National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-21
AN INTERESTING PICTURE.

There Is an interesting historical picture In the
window Of music store on Pennsylvania avenue,
near Tenth street. 1t is photograph from an oil
painting Qlfe-szc) in the Governors room, city
hall, New York, and represents the reception Of
the First Regiment New York Volunteers, under
command of General Ward b. Burnett, rs colonel,
by the mayor and common council of said city at
Castle Garden then the opera housed which was
filled to overlooking with from seven to nine
thousand ladies, while the entire First Division of
the State National Guard was on parade In the park
Of the Battery, under Major General Sandford,with
multltudos of citizens from there to Union squa ro
awaiting the regiment As will be seen by the
picture, General Burnett, as colonel of the rcgi-
mcnt, Is addressing his honor the mayor and COM
mon council near him on the stage Of the opera
house, on accepting baskets of silver medals for
distribution among his gallant command, who
served
WITH HIM IN MEXICO,
and returning the standards of the regiment rs
relies for preservation. Each flag as seen in the
picture has an interesting history. The regimen
tai flag the lcft side the first American flag
planted at the headquarters of General Santa Anna
commanding the Mexican army at Cerro Gordo)
in the rear ofthe whole Mexican line when that
position was captured by Colonel Burnett with
less than ninety men and loss Of only one cnp-
tain Pearson, of Brooklyn) ana eight rank and
file killed and wounded, and there First Sergeant
Cooper especially distinguished himself This
flag was also noted as the first flag planted on the
elevated causeway opposite Portals, in the battle
of Churubusco. where Coor.sergeant Romeyn and
Color Guard Tweody were killed and Corporal
Lake, OF the color guard, severely wounded in
quick succession, when Colonel Burnett ordered
First Sergeant Doremu3 of the color company, to
relieve Lake, and he carried II TO the close of the
battle with no other injury than the staff
received from an escopettc ball near his thumb,
as Indicated In the painting The national flag
on the right hand of the painting was the first one
placed on
THE CASTLE OF cnEPuLrEPEC,
and was waved from an elevated balcony by
Color Sergeant Dardonyille before the Mexican
standard had been hauled down from the flag.
staff in the Plaza of the Castle, and at the same
moment when General Bravo. commanding that
key to the encmy's position, surrendered to First
Lieutenant Brewer, commanding portion of the
storming party of the First New York Volunteers.
This national flag was also borne on the same day
at the battle of Garita de Bcin by the intrepid
Dardonville, who received severe shock when n
cannon ball struck the staff and shiyered 1t, rend-
ing the flag, as indicated in the picture by the
splints with which the staff was repaired and is
ornamented to this day. The small right general
guidon was noted by being found in the firm
death grip of Right General Guide Zimmerman,
who was the FIRST private over the wall, and was
killed instantly within the wall in the presence OF
Captain jay p. Taylor, First New York Voun-
teers 1t should be stated here that the secret of
success of the New York Volunteers at Chcpute-
pee was owing to the coonels order to Lieutenant
Colonel Baxter to have scaling ladders ready so as
not to be Obliged to
AWAIT THE FoRLoRN HOPE
If by any accident that body of resolue men
should be delayed. The three sergeants above
named-viz., Cooper (deccascd), Doremus, and
Dardonville--were respectively promoted to be
lieutenants under the date of the battle of Cerro
Gordo. Churubusco, Chepultepec, and Garita dc
Belin, to fill vacancies created by casualties under
tho law OF New York to I'LL vacancies created in
the field. The two survivors of which-viz., OAR
donYille and Doremus-requested and were al
lowed to be colorb bearers of the day for their re-
specvc flags, as represented ON the painting. The
largest standard behind the national flag on the
right hand. made of heavy corded silk, was pre-
scented by Major. General Winfield Scott, COM
mander- chief, to the First Regiment New
York Volunteers at the National Palace in the
City of Mexico in January, 1873, ain honor ofthe
gallant conduct of the First New York Volunteers
in the various battles between the siege of Vera
Cruz and the surrender of the City Of Mexico, and
for general good conduct throughout the cam
paisn," and was embroidered in a costly manner
by the ladies Of Mexico, who learned to respect
rather than fear the once dreaded voluntGrios del
Rorte The regiment flag and two general guides
were the gift of the corporation of New York city,
and the silk national flag was presented by the
were formally
PRESENTED BY COLONEL BURNETT
OF the island of Sobas, Mexico, In February, 1917
in conformity with the mode of presentation o
Colonel Zebulon Pike to his own regiment
in the war Of 1872. The regiment was
formed on three sides of a rectangle. The
oficen were called to the centre where thC
colors were brought and the whole line kneel.
ing, the officers touching the stats of the colors
repeated an oath, propounded slowly by Colonel
Burnett, that no enemy shall capture these coors
while lives are spared to defend them" Thus
the command began TO reverence the coors as the
lie and soul of the regiment, and distinguished
gallantry in carrying them to victory ever fol-
lowed by promotion to the champion color bearer
who survived. The devotion and reverence of q
soldier for his coors can scarcely be realized by
one who has not fought under them in a foreign
land; and the effect of this solemn proceeding
with the oath taken, was electric in its effect
prompting all to gallant deeds in sustaining thu
color bearers in their acts of daring intrepidiy