The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-05-01
Confederate Battle Flags.
A COLLECTION Captured by the
Union Forces During the War.
Washington Letter.

captured by the Union forces in
the late war. There are $40 of
them, and although Il score or more
years have passed away since they
were placed in their present posi-
ton, their torn and tattered folds
tell the story of the war in silence
and unspeakable e%loquence. Some
are torn almost to shreds, others
begrimed with smoke, aud not a
few bear the deep-red stain of red
blood shed for the "lost cause" 1t
is "a favorite place for ex cOnfeder-
ates to saonter and recall the times
when they were arrayed against
the Government, which many of
them are now serving in offices of
honor aud trust. Each flag is num-
beIed. No. / is the stars and bars
of the Twelfth Virginia volunteers,
and was captured by that dashing
Union calvary leader, Gen. Kilpa-
trick, who died u few years ago
while at his post al msnister to
Chill. This flag was taken sosthe
records say, at Beverly's Ford,
June, 1868. No. 3 is a few shreds
of the flag captured by Corporal MI.
chael Lamey, Company F, Seventy
seventh New York volunteers. On
ly a short tune afterwards the
brave Corporal was shot through
the head aud instantly killed while
engaged in a charge. No 32 is the
battle-fag captured July LIST, 1862,
at Malvern Hill, by Sergeant w. j.
Whittrich, Eighty-third Pennsyl-
vania volunteers, of Gen. Butter
fields brigade. This is the silent
witness of one of the most desper.
ate conflicts ever known in the en-
tire history of warfare. 1t was ia
ken from "a South Carolina regi.
ment, which made a heroic resist
ence. Under "a murderous fire they
built up breastwOrks of their dead
comrades, and fought until Il mere
handful of their regiment survived,
when finding resistance useless,
they reluctantly surrendered. No.
33 brings to mind another deed OF
great personal daring. 1t was at
the battle of Sharpsburg, Septem-
Der 18th, 1862, when Private Isaac
Thompson, Company q, twentieth
New York militia, shot the Confed.
ate cOlor-bearer, Notwithstanding
the fact that a deadly fire was be,
ing directed toward him, he ran
forward and succeeded in safely
bringing back the trophy to the
Union lines. No. 40 is the battle
flag of the Second Mississippi regi.
ment. The Sixth Wisconsin found
it hard work to capture it, and on
~ succeeded after they had taken
the entire Confederate regiment
prisoners OF war. No. 80 is the
smoky and disiigured stars and
bars captured by Company A, Sec
ond Minnesota volunteers, in Gen.
Z~ollicotfel's Entertainments, Janua-
~ 10Th, 1862. The battle flag of
the Thirteenth Arkansas infantry
is numbered 80. 1t is II blue flag
with q white cross. No. 80 is one
of the relics of the fight at Mission
airy ridge, and formerly belonged to
Fergusou's battery, from which it
was captured by the SlXty-ninth
Ohio volunteers. A blue flag with
a white ball IN the centre al cap
tured at Lookout mountain, No
vember Oath, 1868. 1t is number.
ed "a, and was one of Gen. Bragg's
battle.fags. The honor of its cap
ture belongs to Private Peter Kap-
pesser, Company b, 149th New
York volunteers, who also dlsarm.
ed the cOlOr-sergeant and made
hum q prisoner. Another of Bragg's
flags captured on the same day, is
No. 90. 1t also had a blue ground
with a white OblOng centre. This
was captured by Sergeant L. N.
Potter, Company i, of the same
New York regiment, who took 1t on.
" after Il haud.to,hand fight with
the Confederate color bearer, in
which he came Oft victorious with
the rebel trophy. In the same bat
tie Sergeant Potter was severely
wounded while leading his compa.
ny in a chagre. No. 265 is a flag
with a history. 1t is II black flag,
and was captured by G. q. Marsh
near North Mountain, Nd, Aug
ust LIST, 1864. The COnfederales
had intended to hoist this flag
during any fight in which colOred
Union troops should be engaged as
a sign of "no quarter" There is
but one other black flag in the col.
lectiOn-that h0isted by Pillows
men at Fort DOnelson. No. 248 is
a Union flag. 1t formerly belong.
ed to the First United States sharp.
shooters, and was given to the war
department by them. Only the
fringe and a small section of the
ground is left, all the remainder
has been shot away, No. ALL is the
flag of Fields division, LOngstreet's
corps. A piece of paper pasted on
the staff bears the following inscrip-
ton;
"Mr. Yankee-You will please
return this flagstaff and shoulder.
belt to the Ninth Maine. Was
captured from them at st. GilmOre's
October, 1864, by the Third Forks
regiment volunteers.
BIG REBEL"
The flag of the Fourth Virginia
cavalry is numbered 528. 1t was
captured by Private j. f. Adams,
Company ID, First Virginia (uniOu)
cavalry, IN a fight near Ninevah,