Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-06-14
History OF a Flag.

The battalion of Washington artillery
held their annual reunion last night,
and the occasion was taken advantage
of by Gen. G. L. Beauregard to place in
the keeping of the corps the first battle
flag of the war. The flag has a very in
teresting history. 1t was made BY
young society belle of Baltimore, who
figured conspicuouslv in the South dur
ing the war. She is the daughter of the
late Wilson N. Carey. and at the out
break of the war was in the nineteenth
year of her age. The family were
strong Southern sympathizers, but Miss
Carey herself was outspoken in her
Southern proclivities, and frequently
appeared on the streets wearing the
Confederate flag. On one occasion, it
is said, the lady waved Confederate
flag from the window of her residence
defiantly in the face of regiment of
Union troops who were marching South.
Miss Carey's prominent position in So
ciety rendered her acts more than ordi-
narily conspicuous, and it was said she
was to be placed under arrest. Shortly
afterward, however, the young lady
fed the city, making her way across
the Potomac at night in small boat,
and in order to avoid capture, having
been pursued, concealed herself in the
underground on the island all of one
night and day. She reached Richmond
in safety, and was cordially received by
Gen. Robert +. Lee. She labored zeal
ously in the hospitals, being aided in
ministering to the sufferings of the
wounded by her sisters and her brother.
by whom she was accompanied in run
ming the blockade. The party were in
the first steamer that was stopped 90
ing south from Baltimore after the out
break of the war, and they narrowly es-
capped capture. They were literally
supplied with clothing, ETC., forwarded
by Baltimore ladies to Marylanders in
the Southern army. Miss Carey went
to Centreville, then the advance post of
the Confederacy, and while there Gre
ated great enthusiasm among the ranks
by appearing before the army and sing
ing for the first time the new popular
air of maryland, My Maryland" COM
posed by Mr.. Randall, a Baltmorean.
At one time during the fight at Bull
Run, a large body of troops appeared
on the left of the Confederate line.
Gen. Beauregard, through his glass, at
first supposed they We're those of the
Union army, but was agreeably sur
prised to learn when they approached
that they belonged to Gen. Kiiby
Smiths command. at that time the
Confederate flag closely resembled the
National colors, but the next day Gen.
Beauregard determined to change the
off 4
selected as the Confederate battle fiaga
red field with blue cross-bar and eleven
stars. Miss Hattie Carey and hersisters
made thirteen of these battle flags, not,
however, rs they themselves say, out of
their own silk dress. The flag made by
Miss Hattie was presented to Beaure-
gard, and the others to Gen Joe Johns
ton and Gen Earl Van Dorm.
These were the battle-fags of the
South until the close of the war. In
the last year of the war Miss Hattie,
whose beauty and accomplishments had
won such high admiration, was united
in marriage to Gen. Pegram, who was
soon after called away from his bride
by Sherldan's movement ON his right,
and fell dead while gallantly leading
his troops at the battle of Five Forks.
His widow and her sister remained to
the last tenderly nursing the sick and
wounded. After the close of the war
they returned to Baltimore, where Mrs. 1
Pegram opened ladies boarding
school, which she continued with
marked success. A few years ago she
married Prof. III. Lowell Martin, one of
the professors of John Hopkins Uni
versity, and she is now residing in Bal
timore. Time has dealt gently with
Mrs. Martin, who is almost as beautiful
as ever and in the prime of mature
womanhood.