The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-07
Historic Battle Flags.

~>SSs~~S
1t is nearly 20 years since Colonel II.
G. Lee led band of $50 gallant men,
known as the 9th regiment Massachu-
sets volunteers, through the streets of
Springfield, on their way to that I'M
known locality, fraught with so many
dark forebodings, "the front" The
Men, women and children of the city and
Western Massachusetts, who saw that
march from Camp Reed, on the Sixteen
Acres road, to the depot, that November
Saturday afternoon, have by no means
forgotten it, or the subsequent history of
the regiment. The tattered flags once
comprised three stands of colOrs, one
national and two state, two of which,
national and state flag, were the origi-
nal colors which the regiment carried to
the war, and were provided by the COM
monwealth. The other banner, bearing
the Massachusetts coat of arms on
silk fabric, was presented
by the women of Springfield
in the early summer of 1862, as mark
of their appreciation of the meritOrious
services rendered by the regiment in the
North Carolina spring campaign, as a
part of the Burnside expedition. All of
these colors were captured by the enemy
at Drury's Bluff, Virginia, on the James
river 10 miles below Richmond, on the
morning of May 16, 1864, when officers
and 238 men were captured and taken to
Richmond, many officers and men being
killed or wounded. The regimental or
ganization remained intact, however, till
the end of the war. and another set of
flags we're issued to it, and were duly re-
1 turned to the statehouse on battle flag
day in 1865. The original banners were
torn from their stats by the enemy folded
ND und laid away among the confederate
archives at Richmond, and eventually
came into the possession of the national
government with all the official belong
ings of the ''lost cause" They were
placed in the government building at
Washington devoted to the relics of the
war, and two of them were casually dis
covered there last spring by Northam-
ton member of the regiment. Successful
adjudication was made for all three
through Congressman Robinson, who had
trouble in finding the ladies flag" and
who deserves credit for his efforts in be-
half of the regiment. Although they are
to be deposited in the City library 1t is
with the proviso that they are to remain
the property of the regimental associa-
ton until that becomes extinct, after
which they will belongto to the city.
The story of the engagement in which
the flags were lost may thus be briefly
told: A dense fog enveloped the whole
field. The men lay behind such breast
work as they could improve during the
night, having dug holes for themselves
with the aid of their spoons and other
cooking utensils. The enemy made three
successive charges on the front OF the
9th. but the men held their fire until
the enemy were visible about five PAGES
distant. and then with a whitening fire
they moved them down or forced them
back in utter route. 1t was early in this
engagement that Capt. G. ID. Sanford, OF
Co. d, second to none in courage and
GOODNESS, fell shot through the head; and
during the fight officers and men were
killed and "a wounded. Five times, en-
couraged and rallied by their officers,
that magnificent rebel infantry advanced
to the attack on portions Of the brigade,
only to be driven back by relentless vol
leys of musketry. Attempting for time
to crush the right flank they finally ad-
vanced in column by brigade, and the
"Star" brigade was then compelled, for
the nfBt Time III ltS HiStolJ, W A"iA coSn
and take up new position. General
Hickman states that when he came to
that part of his line which he supposed
was occupied by the 23d, he found the
enemy advancing in line of battle and
himself a prisoner. He adds: Il never
at any other time experienced such mus
kerry. 1t was an incessant volley and its
terrible fatality may be judged from the
fact that the enemy acknowledged loss
of $500 men on my front Alone"
Being third in line from the right of
the brigade the 9th gave no attention to
the rear, and hence, just as the enemy
were charging the fourth time they were
surprised to receive volley from that
direction, and to see, not 10 feet away, a
line of fixed bayonets rushing upon them,
from behind which came the cry, Lay
down your arms" Colonel Lee, who
had his station near the colors, was as
sailed by large body of the enemy who
demanded his arms; but he refused to
Weld except to q commissioned officer,
whereupon Confederate adjutant
promptly appeared to claim them. Many
of the officers found it almost impossible
to get their men to submit to inevitable
fate. Color Bearer Gage, now of Mon
son. began to tear 1.-THE ladies' flag" from
its standard, intending to secrete it in his