The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-28
TaE FIFTH GsoRGIA's FLAG.
The Presentation by Mrs. Anderson
to the Regiment.

/ The Presentation by Mrs. Anderson
to the Regiment.
! The regiment and veterans marched TO
the southern part Of the extension after the
exercises at the monument, and forming a
hollow square made ready to receive the
| flag which was to be presented by Mrs. r.
! H. Anderson. widow of the late Gen. Ander-
son, who organized the regiment and drilled
it upon the grounds where the encampment
is now held.
Mrs Anderson, accompanied by Mrs W.
W. Gordon and Col. Jno. Screven, drove
into the square and the presentation took
place.
Upon entering Col Gordon aud his staff
dismounted. Mrs. Anderson held the flag.
while Col. Screven presented it in a neat
speech. he spoke as follows:
Col. Gordon and Soldiers of the Fifth Cavalry:
At the request of Mrs. Gen Anderson, who
represents the friends Of your regiment have
the honor TO present to you this regimental
| flag. She desires me specially to express her
cordial congratulations on the substantial reor-
ganization OF the gallant regiment. which her
noble and lamented husband organized and
commanded, and whose designation and num-
| Der 1t IS your Distinguishing privilege TO COM
memorate under special solemn enactment of
| the legislature OF the state OF Georgia.
| Recognizing this peculiar franchise at
the hands of the state, and that you are citizen
| SJllIeIS OF OeOrGla, SOleuDIN DOunu TO QeIen0
her soil to enforce her laws, and to guard her
peace, the arms of the state of Georgia are
stamped on one side Of these colors. with the
| motto wisdom, Justice, Moderation WORKS
! as pr gnent ami imperative in meaning to the
soldier as to the citizen, and as you are citizen
| soldiery, you are both.
On the diverse are stamped the arms of the
United States, representing the regulation regi-
| mental standard of the federal cavalry service
| To us of the south these embems
| have profounder and more solemn meaning
| than 10 all others, perhaps, in this teeming and
| mighty republic. DO they signify that we are
accepting the emblems of our own defeat, and
| that we are about TO march under the standard
| of triumphant foe? Far be IL from me, and,
! as must believe. from you, to cover under
such perversion of the truth. The war be-
| tween the states was fated necessity. and IN
the inscrutable career OF It's events and in its
| hnal results it was but the emanclpa-
| ton of the south from embarrassments,
which restrained it, aud, however unjustly,
| placed it, IN fact, solitary and at disadvantage
| before the world. AS to the battles Of that
| memorable contest, southern soldiers can re-
| member them from Manassas even unto Apo
| mattox and Bentonville with honorable pride.
Their victories we're won at terrible cost, and
were many; their defeats were secured at moro
terrible cost, and were com paratiyely few, but
| in victory or dsfeat southern courage and devo-
| ton added TO the glory of the American name.
If defeated, southern soldiers were neither dis
honored nor dishearteusd. and in that name
they may well claim to bear high above their
columns the emblsms OF this great country,
\ which their fathers consecrated with their
blood and gave them for their heritage. Let us
not forget that these emblems are not emblems
| Of the north nor yet OF the south The Ameri-
can flag is the standard OF the whole American
| people.
II is in this patriotic and catholic spirit that
| the friends OF the Fifth cavalry dedicate these
| colors TO your keeping, knowing that whenever
| the bugle may summon you to defend the
| nonor, dignity and peace OF the states, or the
| honor, dgaity aud peace of the United States
| whether north, south, east west, these
unfolded cours shall be the evidence of the con
! secraton of southern patriotism and courage to
| American honor and glory.
| Col. Gordon responded as follows;
| Col. SCREvEN-It is with profound emotion that
| receive from Mrs. Anderson, through your
hands, this beautiful flag for the Fifth regiment
| or Georgia cavalry.
You may rest assured that it will be cherished
| by this Fifth Georgia not only as a reminder of
| that regiment of Georgians by whose number
| we are designated, but also as a momentO OF
| the gallant chieftain who was the colonel at its
| creation and the commander until it ceased to
| exist.
Sir, there are troopers in these ranks who
| shared In the charge at MONDAY church, when
| a squadron of the Fifth Georgia, saber in hand,
assaulted breastworks and, though repulsed
| left their dead inside the works, marking the
| point to which they had penetrated.
| Sir, their are companies here in which to-day
are veterans who rode boot to boot at Newman
| where their colonel led them to victory, and
| with his blood enclrcled his colonel's stars with
the wreath of a brigadier general At Briai
| Creek, at Aiken, at Fayetteville, where he was
| again wounded, and in countless nemeless Skin
misnes they followed those wreathed stars unit
| the southern cross went down forever.
That war has long since ended, but while life
lasts its memories will remain and the deeds Of
| its heroes will DO cherished by their own gen
GRAFTON and trans shifted to their descendants
Gen. Anderson was not only distinguished IL
war, but when the end came he was equally
prominent in the paths of peace The devotion
of his soldiers was rivaed by that of his friends
He possessed the personal magnetism Of al
born leaders, and of him ! can truly say, as An
tony said of Brutus, The elements Wer,
mixed IN him, that nature might stand up ant
say TO all the world, this was a man"
think. sir, regiment with such memories
can be trusted to be the custodian of the beau
tiful flag Mrs. Anderson has given u.s. and in les
name pledge you and her that its future shall
never tarnish its past. The stars no longer
| sparkle upon our southern cross, but the man
hood which gave brilliaucy to them still live
whose arms emblazon this standard. and viii
uphold with equal loyalty the first cause of oul
| common country.
10 the future, as in the past, we VIII strive
to realize the words of the poet who said:
'Illve for those who love me.
For those who love me true,
For the heaven that smiles above me
And waits my coming, too.
"For the cause that lacks assistance,
For the wings that need resistance,
For the fighting in the distance,
For the good that can do"
After the presentation dress parade fol
lowed, which Mrs. Anderson witnessed
while in the square.
The flag was borne away then by tn
regiments color sergeant, and the soldier
marched through the principal streets bacl
to camp.
The flag is beautiful piece Of work. I
is the cavalry color fringed with gold
On one side is the coat O
arms of the United States in brow
and gray, Below is inscribed on a scroll il
red Fifth Georgia Cavalry" On the re
verse is the coat Of arms of Georgia in thre
shades of yellow, from light to dark orange
The motto Justice, Wisdom and Modera
ton" is worked on blue scroll and, belov
is reg in pearl, gray and black.
The flag is admired by all who have seel
it. and the soldiers are proud Of it.