Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-23
Aoral at,S State Nems.
The Battle Flags at the State House


Who have marched beneath them IN days gone ny
Aud have bathed their folds with their young mes
. And, dying, blessed them, and blessing, died.
Nothing but hags--yet, methnks, at night
And dim spectres come, and their thin arms Irvine
Round each standard torn as they stand in line;
And the dim hail rings with the battles storm
And once again through the smoke and strife,
Those Colors lead to Nations life.
Nothing but nags-yet they're bathed with tears,
They tell Of triumphs--of hopes-o OF fears:
Of a mothers prayers-of u boy away
Ola serpent crrshed-of the coming day
silent they speak, and the tear will start,
AS we stand beneath them with throbbing heart
And think of those who are neer forgot,
Their flags come home,-why come they not?
Nothing but hags-yet we hold our breath,
And gaze with awe at those types of death;
Nothing but fags-yet the thought will come,
The heart must pray though the lips be dumb.
They are sacred, pure and we see no stain
On those dear loved flags come home again;
Baptized in bood-our purest, best.
Tattered and torn, they're now at rest
MOSES OWEN.
Those who have been called. to the capitol
for the past five or six years, by business or
pleasure, have had their attention attracted
by the battle-hags of returned Maine Regi-
ments hanging in the rotunda Indeed, if
they had business with many of the depart
ments they must have passed under these
flags. The silent lessons they have taught of
patriotism, and how costly thing is liberty,
cannot be told by any process of calculation.
They have been embalmed in the beautiful
and expressive lines we have quoted above.
These tattered and battle-soiled mementoes
have been artistically grouped around the
heavy columns of the rotunda thus beaut-
fully adjoining the room with the costiest of
treasures and giving it an impressive and
martial aspect The number of flags has been
increased each year since the close of the
war, and as they have been received they
have been appropriately labelled and put in
place, until nearly all the pillars had been
been necessarily in an exposed position and
those who have guarded them with jealous
care have repeatedly and perseveringly .sug-
gested that some permanent provision be
made for their preservation. These sugges-
tions eliminated last winter in an order. re-
ported from the committee on Military Affairs,
providing for an appropriation of $500 10 be
expended in procuring the manufacture of
two cases in which to place the flags. The
order received ready passage, and the Gov
ernor and Council awarded the contract for
the manufacture of the cases to James Nash
Esq, OF Gardiner, who was furnished with
plans drawn by Mr.. /. c. Hovey of this city,
aud from which the cases have been made.
The elaborate black walnut cases have been
completed and placed in the rotunda, and
now hold the flags. In regard to style, beauty
and appropriateness of style, and elegance
and thoroughness Of workmanship, the cases
are all that the most enthusiastic projectors
of the enterprise could desire, and give the
greatest satisfaction to all who have seen
them. One stands at the north end and the
other at the south end of the rotunda, and are
precisely alike--ls feet high, II feet wide,
and 10 inches deep. They are put up in Sec
tions, and each has a front of the best dou-
BILE plate German glass, embracing eighteen
lights, &c by 30 inches. The sash is ola size
as not to interfere with the prospect of the
flags which they enclose, and as put up APP
pear to be one piece, without any break.
The trimming is heavy and elegantly carved,
and each case is surmounted by heavy cap
projecting about one foot, and highly orna-
mented Throughout the State there are
doubtless flags that belong properly to the
present collection, which already numbers ITO
flags, and as they are sent in the sections can
be removed to admit them.
The important task of arranging and group
ing the flags has been done by Mr.. Geo. +.
Brown of Portland, brother of Harry, the
artist, who performed the work at the solicit
tation of Gen. Harris, the Superintendent. In
the arrangement each flag is distinctly visible
and bears tag in the form of a shield on
which is painted the name of the regiment to
which the flag belonged. The flags run off at
different angles from the centre of the case,
and where the stats join are crossed by sa-
bres,- forming beautiful picture. The ma
tional colors and flags with State seal, fill the
space at each SIDE Relics of ~ stand in
each corner of the cases. The result of the
battle of Saratoga was determined by the
bravery of the New England Militia, and to
their heroism was largely due the surrender
of Burgoyne on the 18th OF September, l'n.
In recognition of the services ;of the militia,
% English muskets, surrendered at that time,
were equally divided among the New Eng
land States, and when Maine set up house
keeping Ton her own hook" II fell to her
share. These are standing in conspicuous
places in the corners OF the cases, bright and
FURNISHED as when new-''clasping hands, as
it were, with the flags, not "across the bloody
chasm," in blank forgetfulness of the carnage
which they represent,-but in recognition of
the faithfulness of the sons in fighting to pre-
serve the nation which they received through
the suffering and sacrifice of the Revolution
airy fathers. J,It
s"SsA-oP' 4~%-W Is E-
81 On Wednesday afternoon Mr.. Frank T.
Noble of this city, procured a team at Dow's