The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-23
VETS AND THEIR OLD FLAGS
SOME SCENES IN THE STATE LIBRARY
Gray Bearded Men Weeping Over Their
RegimentaI ColOrs-An OverPower-
ing Desire to Get a Fragment
as a ReIic-VandaIism.

Mrs. Lizzie Callis-Scott, during her three
terms as state librarian, has had frequent
occasion to become quite well acquainted
with what might be termed the eccentrici-
ties or peculiarities of old soldiers. In
her charge the state had placed the flags
of the various regiments enlisted from In
diana during the great civil conflict. To
care for these banners would seem at first
sight to impose only nominal duties, but
Mrs. Scott's experience has taught her
otherwise. Not a few times has her re-
gard for her duties as custodian come into
conflict with the personal likes or dislikes
of some old veteran.
The love of the soldier for his flag i
proverbial. To most people there is more
in the national ensign than the material
out of which it is made; to him who has
followed it on the march or through the
smokes of battle, it becomes at once the
embodiment of the principles OF our
government and is looked upon as some
thing sacred or divine. Around il clus-
tiers all the associations of camp life and
hard-fought field; the discontinue of
defeat. the elation of victory; the suffer
ings at an Andersonville, the parole and
homeward return.
After an engagement a soldier is a
changed man. From the time when, kept
in suspense in the rear, expecting each
moment to be ordered to the front where
musketry rattles and artillery thunders to
the time when night-fall puts an end to
the struggle. the soldier lives months in
minutes. His past life seems thereafter
an aforementioned dream nothing is be-
fore him, nothing is wildly present but
the scenes of the conflict. That picture
never fades, but is terribly real through
life.
No wonder then that the veteran should
have differences of opinion with state
librarian regarding the disposal or custody
of his always bis flag. Two years ago
epistolary demands poured in upon Mrs.
Scott for the use of flags at reunions. She
promptly answered that she could not
thus send the states property out of her
custody. The petitioners demonstrated.
She explained. Almost invariably, in re-
Spouse to her answer came another de-
mand, with the declaration, almost pitiful,
that a reunion would not seem like a re-
union unless the "old flag" was present.
Mrs. Scott, however, remained firm and
soon circumstances were heard on every
hand.
Mrs. Scott laid the matter before the
governor, saving that with his consent she
might see way toward loaning the flags,
but at the same time she wanted it under
stood she would disclaim all responsibility
for their preservation or return. The de-
cided stand she took availed much, and
since that time demands for the flags have
been considerably less.
Individual requests to be shown the
colors are numerous. The conduct of an
old soldier on such occasions cannot he
appreciated by an ordinary observer. "At
one time" said Mrs. Scott, "a veteran of
sixty years came into my Office and said,
in conciliatory tone, Il like you very
much said | was glad of that, that |
liked to have everybody have good opin-
ion of me.
"'There is one thing have against
you,' he said.
"'What's is that?' | asked.
"'You won't let us have our flags
Mrs. Scott explained that she could not
let them 90 out of the Office. Should she
do so, it would not be long before there
would be no flags. "Some of Them" she
added, "are in tatters, and would barely
hold together"
81 know that" replied the old volun-
teer; but it does US good just to look at
the pole"
At another time a portly, grizzled old
man entered the state library and request
ed to be allowed a sight OF the colors of
his regiment. He was accommodated.
He stood as if transfxed for fully min
ute when shown the tattered stars and
stripes; then, with downward sweep of
the hand, he exclaimed, while the tears
cOursed down his cheeks, 81 love that flag
better than love my wifeW
Mrs. Scott has frequently had occasion
to repress an inclination on the part of
visiting soldiers to cut or tear away a
piece of their flags. 1t is seldom that
such visitors call without requesting the
permission before they leave of taking a
piece or even a mere shred of their regi-
mental colors. Some of the soldier callers
have even offered Mrs Scott brides for
such permission, though they did not
seem to look at the matter in the light of
bribery. At one time an old soldier Of
fered to give a twenty-dollar gold piece
for an inch square of flag. Another Of
fered twenty acres OF good land"
"It had been of business turn of
5dlu MIS-. EcCOIJ nuI0OTOuSlY,
might have owned farm or two"
There was one old veteran whom Mrs.
Scott had occasion to remember. After
being shown his flag he deliberately tore
off piece.
''That cannot allow" said Mrs. Scott,
'you will have to leave the Office" AS he
went away he said
''You do not know how much good
it will do me to take this piece home and
show it to my wife and children"
But few months ago a party of ex-
Indiana soldiers from Kansas visited the
library Before they left one of them de-
hberately stole the cord and tassel from
CHS flag" The fact, however, did not
become known until he had left the city.
''The flags are sometimes such care"
naturally concluded Mrs. Scott, alter re-
cital of these experiences.
he f.V ont