Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-26
THE THIRD GEORGIA BATTLE
FLAG,
Letter from Judge c. H. Andrews upon
an Interesting Subject.
MILLEDGEvILLE. GA, Sept. ~.


MILLEDGEvILLE, GA, Sept. ~.
Dear Mss Sgaedd. augusta, Ca As you
were selected the custodian OF tne wa
worn regimental Confederate battle nag
of the Third Georgia Regiment OF lnIantIy
Inv the survivors at their reunion at TAI
luIah Falls last summer, propose 10 IuI-
nish YOU with some historical facts CON
nected Herewith which you may make
such use of as you think proper.
MANY noble and manly hearts ana arms
defended. during the bloody years lsl.
IS65. that battered and torn piece OF
hunting, Many of the defenders I'LL SOL
diers' graVes-sOme in peaceful Vales,
some on craggy heights, others beside
nIacid streams, and one, remem per-
sleeps where the booming waves OF the
broad Atlantic angrily break against the
coast near Hatteras. In an army some par
tlcuIar soldier carried the flag ABOUT Ihe
centre of the long regimental hne' wen
do | remember the last words OF our color
bearer. LangstOn, at the battle Of Gettys-
burg: ''Oh, captain, it is all over with
meg We were charging the enemys
strong position in the cemetery, ana a
grapeshot. which is a solid iron ball ABOUT
the size Of a walnut, struck the brass
buckle fastened to belt he wore around
his waist to confine the belt which crossed
the shoulder to hold in place the nag stan,
and this iron ball and brass buckle went
blowing through the Vitals of the brave
man.
He staggered and fell, carrying the flag
down with him. AS it happened, the eyes
of Adiutant Alexander and the writer OF
this were upon him and the flag at the
same moment, and we sprang to the spot
where he fell. Alexander being the
larger and stronger of the two, he
wrested the flag from the clutches OF the
dying man, and stopped over and spoke
to him. Another incident of this flag:
After fighting overwhelming numbers we
$50 and they 10000 men), from early
in the forenoon until sunset, IN
the Manassas Gap, on July 70,
1868, the Third Georgia Regiment was
slowly and YEARLY climbing in retreat
the mountains side, along a worn path
way. The color bearer, Hughs, of Com
pany f, was Immediately in my front.
The bullets were falling thick and fast all
around us, and l remarked, 'BOys, we
are going up this mountain side in very
dangerous way, being a long and good
| line shot for the enemy on the hill behind
us.' To this all within the sound of my
| voice assented, but all were too weary to
| attempt any remedy. just as | said this
Color Bearer Hughs turned and said,
| 'Captain, wish you would take this flag
and carry It up the mountain" replied,
'That IS very strange request, Hughs,
| for you to make. l question, if in my best
condition 1 could hold up and carry that
flag up such mountain as this, particu-
! larly if such 200-pOunder as you can't
| do it,"
"But what is the matter? Why such a
| request?' He replied, II am wounded /;
| think l am shot through and through, and
don't believe l can 60 any farther" |
said to him, $50 to the top if you can;
anyhow, go as far as you can, and when
| you fall will see that it and you are car
ried out of here" He went to the top of
| the mountain and | sent him to the hospi-
| tai, and hunted up another of the color
| guards (of Company b and turned the
| flag over to him. Many such incidents
could be told you, but Unjust desist. Such
| is the flag, wreathed with such memories
| as these, that the survivors have en-
trusted to your care and preservation.
But it was to give you now, while it
may be done with accuracy, history OF
| how this flag became the battle-hag of the
Third Georgia Regiment of Infantry Vol
unteers that l took up my pen. Some do
not know and many have forgotten these
| things. During the first year of the war
April, 1S62-the Third Georgia Regi-
ment did service near Norfolk, Va. Being
most of this time upon separate or de-
| tached service, we used large silk flag
| painted by an artist in Norfolk and pre-
scented to us by Mrs. Col. A. r. Wright.
Gen. Huger made the speech in present
ing the flag for Mrs. Wright. When Nor
| folk was given up TO the enemy Gen.
Huger and his troops were moved to
| Petersburg.
Having now to act with other troops,
| and becoming now part of a large army,
it was necessary for the Third Georgia
| Regiment to have a battl-efag of the
same kind as the other troops under Gen.
Joe Johnston used. So the War Depart
ment had us furnished with this battle
flag, while we camped on the heights
| about Petersburg, the latter part Of May,
| 1862. This is the only Confederate flag
our regiment ever had. This flag waved
over every battlefield in Virginia from May
| 81, 1862, at Seven Pines, till AppOmattoX I,
| April 8, 1866, in which the army of Gen.
| r. z. Lee was engaged. 1t advanced on
| the field, as far as brave hearts and strong
arms could carry it. When it retired on
| the battlefield it was in obedience to Or
ders. To your honorable fathers fidelity
we owe our possession of it to-day. / am
sure all the survivors will join me in the
sentiment: ''May your efforts to preserve
it from the raVages of time be- as true and
earnest as his gallantry was conspicuous
in his efforts to protect and defend 1t
against invaders and spoilers"
May many happy years be allowed you
in which you may devote time and talent
in preserving the dear old flag, and may
many of the survivors of our grand old
regiment be left many years, "thOugh the
windows be darkened and the grasshop-
pers be burden" to pray for your health
and happiness, wherein to preserve our
treasure.
Allow me, as an old friend to your father,
and a follower of the old flag, to subscribe
oh nj
friend, G. III. ANDREWS.