Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12
Written for rhs Hvsain~ Star.
THE flag or NEGPHIA
An Incident That Followed tie Rassis of the
RaaaA

An incident That Followed tie Battle of the
TEE cAnxEn OF rHR son or rrR rxarxrxn
VINO BUILT THE RAMs--rRI Youru vHo TOOK
COMMAND OF fHK FLrxr Axp ynA1lY oAvI
HIS LIFE 10 Hls COUNTRY.
RETURNINa TO THE BATTLE OF MEM
phis' no account Of that engagement lie
complete without the incidents attending the
nrss hosting OF the national colors above the
rebel city. This fsas was performed by the
younsson Of the colonel commanding the steam
ram heet Charles Rivers Ellet, STRIPPING Of
nineteen. who had Joined the feet six DAYS be-
lore the battle. The fight was hardly over, the
Monarch was still chasing tue rebel rams and
Zen. Thompson and his command had barely
retired from the town, when Col Eliet sent his
son with party Of three men to take posses
SION OF the city and TO raise the United States fac
Inc little party rowed ashore and worked its
way through an insulting and menacing crowd
to the post Office. The incident is briefly given
In an official telegram sent the following day
by Col. Ellet to the Secretary of War:
UNITED STATES Ram SUTHERLAND.
l. OPPOSITE MEMPHIS, June z, 1862
10 Honorable Secretary Of War, Washington,
Sir: Yesterday. after the engagement with
the rebel feet lad nearly Terminated and the
gun boats and one of my rams had passed be-
| low, was informed that white flag had been
raised IN the city. l Immediately sent nv son,
Medical Cadet Charles X. Ellet, ashore with a
| flag of truce and the following note to the
| authorities:
| OPPOSITE MEMPHrs June 6, 1864
10 the Civil or Military Authorities of Memphis
Gentlemen: / understand that the city of
MemDlls alrraOharpd
my son with two United States flags, with in
structious to raise one upon the custom house
and the other upon the post Office emblems
OF the return OF your city to the care and pro-
lection OF the Constitution.
CHARLES EILEr. JR., Colonel Commanding.
THE MAYORS REPLY.
The bearer Of the flags and of the above note
was accompanied by Lieut. Crandall of the
ffty-ninth Illinois regiment and two men Of
the boat guard. The following is the reply Of
the mayor Of the city:
MAYoR's OFFICE, MEMPHIs, Tenn,
June 6, 1861
Col. Charles Ellet, IT,. commanding &C.:
Sir: Your note of this date 10 received and
contents noted. The civil authorities Of this
city are not advised of its surrender to the
forces Of the United States government and
our reply to you is simply to state respectfully
that we have no forces to oppose the raising of
the flags You have directed to be raised over
the custom house and post Office.
Respectfully, JOIN PARK, Mayor.
On receiving this reply the small party
proceeded to the post Office to raise the ma
tional flag, and were there joined by the
mayor. 1t is proper to say that the conduct
OF the mayor and some of the citizens was
unexceptionable. but the party WAS surrounded
by an excited crowd, using angry and threat
enlng language. They ascended to the top of
the post Office and planted the flag, though
rred upon several times and stoned by the
mob below. Still, l believe that this conduct
was reprobated by the people of standing in
the place. Indeed, many indications reach
me of an extensive Union sentiment in Men,
phis. Respectfully, CHARLES ELLEr. JR.,
Colonel Commanding Ram Fleet
The concluding words of Colonel Eiiet's
telegram are q keynote to the great and heroic
soul even then passing from the service of the
country. Patriotism was its ruling passion.
He believed in the existence Of a strong Union
feeling in Memphis; he believed in its exist
ence throughout the south. Love of country,
pride in American citizenship, were as the
| breath to his nostrils. He could hardly con-
ceive of
"A man with soul 50 dead,
He never to himself hath said:
This Is my own. my native land"
He loved the south. He sorrowed over the
| shock to her prosperity; the loss to her popu-
| lation; the many sad consequences he foresaw
to her rash action. Born in Pennsylvania
married in Virginia, his greatest professional
plan-of which no mention has besn made in
these NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. tbs protsc ton of
the valley snd delta Of the Mississippi, and the
control of the great rivers emptying through
the MisAssippi into the gulf His
great heart knew no north, no south, no Sec
ton. Ny country, first, last, always my
| country" was his watchword, and to this cause
| he sacrificed his private fortune, his personal
friendships, left his most helpless family; in
feeble health, with shattered constitution, en-
hrQn nd nnNfs r.1l 1ar T..
| climate pronounced by his physicians in ad-
vance most menaciag to him. aud sent into
extreme peril of life and limb his best beloved,
his brilliant boy, the most precious Offering his
heart could lay upon his country's shrine.
THE SONS CAREER.
The career Of this son was brief indeed, but
| crowded with incidents enough in its few re-
| naming months to make a history. Before
the appearance of the rams he had, as medical
cadet, during the weeks following the battle Of
Bull Run. SO distinguished himself in the care
of the wounded brought to the old Union hos
| pital OF Georgetown, in the performance of
amputations and the dressing Of wounds as to
| win unlimited commentator from the physi-
clans in charge. Left, with the rest OF his fam
| lily, in ignorance of the periious mission which
| suddenly carried his father from home SO
| soon as he ascertained its nature he went by
daybreak to the house Of the Secretary of War,
| sat upon the door step until Mr.. Stanton came
out ana begged TO be allowed to Join his father.
At first the Secretary refused, but touched
by the lads earnestness he took him in his car
riage to the department and on his way yielded
| to his entreaties and gave him the necessary
passports aud orders. The terrified and
| stricken family could not resist such
determination. and with their reluctant consent
| the young fellow left his beautiful home and
reached the fleet at Cairo June l, mis- birthday,
| in time to go on the first reconnaissance made
by the rams under the guns of Fort Pillow be-
| fore the abandonment Of that stronghold by
| the enemy.
After the capture Of Memphis be accom-
panied the fleet to Nicksburs and carried dis
| patches containing the first intelligence OF
| its victory to Farragut, then below the city,
crossing the peninsula on foot under circum-
stances OF such difficulty and danger that the
! gallant admiral thanked him publicly in the
presence OF his officers and complimented him
| IN warm terms upon his gallantry and judg-
ment.
H15 SERVICE ON THE RAMS
Promptly promoted to the rank Of colonel
he was placed in command of the steam ram
feet, while his uncle, now Gen. Alfred W. Ellet,
formed the marine brigade well known for its
| services at the siege of Vicksburg aud along the
| Mississippi. 1.-THE Ellet rams were sent
| upon many difficult and hazardous enter
prise and in all their young colonel took prom
inent part. Three times he ran the batteries OF
Vicksburg by broad daylight on one other
| Of his wooden boats; once with exploded boiler
drifting fast, having with his own hand nailed