Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-03-18
Sergeant Bates.
HIS MARCH THROUGH THE SOUTH WITH THE
OLD FLAG UNFURLED.

have seen telegraphic mention, that an ex-
soldier named Bates was carrying the flag ON
foot throughout the South, and desired some
fuller account of the undertaking. To begin,
therefore, Gilbert II. Bates, lives at Edgerton,
Roch county, Wisconsin, and during the war
served as sergeant in the First Wisconsin
Heavy Artillery. At the close of hostilities
he vert home, and after me ing some re-
verses in business, which deprived him OF
nearly all his little ST purchased about five
acres of good, deep. ..ch soil and went into
the grape culture. While thus engaged and
having as little idea of coming South as he
had of flying, the exsergeant dropped into the
village one evening to get his mail. Some
accident delaying the train he waited for a
while at the Office and finally started home,
only 10 remember after going a few steps
that he wanted ppe-a common clay pipe,
price one penpy-and from the purchase Of
this pipe came the trip from Ficksburg to
Washington City, as hereinafter 10 be de-
scribed. Stepping in for his pipe, our grapist
found The usual knot of village politicians
holding high debate, the great theme being,
of course, Reconstruction. This was the llth
Of December last, and now let me give the
story for while as related to me by Sergeant
B. himself.
Most of 'em was rampant RAIDS had
never been in the war and didn't know any
thing about the feelings of the Southern peo-
pie, or anything Of the sort. | directed most
of NY conversation with one man, and he
says: "The people in the South are just as
bad rebels now as ,Ecy ever were. That's so,
Sergeant Bates isn't t?' No, says I, part
of them gave up in good faith and are well
disposed now to the Union. Whoo!' says
lie, "why, don't you believe that if the troops
was to be withdrawn that the flag would be
torn down and tramplcd under foot almost
before the blue coats could get out of sight /?
Why" says hc "why, d-n 'em, they're just
like the Iriuns on the plains. Thcy'rc just
like the Camanches bynature. They possess
no generosity
Now, continued the sergeant, was in a
bad humor that day, not that | often am;
generally I'm in a good humor, but got
iIilc a.sf}; l1 rnt It in my head but says l. arc
you YOU in earnest? EYES," says he, They'd
tear the ll.g ,owi ard tramplc it under foot"
Well. says /, Pm poor man and can't afford
to lc..vc nv family bnt, if you'll give me q
dollar day for them, I'll go to Eicksbulg-
don't know what made me think Of FicEs-
burg, prhaps, because it was the backbone oil
the reLcon--wilhcut money, and then
through tie South with the flag, unarmcd.
So after some more talk, they drew up the
writings there in regula; lawyer form. and We
agreed on it. Pretty soon lie insisted on my
lcceding. "Eor Gods sake give it up" sald
he "you won't yet ten miles from Nicks-
burg . and lie honestly hccycd, ana so did
others, and tried to persuade me not to 60
The man that made tie proposition trei
again saving, "I'd ncrcf get to Washington
that rd be wiped out, and then all the neigh
bors would blame him for it." But it was no
use. | was determined to 60 then, and just
here the rlucky grapi.t locked as firm as if
he was al his gun ready for action. Then he
resumed.
This is the agreement: To enter Vcl;,bur5
without money AID carry the United States
flag from there to Washington on foot,
through all cities and towns, and by all col
lections Of people, and carry the flag unturled.
OF nights and during storms 10 turl the flag,
proyidcd passed no such cities or towns, and
bv no such collections OF people. And not
to travel by night and at oil times to be tin-
armed. To employ, if wished, one person
as ruide, but 10 have no person or persons to
nrolcct inc day or night, though any might
accompany me who desired voluntarily. One
dollar day to be paid my family in case |
got to Washington, but if the flag was in
suited or I, while bearing it, the one dollar
day to be forfeited.
The Sergeantleit Vicksburg, at noon on the
2Sth January last. and has been OH the march
ever since All along the entire route from
Vicksburg to Milledgeville, Ga, which point
he had reached at last accounts,) Lie has mel
, with the warmest welcome from the people
BY some time in April he trusts 10 reach
Washington, his journeys end, and thence
hies homcward to Mrs. B., and one child abou
six, another, a tiny, wee " doddle" OF three
His way lies by Columbus, Milledgcvlle, ant
Augusta, Georgia; Columbia South Carroll
ma: Raleigh, North Carolina; and so on t
Washington. Let us hope, without hal
touched, the stout Wsconsian may make hi
statement good-to travel from one end
(: the South 10 the other, unarmed, alone, OF
loot, without money, and with the stars ant
stripes in hand. SO far he has met the opel
nalm instead of the cenched fist and hence
. forward may all the gods still wait upon hi
way.
/. We annex the following from the N. Y
l Journal Of Commerce.:
TIE OLD Flag At MoNTcoMERY.-Strang
news comes from Montgomery, Alabama. /
telegram tells US that Sergeant Bates, who ha
c undertaken OH wager TO carry the old fla
e through the principal cities Of the South, nj
v rived at that headquarters Of 1nreconstructio
;. on the 18th inst, was met b. citizens in cal
;" riapes bearino old flags to- and, headed by
0 band of music, .v.tcd through the cit
in triumph, was waived at" by the handke
u chiefs of hundreds of fair ladies, was take
v to hotel as guest of the city, was copou
:. " addressed and was hidden to feast q
II the municipal expense as long as he cared
n STAY there and oh wonder of wonders
s. that these frantic ebultions Of joy were th
4 work of ex- Confederate soldiers. Gall tn
- sneakers and the marshals of the day" wei
III Of that class of men, says the telegram. " Ga
s. this be true? We ask. Because, if it is tru
ot there must be great deal Of heavy romano
!. ing in the Alabama letters that find their wa
:, into Radical journals, and in the speeches th'
10 ring daily in the halls of Congress, accordin
To which the ex Confcderatcs of Alabama al
lie as yenomous as ever they were to the ol
f. flag, and are marking fer future vengean'
every man of every color who rcvives h
fealty to it. We see the great discrepanc
r between these stories. But we are not lor
in deciding which to believe, for the receptic
of Sergeant Bates and his upborne bunting
=, Montgomery is but repetition of what
u has met at every foot Of his march thus ia
IN He has carried the old flag from Vioksbu
through the heart of ex-secession, down al
7; up to this time has met only cheers and mus