The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-02-01
"Anecdotes of the Civ,l War,

1t is nov nearly nineteen years since
the wal OF the rebellion came to a close.
But there seems to be no end to book
making concerning it. On the contrary,
the literature of the great struggle Is re-
ceiving additions nearly every
week. The latest volume, with the
above title, is by Major General e. ID.
Townsend, who was tor many years, and
including the duration of the war. in 1.-THE
adjutant generals Office, most of the
time rs chief. This book is not u
compilation of trifing incidents or hui
morous stories. 1t contains forty chap
tiers, which treat, for the most part. Of
interesting historical happenings. some
OF them OF grave Importance. The au-
thor's position permitted him
TO become acquainted with many matters
Of a semi-conidentia. nature, and p ISL
tive knowledge thus acquired enables
him to make clear a number Of disputed
points. In one OF the chapters in which
the author demonstrates General SCOTS
steadfas,ness to the National cause, when
treachery and treason p%ermeated
Washington, this incident is related:
As the General was one day sitting in
MS office, the messenger announced
that o person te.s-ca 81 see ...u.. a
German was Introduced who. without
flourish made known tnat he had been
commissioned by a house inNew York to
present to General Scotia small silk ban
ner. 1t was very handsome, of the size
of a regimental flag, aud was made OF a
single piece of silk, stamped with the
stars and stripes OF their proper colors.
Instead OF being composed Of different
pieces stitched together as is Usually the
case. The German said the maDufac-
turers were DESTROYS of Offering some
token ofgreat respect in which General
Scott was held, and of their
sense of his importance to the
country in that perilous time. The Gen.
eral was highly pleased, and in accept
ing the gift, assured the donors that the
flag should hang in his room wherever
he went, and finally enshroud him when
he died. AS 500 as the man departed,
the General desired that the stars might
be counted, to see il all the states were
repres .nted. They were call there"
The flag was forthwith draped between
windows, over the lounges where the
general frequently reclined tor rest
during the day. went with him in his
berth when he sailed forEurope, after
his retirement, ard enveloped his coffin
when he was Inferred ut West Point
There is a very Interesting chapter on
the Legends and DESCRIPTION OF Corps
Badges" and another on the evolution Of
The Confederate flags. witt. the 'inevlt-
able stars and stripes" Under the
former heading is this following:
"The adoption Of badges appears to
have originated in the "Kea-ny patch"
One day, when his brigade was a strict
disci pltnarlan, saw sone officers stand
ing under atree by the road side. Sup
posing them to be Strangers from his
command. he administered to them a
rebuke, emphasized by a few explosives.
The officers listened in silence, respect
der" until he had finished, when n
of them, raising his hand to his cap,
quietly suggested that the General had
possibly made q mistake as they, none
of them belonged to bis command.
With usual courtesy Kearny exclaimed,
= Pardon mo; l viii, take steps to know
how to recognize my own men here
aftcr." Immediately on reaching camp
he issued orders that all officers and
men OF his brigade should wear conspic-
uously on the@ront oftheir caps u round
piece of red cloth to designate them.
This became generally known az the
"Kearny patch.' After the battle of
Fair Oaks, or Seven zines, it vas OBJ
served that the Confederate prisoners
nnlysrsally wore stripes Of red. blue or
said we're to designate the commands
10 which they belonged. Gen. Kearny,
in conversation with Gen. Hooker, en-
Enthusiastically i%nstancen this as illustra-
ting the utility of his "patch."
Gen. Tuwnsend's book is interesting
and valuable, and is noticeably free of
the egotism which very often mars vol
umes of personal or s%emi-personal rem
iniscences.