Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-08
Captured FIaga.

GaptuENN A"SNs
A correspondent of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial gives long and interesting sketch of the
captured Union and rebel flags, now stored in
the war department, in Washington, from
which we quote:
In this building, in two rooms to the left OF
the door, are the Union and rebel flags captured
during the war. Upon entering the first door
| you are struck with a molly sight Iof rags and
gilt, and paint, and tinsel, and embroidery, and
| large stock and extensive variety of eagles
The first room is used for Union flags. There
are in this room flags of all descriptions, guidons,
garrison flags, regimental flags, state flags, pre-
sentation Hays, and every other kind. With one
or two exceptions, they were all captured by the
rebels IN battle and recaptured by our troops in
the rebel war department in Richmond when
that city was taken just previous TO the close of
the war. They are spread about the room, on
the ceilings, as many flags as will cover them,
each state being represented as far as possible.
In addition to those hung about the room,
there are many miscellaneous flags rolled up on
their stats and placed in the corners of the
room. Most of the flags, however, are rolled up
nicely, tied and numbered, and put away in
cases made for the purpose. Each flag has a
number and a register, shows the date when
and the place where each flag was captured, the
troops which captured it, and the name of the
| person capturing it, if possible; also the regi-
ment, division, corps, &C., from which it was
captured.
The colors of the Forty-second (Tammany)
New York regiment was about as badly used
up as any in the museum. The flag was a very
costly and beautiful one-probably the most
expensive one III the whole collection. 1t was
inscribed with the name of " Tammany" and is
now sorry sight There is nothing left of the
flag but some tough portions of the eagle and
some of the gold fringe. The flag itself is torn
into a thousand shreds, and, from the indica-
tons, the Tammany boys must have had rather
a lively time
There are a few flags that have no history.
They should be labeled Nameless" One in
particular brings up train of imagnatiOns
long and vivid. 1t is mere relic, SoNUenr of
awful carnage. Ii is merely a rag of silk, of
two colOrs-red and white, frayed and soied
and bloody. 1t is secured to staff of oak
headed with a spear Of brass The staff is
marred by bullets. 1t was picked up after one
of the severe battles Where is he who carried
it? Where are they who gathered about and de-
Tended it2 Where are they who captured it and
could not hold it?
A conspicuous flag in the collection is that
which belonged to the cavalry corps. 1t is of
bunting and of the regulation size. 1t is in
scribed Regular Reserve Brigade, Cavalry
Corps, Sheridan's Army, Organized March,
1863" The flag also bears the names of forty
five engagements in which the regiment partici-
pated. 1t was never captured, but was depos-
tied in the museum at the request of the regi-
ment, in order that it might be preserved.
A small United States flag in this collection,
made of bunting. has undoubtedly seen service
in two kinds of campaigns-political and mill
tary-and probably heard as much noise in the
other, for it bears the licensees of Henry Clay
and Theodore Frelinghuysen. This is one of
the flags whose history is unknown. 1t was
captured from the rebels, but no descriptive list
accompanied it.
One of the worst looking of the collection
bears the state arms of Missouri, with two out
II lOOEiD0 hears climbing a circle after
something on the top, probably an eagle or a
star. The flag was evidently made of castotf
dresses of blue poplin or some such stuff, while
the bears and other embellishments may origi-
nally have been white. The whole presents now
one of the most melancholy-looking sights it is
possible to behold. The blue has faded into
| gloomy, grimy, greasy gray, while the bears
| seem TO have suffered in proportion. They are
neither white or blue, nor any shade of color or
combination of colOrs possible to produce in ma
ture or sciences. Indeed, they are the most
| wretched looking creatures | ever saw. There
/ was scroll, too, upon this flag, and Latin ill.,
scrption almost illegible In each of the four
corners of the union of this flag was one of these
names, Sue" "Kate," MAT" and "Mill"
embroidered in small characters in white silk
| thread. 1t may satisfy these sweet creatures
| 1.-THE girls, and not the bearS) if they be still
alive to know that there is not a rent or bull
| let-hOle in the whole flag. | shouldn't think
there would be. believe that flag would scare
any regiment of rebels that ever trOd the sacred
soil out of their boots. There's nothing wrong
| about the flag except the color and the discour-
| aged, unhappy look of the poor bears In the
| circle which the bears are climbing nearer in
| spectiOn shows a three-legged PIC, halfmoon
| and an eagle. Nobody ought to suffer death
until he had seen this flag.
One more flag and | have done with the first
room. The relic alluded 10 was "guide color"
of the first regiment Irish brigade, the gallant
siXty-ninth, of New York. 1t was originally
composed of white satin, with silver fringe. 1t
was about twenty inches square, and was COW
cred with embroidery SO rich, and chaste and
delicate that it would have taken the premium
ut a French fair. The colors have faded and
become Soiled, and the flag is worn and frayed.
1t was calamity carried, and it saw some of the
seyerest fighting of the war. The regiment was
one of the best fighters in the army. The flag
was surrendered by the corporal who bore il
only when death demanded its release Ii was
found by the rebels beside the dead corporal,
after the battle of Fredericksburg. Dec. 49, 1862.
The rebels inscribed the flag as f0llows This
flag was captured by Major Gen. AnderSon's
division at the battle of Fredericksburg, Va,
from the first Irish regiment OF Yanks, sixty
ninth regiment New York Irish volunteers"
THE RECORD.
The boys who served in the army may be
interested in knowing who lost their
flags, which states lost the most and which the
least; and have been to some trouble to pre-
sent the following table, which shows the mum.
Der of flags each state lost The rebels cap
tured United States flags from Union troops be-
longing to the following states: