New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-15
UNCLE SAVES CAPTURES.

contains the following interesting article: :
In one of the old houses OF Seventeenth
street, nearly opposite the War Depart
; ment, are deposited all the Confederate
flags captured by the Union forces. There
are several hundred of these emblems OF
revolt, and to each there is history attach
ed, which, if written by persons familiar
with the particulars connected with them,
would make very interesting reading. AS
they appear i'll the back room Of the house
mentioned, to the eye of the casual visitor
memory runs back to the time when they
were borne aloft at the head of trenzied
columns by men who were g0aded on by
designing leaders to Undue their hands IN
the blood Of kindred, and endeayor to de-
stf0y the government by which they were
protected. Reflections like these must
occur as one gazes at these mute memorials
of struggle in which such mighty hosts
partoOk, and for the results of which a
wondering world took pause to watch.
These memorials Of many deadly en-
counter are hung around the walls, others
are suspended from the ceiling, and the re-
mainder are carefully folded up, docketed
and mbered, and placed away in pigeon
holes. The entire room is upholstered with
the most noticeable of these trophies, and
they represent MANY of the States that were
carly i'll revolt, prominent among which may
be mentioned Virginia. dhe material OF
which these flags are 0mposed is as various
as the States they represent, and proves con-
clusiyely the straits to which the rebels
were obliged to resort at some periods of
the struggle to maintain some semblanc6 of
the customs observed by BGn engaged
in a conflict of arms. Many of the
flags are made of fine silk, and the dates
inscribed on them show that they be-
longed to organizations formed anterior
to the war. Others of the same material,
finished with neatness, ard formed in
| accordance with the design adopted by the
Confederacy for their first flag, show that
they were made in the early part of the
| struggle. Others again are made of coarse
cotton or English bunting, and one gives
unmistakable evidence of having at one
period done duty as q Iady's dress. This
belonged to a North Carolina regiment, and
| was presented by a lady of that State,
| possibly the one who previously wore it as
dress, as it bears this inscription: "Pre-
| scented by Mrs. w. t. Sutherland"
/ The shafts to which the flags are. at
! tached in a majority of cases, are OF very
| rude material, undressed hickory poles
| being evidently a favorte article. Coarsely
| dressed poles, similar to ordinary broom
handles, are also to be seen, and some Of
wood are highly polished with varnish.
| All the flags are mum bered to correspond
with record kept in ledger, where the
history of each is set forth. This gives the
date Of capture, the name of the captor,
the regiment, brigade and division to which
he belonged, the battle in which it was
taken, the inscription born on it, which
tells 1T own history, and any other matter
OF interest connected with its capture.
Many OF the flags are blood-stained, tell |
ing the story of some poor fellows who |
died defending them, ana almost all of |
them are torn into shreds. showing that |
they have passed through showers of mus
ketryo Some that were riddled with balls
bear on them clumsily sewn patches, indi-
eating that the men had tried upon the
field to remedy the ravages of the battle.
A few of these memGntOes Of the "Lost
Cause seem to have passed through but
little rough service. They are made of
coarse serge or flannel and Of English bunt-
ing. They are inscribed with the names of
historic fields, such as 'Shiloh," Lookout
Mountain" "DOnaldson," etc. These are
evidently the successors of some worn out
in the service, and were captured at % late
date in the struggle without haSing been
exhibited in many battles.
The collection as a whole is ful1 Of inter
este and to the reflective mind they can not
hub afford much material for thought as
they are gazcd upon in their depostarv. ?
where they rest as evidences Of an abortive
attempt to perpetuate slavery and prevent
the triumph 0fttee institutions.
Oh" following description of o few of
These flags, with the inscriptions borne on
hems taken at random, may not be without
INTEREST,"
Mo- eos Is SLACK flag, mate of coarse !
cotton, having a white star of the same p,
material in the centre, and bears the in !
'Winrhester" The official record !
gives this history of it: ''Caprured within !
The rebel lines near North Mountain, Mary .
land, August |, 1864. by Detective &C. II. '
Marsh, of the Middle Division"
No. 242 is an artillery gudon, made of a
|, IrT,i | =
border, and has white, circular centre O
piece of common cotton, bearing cross can 3
ION painted black as emb!ems. 1t is in f
cribcd Fifteenth Alabama Regiment" n
md is much bloodstained. a
mo. 226 is Confederate hattle-fag 1t is h
suspended from the ceiling and bears the
Inscriptions, ''Baton Rouge" Port Hud- n
on" Shiloh" Jackson" The material a
8 red flannel and blue silk, upon which are n
welve gilt stars. The record says it was II
aptured by the cavalry corps of the mill al
airy division OF the Mississippi al the bat ci
ie OF Richland creek, December Is, 1862 tr
No 50, the North Carolina flag mentioned as
bove, is made OF common blue silk, now W
1rn into shreds. 1t is insclibed@t' North Vi
arOlinaa on to victory. Presented by n,
lrs.- w. 7. Sutherland" Other portions of
re inscription are illegible. 1t is attached
} rough, undfessed pole. The record
ates that it was captured by Private
n, veteran
tyalry, October 10, 1864
One Of the first adopted flags of the Con. or
deFacy is made of red, white and blue M
Tx, the cOlors much faded, and bears the in
ars and bars and these words: ave col CO
ct our own revenues" " We choose our all
Nn institutions" an
An Alabama flag is inscribed: Our I'M
mes our rights we intrust to your keep Al
e, brave sons of Alabama" m,
A Norfolk, Virginia, flag has the motto: oh
Sc-Semper Tyrannis " on the upper part, tai
ID these wOrds-in the centre '' Presented wi
: the ladies of Norfolk to the N. L. A. on
ueF, organized February %, 1880. In the ste
ntre is the Virginia coat-of-arms, badly II
altered 90
A Georgia flag bears the coat of arms of gal
at State Itrepreseuts the entrance to to
mple, above which is the word ''consti- TIL
tion." On three pillars in front are str
ures with the words WISDOM" "Just- of
," Moderation" seyeralfy inscribed on VIII
en- to indicate what they are supposed slit
Symbolic. On the reverse are the car
'rds, 1--WE yield not TO our c0untry's foes" uni
g fate of the flag is sad commentary on a II
} want of the essential qualities in the upt
n who sent it into battle which are in
ibed on the pillars of the temple as I
I'VE mentioned: Inns nag Is inscribed, mo
lashingtOn Rifles - organized May /, ira
o.. Gel
\ Confederate battle flag, No. % bearing lin
stars aud bars, has the words Dattce Ell had
c0ratH est pro pat1'ia morl" in faded two
letters on 1t. The record says it was Iisb
'tured at the battle OF Gettysburg, July sell,
1868, by the Sixtieth Regiment, New to
TX Volunteers, Colonel Abel Goddard, rool
he Twelfth army cOrDs LJar