Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-01-19

connected with il, have ofien been written
Of since the ensign was firied never To
again flaunt in the winds If hattie field,
but many Ct the facts connccied with II
and its history viii bar recalling in con-
nection with is Feccnt emergence from Ifs
retirement
The flag was made by a number Of Ia
dies Of Baltimore and was entrusted 70 Miss
Hetty Cary Zone IF the donors), now Mrs. /
II. Newell Martin, wife Of Prof. Martin, of |
the Johns Hopkins University, for delivery |
10 the Ist Maryland Regiment Miss Cary |
passed safely through the Union lines |
and reached Manassas on the evening Of
July %. 1861. The flag reached the Tegi-
ment on the following morning Sunday
July 81, and was fastened to the color staff
by Lieut. Col. George Steuart, who was then
in command Of the regiment, Col Arnold
Elzey having charge Of the brigade, just as
the regiment was moving into the battle Of
Manassas. II was carried through that
battle, through the valley campaign Of
/
the seven days fight around Richmond.
On the 9th of June, 1869, Gen. John G.
Fremont, commanding United States forces
in the valley was pressing Stonewall Jack
sons rear guard with great vigor, having
mounted several regiments of infantry in
wagons so as to keep up with his cavalry.
Just south of Harrisonburg, Rockingham
county, Va, the Federal cavalry, led by
Sir Percy Wyndham, an English Off
Ger serving in the Union army, attacked
Ashby, who had charge Of Jackson's rear
guard. Ashby turned on Wyndham, cap
/ turcd him and drove back his command
| The rear brigade of the Confederate COM
mand was then turned back by Gen. Ew-
ell, commanding the division, and ordered
TO go to Ashby's assistance, the 18th Vir-
| Ginia Regiment, Col. Samuel Lctcher, be-
ing in the advance. Before long they came
in contact with Union force and their pro-
gress was checked
Gen. Ewell rode up 10 the LIST Maryland
Regiment, Col. Bradley 7. johnson com
handing, and ordered him to press in. Col.
johnson moved his regiment, now reduced
by the casualties Of war, to less than 300
men, by the flank, and suddenly charged
body OF Pennsylvanians, known as the
"Bucktail" Regiment, because the men
wore bucktails in their caps.
They were 1000 strong, and were entrench-
cd behind u high worm fence. As the
Marylanders charged heavy fire from the
Federal troops killed Ashby, shot Col.
Johnson's horse in three places and killed
or wounded twcnty-nine of the Confed-
crates. Three men werek killed while carry
ing the Maryland colors, but they were
fell and never touched the ground. Cor
poral dan" Shanks, now Of ST. Mary's
county, powerful man over six feet tall,
carried the colors at the close of the fight.
The charge resulted in the capture of Lieut..
Col. Kane, Commander of the "Bucktails,"
and large number Of his men, besides
which there were many killed and wound.
cd.
On the 9Th Of June, two days after the
fight, as the First Maryland was going into
the battle of Cross Keys, Gen. Ewell told
Col johnson that his regiment should be
entitled To carry bucktail attached tn
their colors and directed him 10 aflix one
to their flagstaff Col. johnson called
Robert Ryan, a private Of Capt. James Il.
llerbert's company (who now lives in Balti
more), and who had placed a bucktail
which he had captured in his cap. Taking
the trophy from him, Col. Johnson fastened
it 10 the colors, where it was ever afterward
carried. The same flag and the same buck
tail were carried at Gen. Trimhlc'S funeral.
Amer the surrender at Appomattox the
men of the regiment presented their beloved
COLOR. which had been riddlcd with bullets,
To Mrs. Bradley 4. johnson, wife OF their
commander, in whose possession they have
ever since remained.
The following is the order in reference
10 the trophy:
HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION,
June y, 1862.
Genera! Order No. 80.
In commemoration Of the gallant con-
duct of the lst Maryland Regiment on the
9Th June instant, when led by Col. Bradley
I. Johnson they drove back with loss the
Pennsylvania "Bucktail Rifles" in the
engagement near Harrisonburg, Rocking
ham county, Va, authority is given To have
one 0f the captured "bucktails' (the inSig-
mia Of the Fedora! regimenD appended to
| the color staff Of the list MARYLAND Rcgi-
ment.
BY order of Maj Gen Ewell
JAMES Barbour, \. A. Genl.