The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-08-21
THEY WE'RE ALL FIGHTERS.
Col. FIecIs's Family Fought for the Union,
Saw Custer Die, and Guarded Il City

Saw Custer Die ana Guarded u City.
In 1861, when the war broke out,
Frank Fleck of Toledo. then 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 COM
pany.
He had considerable money and used
it with no illiberal hand. He soon had
a fine company of 1O7 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 Il weeks leave of alb
sence and departed for the bedside CT
his dying mother.
On his return he found Gen. Steed-
man, then organizing the 14th 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 18th.
At last he consented to go with the
regiment, and 90 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 over the
breastworfs.
In the cyclOranla 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 q. A. r.
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 it
was! How the canister ratified! Well,
somehow l got in advance of my COM
pany, but / ran on. Surrender! shout
ed brigadier-general as l topped the
works.
MY answer was lunge of my
sword, which went right through him.
BY the way, that same sword was pre-
sented to me here in Toledo by a num-
Der of ladies. | saw fine revolver
peeping out of the pocket of the dead
man, and don't know what induced
me to do it, but l stopped and took it
from his pocket, and l have it yet.
81 caught up the flag" continued
Col. Fleck, land placed it on Il piece
of artillery that topped the works.
This was the signal for our boys, and
they rushed pell-mell over the breast
works.
This is my boy" said the old man,
proudly, turning to young man who
sat at the table. HE fought under
Custer and was present at the famous
or infamous massacre. My eldest, now
at Sturgeon, Mich. was wounded at
Chattanooga and my youngest is a
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 d worthy son Of worthy
sire.
Eyes, fourteen of us left Toledo in
IA to Join Custer. Remember the mas
s;,crc? Well, should say so. l was
scrgeant-orderly of the day, and my
horse falling lame, | was sent back to
take charge of the pack train. | was
wounded. See here and here" and he
pointed to red sears on arms and breast.
Yes, / was the only one OF the four
teen who left Toledo Il year before who
escaped" Frank Flcck, Jr., lives at
Ottawa Lake, and he, 100, has never
applied for IL pension, though his
wounds entitle him to one.
The third brother already referred
to was the hero who saved so many
lives when the passenger steamer AL
pena went down on Lake Huron a few
years ago. Among the passengers
/ saved on the occasion were several
Toledo people, one of whose friends
promised the brave rescuer 500, but
he has forgotten to keep his word:
'.He didn't even get word of thanks, "
said Frank in relating the incident to
reporter, s'and he doesn't care, but it
Just shows what an estimate some peo-
pie place upon their lives. ."-1otedo