The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-05-27

| anco and unCertaln1n the promise they
expressed, they passed at par in sew
eral seaports of Dixie "for at least a
month";" as Col. Capers carefully puts
| it, "after they were issued" Several
largo bills of exchange were bought
in London and Paris at par. But The
financial boom of the Confederacy
didn't last long. When it came to be
August, '61, the Canal and Citizens
banks in New Orleans were the only
ones handling Confederate money at
par. On the 9th of August even they
suspended specie payments, notifying
the Richmond authorities of their
intention two days in advance by a
private cipher dispatch. Col. Capers
has tho original Of this dispatch, in
pursuance of which the Government
made quite saving speculation for
| itself by buying up Sall the foreign
exchange it could lay it's hands ON In
New Orleans, Mobile, Savannah.
Charleston aud Richmond during the
two days Of grace.
Col. Capers's recollection of those
early days of the war are q continuous
| story Of makeshifts and expedients.
| The young Government lived from
| hand to mouth. One of the first naval
officers to report for duty was Raphael
Semmcs, afterwards commander of
the alabama. He was on hand before
they had deck for him to stand on,
and worked for n short time in the
treasury department at Montgomery.
A merchant vessel was soon bought
and Semmcs, after inspecting her,
returned to Montgomery and announc-
ed to his fellow-clerk, Col. Capers:
"She is Il good craft, sir, good
craft. When have strengthened her
timbcrs and cut her down to fighting
trim, my word for it, she will do
brave work, sir"
She was accordingly altered and
armed and, with Semmes on her
quarterback, made good his prediction
to the dire cost of such as went down
to the sea in ships under the Stars and
Stripes in those days. The vessel was
the Sumter.
SEAlAES WIlIrrLES FOR HIS PAPERS.
But when she was ready to sail and
her register made out, it was discoy-
cred at the last moment that the
treasury department of the Confederate
States had no seal. There wasn't an
engraycr to be found in Montgomery.
> and Semmes was impatient to get his
papers and be of. SO he and Col.
Capers, aided by handy young army
surgeon, and at the expense of two or
three pcnkmvcS, carved q rude seal
upon piece of lockwood, which met
the immediate need. Scmmcs got his
register, and the Sunlter set sail under
the Stars and Bars. There was quite a
time over the adoption of that flag. A
considerable number were in favor of
sticking TO the old flag, with slight
notifications, but MIR. Miles, Of South
Carolina, chairman of the Congress
slonal flag committee, argued at length
IN his report against this sentimental
idea, and added, by way wav of a
clinchcr, that Liberia and the Sandwich
Islands had fl tgs very similar to ours,
and the committee was not disposed,
therefore, if for no other reason, "to
keep, copy or initiate it. They have
no inclination to borrow secondhand
what has already been piliercd or
appropriated by free negro COM
munity and race of savages."
The very first Confederate FLAG that
the sun ever saw, Col. Capers tcstilcs,
was hoistcd by Judge Clitherall at
Montgomery. He was in the conf
dcncc of the flag committee, and as
soon as they told him the design
selected he got his lady friends to-
gcthcr and hail one made. On the
dav the committee was to report to
Congress he mounted the roof of the
Capitol, fixed his flag to the halyards
of the stat1 and waited.
The recommendation Of the com
mIttee. was approved. He got his
signal from below, and i'm the twink
ling Of an eye the new ensign of the
South was floating proudly in the
carcsscs Of the gentle March wind
The news spread quickly through the
city, and when Judge Clithcrall
shouted down from his lofty perch,
"Thrcc cheers for the Confederate flag;
the crowd answered with q mighty
greeting that, it was thought at the
Tune, must have given an carachc to
me bronze statue on the dome of the
far Northern Capitol.