Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-08-31
A MAINE RATTLE FLAG.

When the Grand Army boys from the
Pine Tree State started out to attend the
reunion in San Francisco. the newspapers
Of Boston and westward had much TO
say sboa, III, dag Of the "a Maine regi-
ment, which va, borne 10 California by
certain gallant survivors Of that brave
regiment Some Of the artielea were true
enough to barely touch upoa the truth.
Some lef, mother earth a, the very frat
line aud ven, soaring off into the regions
Of ",he los, L.nore" Ths, flag h. a
history of IL. Own. and qli,e al inter
s,lins one. too | will give Il TO you.
In 'Gi. abou, the time tina, Major An
dsr.on marched ou, Of Fort sump,er. Cali.
forni, ~ss in sgood deal Of qusndsry
=. IN which side Of the fence she would
take. Sh. va. largely differed by South
srn men and Southern 'ymps,hilsr. Her
bu.ine.. men. however. were loyal. The
President. call for volunteers settled the
question. That mean, business, snd Cali
forni.'. bushes, men pa, out the h's.
C.liforaia could no, very veil send men.
ba, she could send money-vhieh she
did generously. and she could make flags.
Maine. {. represented in C.lifornia.
came TO the front. and. c,lliag her
daughter. together in true quilting party
style. go, up dag for the first Of her
boz. in the field. IL was made Of the
richest imported silk. edged by gold bul.
lion. mounted on q staff Of native wood.
with silver ferrule foo, long. surmoan,.
ed by solid silver battle axe weishlns
several pounds. This na,ion,l emblem
W. worthy Of the donor. the recipients
and ,te cause both upheld
Mr. Georse Il. Hayeock. tbs son OF
pioneer, and native Of Maine. and Who
va. about leaving CAlifofnia TO enter the
United State. service. va. given the Gus.
,ody Of the flag. with Instructions 10 pre-
.ent the dag on behalf Of the donors TO
the regimen, from Maine frs, IN the held
Af,er conference with Hon. Hannibal
Hamlin, Wee Pre.iden, Of the United,
States. choice fell on the "a regiment,
taen en- route Cor Msna.a. Mf. Hay
cock arrived ~ Cenueville In time TO
rake the presentation TIE day before the
battle Of hull Run
That presentation wasa the spectacle
The regiment "a. formed In = hollow
.quare. the brigade to which the req.
meni belonged surrounding Il. and ia like
formation. On near kaol. attentive
and interested. sat on their horse. Irwin
McDowell. the generAl.in chief. aud his
staff. add the secretary Of var. From the
hill. around boxed down with curious
saze Mcdowell. 10000 boys IA blue.
In the centre Of the regimen,Al square
stool the colonel and hi' brilli.n, stall.
half dozen members Of Congfes., and
other distinguished individuals and the
bearer Of ,h- dag from the tar Oft Pac'h;
coast.
Now come. ia the romance snd the
d.~ning Of the tragedy that foIlo~ed oa
the nsS, day. Mr. H.yeock pre'en,ed
the a.s. Mr Freneh Of the auditors de-
ar,men, read al ode The speech OF Mf.
H.eoek ~n short aud stirring. was
there aud heard Il. wondered how he
could make il short. considering the tins
and circum.iAnees lie was Ayoung man
YOU see, AID had no, learned the trek OF
listening 20 the sound Of his own voice.
A. he turned TO the color bearer. mag
nif,en, .i,.foo,er, and placed the eolor'
in hi, hand he concluded the speech with
these words "l.s, no stain be upon 'hl,
dag save the stain Of a patriots blood.
Thi. broke down the discipline Of the
brave boy from Maine. and he answered
loud and clear: "None shall. sir. How
we'll he KEEP: hi. word ~e shall see later
on. Col. jameson. the commander OF the
regiment, replied to Mr.. Haycoek'' speech
in fitting terms.
How abou, the romance And the uas-
sdy, Well. the romance lay in the color
bearer. speech; the tragedy next day
when the brave lad KEEP, hi. word. Ia
les. than 20 hour. from the ,ime the his
va. placed in bis hands be vent into bat
lie with his regiment. Neither be nor
any other man in ,ha, regiment had ever
had taste OF war. ye, they went bravsly,
fought b,avely. and stayed there until
ordered away. All that Was lef, Of them
obeyed the order; one among them DID
no, obey he va. our color bearer. lie
stayed TO keep hi, word. In the heat OF
the action he fell. sho, through the neck.
wish | could recall the name OF that
sall.n, lad, ba, il has passed from my
memory. Ia after years, losing color
bearer did no. make such serious i'm
preston on US.
The history Of the dag Of the "a Maine
did no, stop with its going down With It's
bearer, for then and there en'ied about
the livelie,t fight for It's possession that
ever occurred over fallen standard dur
ing our four years. South Carolin' want
ed il and tried for IL. Maine Owned 1t
and wouldn',ls, i,,go. Th;re were gallant
ru.hes and there Was siubt )rn resistance.
That night the fl,g lay ia the arm, OF the
lad. from the Pine Tree State, and through
their .ud.equen, two year. OF service IN
the field they bore /, with conspicuous
gallan,ry and patriotic devotion.
OF those Immediately interested IN the
presentation Of the flag but few remain.
Colonel jameson. whose gallan, eonduet
with his regiment in the struggle fo' the
f.s a, Bull Rin earned for him the I'll.
YER star Of brig.dier, died during the
peninsular eamp.iga Ofdi.ea'e contracted
from exposure in the field. Mr.. French
died a few years ago. Mr.. Hayeoek
wen, through tte war and lately retired
from active service as a captain OF United
States marines. The members OF the old
"a, both officers and men in general. re-
turned to the field in other regiments on
the expiration Of their frs, period OF two
years service. many gaining well meri,ed
promotion
|, sst the suggestion OF Captain
Haycock, zsaloasly seconded by Colonel
Farnham. former officer OF the regiment,
that the flag OF the ID Maine was carried