National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-05

! enemy, dashed on amid perfect storm OF bullets
and brought off the prize, the foe fleeing upon the
rapid approach of the skirmish line of the third
brigade second division Fifth corps, to which the
gallant Pennsylvania belonged.
The Fourth and Fifth Vermont Volunteers made
captures Sergeant L. G. Hack, of Company F
being the winner Of the prize for the latter regi
ment.
Virginia, as already indicated, did nobly, the
First Cavalry having proved eminently fortunate
while Private Barney Shields, of the Second Vir-
ginia Union) Cavalry, captured the flag of the
/ Washington Artillery Ia crack battery at APP
pomattox Station, thus maintaining deservedly
high reputation for bravery and devotion to 'old
4 Glory" - -
! West Virginia fully earned her share of laurels
before admission to the Union as a State.
| The Sixth Wisconsin captured the Second Mis-
sissipni entire; but for two days Sergeant Evans.
though prisoner, kept the flag concealed. 1t
4 was discovered, however, and now hangs IN the
museum memorial of the gallant achievement
6ffhe men from the Badger State
/ Near it is the flag of the Sixth Kentucky (con-
Federated which, with the colonel of the regiment,
| was captured by the Twenty siXth Wisconsin at
! Jonesboro', Ga.
Edward landlord. Company II, Second United
States Regular Cavalry, not to be behind his
/ brethren of the volunteer service, captured the
eoleTs of the Thirty second Virginia Cavalry
Battalion at Woodstock, October T9, 1864; and
/ other eonquests were achieved, but of which
want oftime and space forbid notice.
I Only flags captured in actual contact with the
! enemy land of such only few are included in
| the foregoing sketch, and many of those
! mentioned plainly show the marks of battle
| Gashed and SCARED by wounds, soiled and be-
| grimed by the elements of Heaven and the smoke
/ and dust Of conflict, they preach powerful ser
mons TO rejecting minds.
The men who defended them and those who
wTested them from unwilling hands found their
defense and conquest no holiday affair. There
were strong hands, stout determined hearts, upon
both Sides and in such the spirit of carnage takes
especial delight. When the flag is in danger the
| soldiers gather around it; hearts grow drawer,
arms stronger, and the conflict surges hither and
| yon like one vast blood-crested sea. Smoke,
| blood, Rame-deaths dread trinity OF war-pre
side over the passions of men and envelop human
| forms in one vast fearful winding sheet of woe.
We know this TO be true, for we have experienced
it. During the Seven Days fight on the peninsula,
June q, 1862, at Gaines Mill, we saw two of the
! trophies, now in the Ordnance Museum, when
they captured. One is the battle-fiag Of the
Sixth Alabama, taken by B. F. Davis, of the
Twenty second Massachusetts,; the other that of
the First Tennessee the honor of capturing which
rests with John Marks Company D, Thirteenth
New York Volunteers, to which latter regiment
the writer belonged.
The Union regiments joined each other in line
of battle, which was formed along small water
course, running through deep ravine, and had
at their backs comparatively heavy timber; but
in 'front.' parallel 10 the stream extended high
ridge, without tree or bush, the face of which
sloped upward at about an angle of thirty-fye or
forty degrees.
The nature of the ground beyond and our posi-
to within fifty yards of US before discovering our
location, and then their persons revealed not
lower down than their knees.
Theenemy first began pounding away to our right,
in the direction of Cold HaTbor, where Sykes di-
vision of regulars, with Duryea's Fifth New York
Zouaves, held them at bay. Then the tide of bat
tie drifted to the left down in the valley of the
Chickahominy, where the Pennsylvania reserves,
under Mccall, Meade, Reynolds, and Ord, inter
posed living wall of strength across their path
way.
Presently, while we were anxiously almost
breathessiy listening to the sounds of conflict upon
the right hand and the left, tempest of shot and
shelbegan to hurtle through the treetops above our
heads. Then we knew our time had come. Huge
branches came crashing down, the iron missiles
went shriekiDg and kissing through the timber,
and we crouched closer and yet closer behind the
hastily extemporized breastwork.
III,
the storm ceased. There was not a sound to dis
turb the most sensitive ear The silence was be-
coming oppressive. AT length there came borne
upon the gentle breeze floating through the sun
light of the soft summer day, that indescribabie
hum, tumultuous silence, so to speak, Of large
bodies of men in motion, and this nurmuring
sound from the living sea sweeping down upon US
was speedily supplemented by the steady tramp
tramp, tramp Of disciplined, marching feet
Nearer and nearer came the sounds. We gazed
up along the Hateful rise before US and saw first
the waving banners then the forest ofsteel beneath
them. The supreme moment had arrived The
enemy were about to charge our centre. Would it,
could it Withstand the shock?
Grandly rising up against the blue sky for back
ground, directly in front of the writer's regiment
and not exceeding fifty yards distant, stood the
First Tennessee, of Longstreets corps. We saw
the cleaning of the plates upon their body belts
and opened fire. Men went down like wheat be-
fore the reaper. Cheers and cries, shrieks and
groans, and shrill voices of command rent the air.
The smoke Of conflict enveloped us like thick.
sulphurous cloud, and, drifting aloft, hung above
our heads like a canopy Of wrath The foe re-
treated beyond the crest. There was a temporary
luil in the storm The smoky clouds rifted and re-
vealed to the hillside strewn with the forms of
dead and wounded men,
Then came again the waving banners the gleam-
ing bayonets the marching foeTnen, and second
onset fferceF, more determined than had been the
first Again rifles spoke out their notes of de-
ianee, warning, and death. Through seams in
the yaporeus wall we saw the flag of the First
Tennessee smite the earth time after time Time |
after time we beheld it lifted aloft above the heads
of its defenders, who had passed half way down
the slope now crimson and growing slippery with |
blood. Again the flag went down, and the poor |
stricken hand that held it vanly stroye to lift tup
Over our slight breastwork across the stream. |
and up the slope dashed some fifty of our BOYS (all
of the Thirteenth New York;. There was a clash, |
a mingling of gray and blue, and Marks, who was |
in advance, wrested the eolors from the grasp of
the man who bore itand returned in safety. Others
who accompanied him were not so fortunate
The enemy fed, and once more we had time |
given us for rest and thought.
On our immediate left, in front of the Twenty
second Massachusetts,, a somewhat similar scene |
was enacted few minutes later on, when we had |
opportunity to witness the fierce struggle through
which We had ourselves but just passed
When eventually compelled toward evening to |
retreat we bore off our trophies, and with them |
most respeetfulopinon of the powers OF the valiant
men who had defended them 50 gaIlantly and /
with such persistent courage.
Among the many mementoes of the great strug- |
gle to be seen in the museum, and not already re-
ferred to, is IA battle flag of Fields division
Longstreet's corpsl, upon the staff of which some
faeetous Confederate had during the time he bore
it. pasted piece of paper, upon which appears the |
following message:
DIR. YANKEE: You will please return this flag !
staff and shoulder belt over to the Ninth Maine.
was captured at st. Gilmore the 29th of October
1864, by the Three Forks Regiment Volunteers
A BIG REBEL"
In the annex are quite number of Union flags,
which were from time to time captured by the |
A..
or surrendered az the close of the war The flag of
the First Maine Infantry. which was tern from its
staff on the retreat from the first Bull Rum July 2i
1861, is there; and close beside it are two flags