Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-10-30
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
CAPTURING A FLAG.
One of General ButIer's Reminiscence
of His STAY in New Orleans.

One of General ButIer's "Reminiscences
of His stay in New Orleans.
sit came TO me one day that very
nice little circle of young ladies. pretty
girls they were. too, and leaders in so
ciety, were having sewing-bee at the
house of wealthy lady. in fashion
able quarter, and that the girls had
been at work upon an elegant Confed-
crate flag, which they were going TO try
and smuggle through tho lines and send
10 the Prussian battalion, which, under
the command Of the Prussian Consul,
was then fighting in Beauregard's army.
The flag was half done when / heard
about il, and didn't want an unfinished
flag, so | concluded / would let them fin
ish it up was informed from time to
time as TO how the work progressed;
how they got the silk, the bullion
fringe, the tassels. and finally that ii
was all done, and the next day that they
were to make the case So / called in
my orderly and said to him: Take my
carriage and drive down to Mrs So-and-
Sos house and present my compliments
Tiny compliments were the only order
ever sent in New Orleans), and say that
General Butler would be glad to see
Mrs. So-and SO at his Office, and that he
had sent his carriage for her. In half
an hour Mrs. So-and-SO walked in. l
showed her to seat and began: Madam,
/ have sent for you because | wanted a
Confederate flag, and you have very
fine one She started to inter-
rupt me, but | motioned her to
be silent and continued: The
Sunday-school children up at my
town are going to have a Fourth Of July
celebration this was about the middle
of juno, they have never seen a Con-
federate flag, and | want 10 send them
one. and want as nice one as that one
Of yours" She Immediately began to
protest with the we'll simulated aston
ishment that she did not know what
meant. | stopped her and said: Now,
madam, il is useless to deny or get ex-
cited in this matter. know what am
talking about, and can prove to you that
| do. To convince you Of the accuracy
of my information | viii tell you where
the flag was last night; you slept with
it under your pillow This was
clincher, and there were no more de-
malls. Then ! said: Now, If | wore
you, Mrs. So and SO. | would 90 right
away and get that flag and bring il here;
you are welcome to my carriage She
went without word, and in TWEEN
" minutes returned, followed by the
orderly with parcel under his arm Ho
opened the package and reported that it
contained the flag / wished. Don't
make another | said to the lady; this
one will be plenty. | shan't need any
more, and would suggest that it would
be unwise for you to make another for
any one
"She was the maddest woman ever
saw. She was so angry, indeed, that
think she could not speak for quite a
minute; at all events, She remained
silent for that length of time, and then
said with sort OF gasp:
May ask one question:"
Certainly, ! replied and If il is
proper one win answer it..
(Which one of those girls told you
about that flag? she snapped out One
of them, know, has been seen walking
with a Federal officer; perhaps it was
she who told you.
" You must excuse me, madam, but l
can not reveal my source OF information,
or it would be gone forever. Perhaps it
was the young lady you refer to, or per
haps, it was one OF your servants.
1T was not the servants, for they
knew nothing aboutit Only my foster
sister, my maid knew. and know she
wouldn't tell yoa any thing about it,
:. must congratulate you, replied;
in the possession OF such faithful and
trustworthy servant, with something of
a meaning emphasis upon the al jectives
She didn't see IL at ALL however, and
went away under the impression that
the young lady who had been courteous
20 Federal officer must have been the
tattle tale.
"As a matter of fact, the foster sister
came to me every day with the latest
flag news, and gave her s. for the in
formation. philadelphia Inquirer.