The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-05-29
THEY WERE ALL FIGHTERS.
Col. FIeck's Family Fought for the Union,
Saw Custer Die, and Guarded a City,

In 1861, when the war broke out,
Frank Fleck of Toledo, then a vigor-
Gus young man, was chief of police in
that city. ,,
The roar of Sumter's guns was still
sounding among the hills and the heart
of the nation when Mr.. Fleck threw up
his position and donned the blue. He
enlisted for the three-months' service,
and returned Immediately to Toledo,
where he set about organizing a COM
pany.
He had considerable money and used
it with no illiberal hand. He soon had
a fine company of 107 young men
formed and was about ready to go to
the front when he received word that
his mother, living in Baltimore, was
dying. He got a weeks leave OF 'ab.
sence and departed for the bedside OF
his dying mother.
On his return he found Gen. Steed-
man, then organizing the 18th 0. V. l..
had placed new officers in command OF
the company. He naturally kicked,
and the result was the company to a
man refused to Join the 14th.
At last he consented to go with the
regiment, and 60 he did.
A series of brave deeds at Mill
Springs and Stone River raised Fleck
to the position of sergeant, and at the
famous charge of Jonesboro he had the
honor of leading his company oyer the
breastworks.
In the cyclorama of the battle of
Jonesboro at Chicago, a soldier is seen
waving the stars and stripes from the
breastworks. That man was Frank
Fleck and that flag hangs in e. A. Il.
hall. Toledo.
1.-The ground through which we
passed was very rough and covered
with trees, whose branches almost
reached the ground" said the old vet
eran. so we broke line, and it was
every man for himself. Just as we
reached the works Cox, who bore our
colors, fell with bullet through the
brain. picked up the flag and car,
ried it up-up. What a hot place il
was! How the canister rattledi Well,
somehow l got in advance of my com
pany. but / ran on. Surrender shout.
ed brigadier-general as | topped the
works.
'.My answer was a lunge of m!
sword, which went right through HIM
By the way, that same sword was pre-
sented to me here in Toledo by num-
Der of ladies. l saw a fine revolver
peeping out of the pocket of the deac
man, and don't know what induced
me to do it, but | stopped and took il
from his pocket, and | have it yet.
II caught up the flag" continued
Col. Fleck, land placed it on a piece
of artillery that topped the works
This was the signal for our boys, anG
they rushed pell-mell over the breast
works.
''This is my boy" said the old man
proudly, turning to young man wh'
sat at the table. ''He fought under
or infamous massacre. My eldest, now
Chattanooga and my youngest is I
soldier in the regular army"
$50 YOU were with Custer?" said the
reporter to the young man referred to
who, by the way, is named after his
father and is a worthy son of worthy
sire.
"Yes, fourteen of us left Toledo il
IA to Join Custer. Remember the mas
sacre? Well, should say so. | was
sergeant-orderly of the day, and my
morse 1alllng lame, was SeuG Ddck u
take charge of the pack train. wa:
wounded. See here and here" and he
pointed to red scars on arms and breast
Eyes, was the only one of the four
teen who left Toledo year before who
escaped" Frank Fleck, Jr., lives al
Ottawa Lake, and he, 100, has never
applied for "a pension, though hi
wounds entitle him to one.
The third brother already referred
to was the hero who saved so man,
lives when the passenger steamer AL
pena went down on Lake Huron a few
years ago. Among the passenger
saved on the occasion were severa
Toledo people, one of whose friend
promised the brave rescuer 500, bu
he has forgotten to keep his word
"He didn't even get a word of thanks,
said Frank in relating the incident t.
reporter, "and he doesn't care, but
Just shows what an estimate some pee
pie place upon their lives. .'-1oIed
Blade.
Wine From Rose Leaves.