIN.
The setting out and other details will |
be given TO our readers in their proper /
order.