davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

no, good and the missiles vhistlod harmIessIv
through the rigging. dropping into the sea Tar
70 vindward or falling short OF their mark
Capt Winslow increased his speed. bearin;
Gown upon the enemy silently AZ the pace Of a
race horse. but without firing q gun Inc Ala
ber7a hred two more broalsides with no better
eject than tho first one. The crew Of the Eear-
sarge stood grimly by their guns. knowing that
->-s~ .:,ro was coming soon
When the two ships were less than a thousand
yards apart the Kearsarge sheered a Bit and let
The enemy have her staTboard battery Its
effect was instantly seen The crash OF timbers
vas plainly heard the solid shot plowe ed
through the Alsbana's frame.
A great shout went up from the Kearsarge
AMI Capt winsloS, looking a, the enemy saw
Sat Que o. hrs shot had carried away the Ala
oemas ensign, and as 10 futtered down, the
Sniou sailors took 10 a good omen and
eheeredit Another ensign was quickly hoiste D
% the mixzen-
Both ships appeared to be afraid OF bein,
rAked fore and aft. and keeping their helms
hard down they movedOn a circle. banging
ssay with starboard batteries at q distance OF
. hstle less than half q mile apart By the
time . half dozen broadsides had been ex-
changed Capt winslow noticed that the
snemyIs IRE wPs rapid, 50 rapid in fact as to
make the aim Inaccurate. His own gunners,
however. we're most deadly deliberate and
every shot Was made 10 tell Even the men
could zee this effect and vented their spprecia-
too Of 10 In cheers.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

skill when he presented the generals name in
nomination to the republican national conven
ton Of 1883. He said: "When the fearful cloud
which had been SO long gathering in our polit-
ical sky burst upon the country with the fury
Of tempest; when the flag was no longer
sacred from the assaults OF treason; when the
Union, the source of all our strength and pros
perity and hope, was to struggle for its life he
answered the call Of Lincoln aud leaving those
whowe dearer than aught else on earth but his
country, he sought straightway the front, and
there he rode again and again, calm and in
trepid. on bloody fields where the missiles Of
the enemy were weaving tho air with lines Of
death and danger above him and about him;
and he turned homcward his face only when
the angel OF peace gave the glad command
Right about and he saw the flag under whose
folds he had marched and fought with Sher-
man to the sea, the emblem Of a Union re-
deemed and regenerated by patriot valor and
blood, with a star for every state and q state
for every star and under Gods blessing the
only flag ever again to float upon the breeze as
the ensign of our people. Loved by those
whom he had led. Eonored and trusted by those
under whom he had served he marched back
with the star Of a general upon his shoulder,
well earned in the hell Of battle, to give again
into the keeping Of his state, stained and tat
tered. bnt giorified by battle names never to
be forgotten, the standard which he had borne
with him to the front"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

salvation. Her sides were sheathed with
heavy chain cable. forming an ippenetrable
barrier Of IRON but which was concealed by q
thin covering Of deal boards. Virtually. there
Tore, she was an armored man-of-war fighting
an unarmoced cruiser. Capt Semmes has
Often said he would not have fought the Kear-
sarge had he known that her sides we're pro-
tec;ed with chain cable. The only sho. which
struck the hearSarSe that could have done any
damage -as the shell which lodged in her
stern post-;he shell which did not explode.
The Alabama was built by the Lairds of
England Tor the use of the confederate govern
RENT Her mission was suspected. but as no
positive proof could be brought she was al
loved 10 be launched. When she was ready
she went on an alleged trial trip, taking a gay
party OF ladies and gentlemen aboard When
safely IN the channel she was met by tug who
took on the guests and the Alabama pro-
ceeded TO the Azores, where she met the Ba-
hama, which had brought her Armament. to-
geiher with Capt Ser mes. the offers and
crow for the new cruiser. Under tbs leland Of
Terceira the two ships we're dashed together
and the transfer was made. Angus. 2O 1861.
the Alabama sot sail on her mission Of De-
structiop- few weeks afSerward abe met
and fought the United States ,nan-of- war Hat
terss on Galveston After short eucaRemeut
the HAtterns was sunk. The officers Of the
Hasteras were taken to the West Indies and
there paroled. The Kearsargc has been faith
fully reproduced in the modal erected In Re-
union Circle
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

Tattered and torn, smoke -begrmed and
faded, the colors of the second Wisconsin regi-
ment of infantry of the famous Iron Brigade
Of the West" bears no distinctive device except
the legend 1.-The Second Wisconsin" 1t is
simply the dear old stars and stripes. and the
bullet holes, more eloquent than words, tell
the story of its glory and the hard fighting the
regiment did. This regiment belonged to the
first corps of which Col. William F. Fox, a
recognized authority, says: eat Gettysburg in
the battle of the first day this corps (the irst)
did some of the best fighting of the war with
no other protection than the flannel blouses
which covered their stout hearts"
The second Wisconsin, according to Fox's
"Regimental Losses in the Civil War" sus-
tanned the greatest percentage of loss of any
in the entire Union-l9.7 per cent-and the
brigade to which it belonged, in proportion to
its numbers, the heaviest Of any in the war,
the regimental loss -238-being the greatest in
the brigade and in all the armies of the Union,
and the brigade loss, 131-being tho heaviest
sustained by any brigade in any Of the armies
Of the United States during the civil war.
Mr.. Fox says: The loss in the second Wis
consin indicates the extreme limit of danger
to which human life Is exposed in a war of
similar duration and activity to the American
civil war.
"But the figures Of the second Wisconsin and
of the other regiments well fail to show the
full percentage OF loss. The actual percentage
was much larger. The figures given are based
upon the total enrolment of the regiment and
necessarily include. the non-combatants tho
musicians, teamsters, company cooks, officers
servants. surgeons assistants and quartermas-
ters' men; also the sick, the detailed men and
absentees of all kinds If the percentage were
based upon the number of men who were
accustomed to follow the colors into action the
figures would be still more startling. But there
is no place to draw the dividing line, so the
total enrolment must be taken. As all regi-
ments are pretty much alike in respect to the
non-combatants, it shows fairly their relative
positions in point of loss
'.Ihese figures, let it be remembered, include
only the killed and MORALLY wounded 10 I'M
derstand their full Significance one must bear in
mind the additional loss of wounded men who
survived their injuries, many of them surviving
only to drag out their married and crippled life
along lower plane of existence In the second
Wisconsin nearly 900 men we're killed and
wounded, leaving but few unframed of those
who carried arms"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

alternate red and white; that the union have
twenty stars, white in a blue field; that on the
admission OF every new state into the Union
one star be added 20 the union Of the nag
and that such addition shall take effect on the
Fourth OF July next succeeding such admis-
sion"
In the war with Mexico the national Dag
bore twenty-nlne stars in its union.
The Upion fisg Of the civil war was a Gag OF
thirty-four stars. Although a star was added
In 1868 by the admission of West Virginia and
another in 1854 by the admission OF Nevada.
the regiments generally retained the battle
Scared taS OF thirty-four stars which they
had carried into the conflict at its beginning
In none of the acts of Congress relating 90
the nag has the manner OF arranging the stars
been prescribed. and IN consequence there has
eeen lack OF uniformity in the matter, and
fiags In use OF the public in general may De
seen with the stars arranged in various WAYS
lhe early custom was to insert the stars in
parallel rows across the blue field and tins
custom has, II is believed been observed in the
navy, at least since 1918, at which time the
President ordered the stars TO be arranged in
such manner on the national flag used IA the
navy.
In the army, too. il is believed the stars
have always been arranged in horizontal rows
across the blue field, but not always IN vertical
rows; the effect. however, beng about the same
as IN the naval flag.
Hereafter there will be no difference in the
arrangement Of the stars between the army
and navy. as an agreement has been arrived M
between the Wax and Navy departments on
the subject.
The national flags hoisted at camps or forts
are made of bunting OF American manufacture.
They are Of the following three sizes: The
storm and recruiting flag. measuring eight feet
IN length by four feet two inches in width;
the post flag, measuring twenty feet in length
by ten feet IN width; the garrison flag meas
nrlng thlrty-six feet in loEgth by twenty feet
In width tths flag is hoisted only on hoiaays
and great occasionS). The union is one-thlr /
OF the length of the flag and extends to the
lower edge of the fourth red stripe from the
top.
he national colors carried by regiments OF
infantry and artillery and the battalion of en-
glneers. on parade or in battle. are made Of
SIX and are six feet six inches long and six feet
wide, and mounted on stats. The field OF the
coors is thirty-one inches in length and OK
tends to the lower edge of the fourth red stripe
from the top.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

Saturday, June IA. III. nearly a year after
the Declaration of independence. the American
Congress resolved THAT the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red
and white; that the union be thirteen stars
white in a blue field representing a new con-
stellation-" No record of the discussion which
must have preceded the adoption of the stars
and stripes has been preserved and we do not
know to whom we are indebted for them II
has been said that both the stars and. stripes
have been suggested by the coat-of-arms of
Washington. which, by a singular coincidence.
contained both.
1t Is claimed that Mrs John Ross. an up-
holsterer. who resided on Arch street, Phila-
delphia. Pa, was the maker of the first flag
combining the stars and stripes Her des-
pendants assert that n committee OF Congress-
accompanied by Gen. Washington. who was IN
Philadelphia In June. l776. called upon Mrs
Ross and engaged her to make The flag from a
rough drawing, which. at ner suggestion. was
redrawn by Gen. Washington with pencil in
her back parlcr, and the dag thus designed was
Although the resolution establishing the flag
was not officially promulgated by the secretary
o. Congress until September 3, 1777, it seems
well authenticated that the stars and stripes
we're carried ut the battle of the Brandywina.
September II, 1777. and thenccforward during
all the battles OF the revolution.
Soon after Its adoption the new flag was
hoisted on the naval vessels of the United
States.
Inc snip Hanger, bearing the stars and
stripes and commanded by Capt. Paul Jones.
arrived at a French port about December 1,
lI17. and her flag received, on February IA.
IUS. the first salute ever paid to the American
nag by foreign naval vessels.
On March 4. 1871, Vermont was admitted to
the sisterhood OF the Union. and on June 1.
1892. Kentucky was also admitted In 1894 an
act was passed. in consequence of this increase
OF states. increasing the stars and stripes on
our flag from thirteen to fifteen. This act was
not to take effect until May, 1895
1he accession OF new states subsequently
made some changes in the flag desirable. and
on the admission of Indiana. in 1916. Mr..
Peter Nendover of New York offered a resolu
ton that committee be appointed to inouire
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22
CAPr. XINsInW-

she shore. when the foreigner turned back, see
ing that the battle was 10 be fought outside Of
French jurisdiction The race out to see con-
tnued. II being Capt winslows intention to
draw his adversary as far away from neutral
territory as possible.
BEARING DOWN iron EArH CrHER
When about seven miles of shore and at
II O'Clock. Captain winslow put his helm down
the ship came about and was headed direct for
the enemy. The two vessels seemed as if they
we're trying TO run each other down. but when
hey had approached within a mile of each
other they suddenly sheered aside
Then the trouble began
pun OF white smoke ran along the Ala
oama'- side, then the boom Of great guns. and
the crew OF the kearsarge listened 20 the hurt
ling Of solid shot through the air. The aim was
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22


Gil of Administration.
Capt j. d. Barker, the representative from
Kansas in the national council, was born near
Marietta. Ohio, February 16, 1892 Like many
thousands of the veterans of the Union army
he spent his boyhood days upon farm. At
the age of eighteen he went to Marietta and
engaged In mercantile pursuits in which he
was engaged when the war broke out On
September l8, 1861, he enlisted in the first
Ohio volunteer cavalry. October 5. 1861, he
received commission as first lieutenant COM
pany L. On March 81. 1868. he was commits
stoned captain OF company L.. At Murfrecs-
boro', Tenn. he rendered hir resignation on
January 81. 1864. In January. 1862 Capt
Barker was detailed and ordered to report to
Mai Gen. George II. Thomas, near Louisville
n.y., where he was assigned to duty as COM
mander OF escort and acting aid-de-camp
When Gen. Thomas was assigned to the COM
mand OF the Army Of the Cumberland Com
rade Barker was relieved from duty on the
fourteenth army corps and assigned to duty as
ald-de-camp and acting assistant inspector
general, Army of the Cumberland, which posi-
ton he held until mustered out, 1864. After
leaving the army he returned to Marietta and
again engaged IN business. In 1869 he removed
to Barton county, No., and from there to
Girard. Kan, IN 1874. Here he began as a hard
ware merchant and in 1882 engaged in the
baking business. He assisted III organizing
the First National Bank of Girard, Kan, in
1884, and was elected director and president
Capt. Barker was elected by the Kansas Depart
ment. Il. A. r., a delegate to Portland Me- in
1888, San Francisco in 1885, st. Louis in 1887,
ana at the latter city was elected member of
the national council OF administration
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

made him acquainted with ths facts aud he
Loot no time IN putting 20 sea
On April u 1851, the bombHdfneut %
Sumter commenced Al interesting .cconnt
Of the Gag episode IN connection vtth this
bombaFdmcnt 10 given clsc~hcre In these
columns
The next Gag episode o. and tho Orr, blood
shed In the VAR 81 tie rebellion (f Ne .tcept
the accidental explosion At SUMTER ~as q
baltimore. Nd. on April -. i-6l. the Anuiver-
sAry Of Lexington and Concord. whon tho sinih
Massachusetts regiment hufrsing 90 tho
defense OF the national capital. was nttacked
IN tho streets OF that city and several mon
killed aud wounded Tho fag carried by tho
sixth Massachusetts was presented 20 that
regiment in an eloquent address by Gov.
Andrews OF Massachusetts The standard
bearer Nas Timothy Crowley Amid showsf
OF stones and other missiles and the airing OF
firearms he moved steadily on at the head %
has regiment Paving stones few fast and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

in the van Of the fight and usually in the thick
est Of the fray. They we're most frequently the
point of attack. for to capture them was glory,
to lose them disgrace. Death has been con-
sidcred preferable to life with their losa In
stances arc numerous Of their being torn from
the staff nc last resort and wrapped around
the body Of one Of their defenders. and, sup
ported by his comrades in the forlorn hope. or
unaided. the colors were thus snatched from
the enemy's grasp. They we're borne at the
head of the charge and desperate were the
efforts made to plant them on the enemy's
works. In repulse they were the rallyng
point Of those who came out of the fiery ordeal
of the charge with their lives. In victory they
we're the salient point Of the enemy's attack in
their attempts to dislodge the victors, regain
their lost ground and capture the colors.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

but because the brigade commander happened
to be temporarily absent Gen. Mower ordered
another brigade to the froLt. Col. Rusk wa.
extremely indignant when he heard of the
order and made personal and warm protest
against any discrimination because of the
brigade commanders absence. He did moi
want said he, to be cheated out of the lead
The protest was for awhile unavailing An
other brigade went to the front. By and BY il
was apparent to Gen. Mower that the crossing
was not under his control; SO he sent an aid to
look up that colonel who was so anxious to gel
to the front Col Rusk was in the generals
presence almost instantly, and as soon as he
knew what was required of him proceeded in.
stantly to do most dangerous and daring duty.
Down the narrow and shot-swept causeway
charged the regiment, Rusk at its head. Down
dropped the brave men by scores. scrap OF
shell disabled the colonel's horse, but that did
not prevent the colonel from leading the
| charge on foot. So terrific was the cannonade
that Gen. Mower and his staff-who had tried
to cross in rear of the column-were compelled
to diGmount and retreat until Eusk and his
boys had possession OF the crossing. 1t was
the capture of this crossing that made the
colonel a brigadier general.
GEN. MOWERS COMMENT.
Scarcely had Col. Rusk returned to camp
after performing the most meritorious work in
even his war record. when he received orders
to report at once to Gen. Mower 81 was IN
doubt as to the kind of a reception was going
to get" said Gen. Rusk. when telling the story
| of that interview. Mower used to get a little
full sometimes. There was no lack of warmth
| In the reception accorded the colonel
Said Gen. Mower: Il sent for you because
| You are the only man in this army or in any
other army that l ever saw who could ride
take drink with me-
/ The offer was declined. because Gen Risk
| never drank intoxicating liquor in his life but
the two warriors ate supper together and were
/ hrm friends from that day until Gen. Mowers
| death.
| THE TRIBUTE OF HIS MEN
When Gen Rusk's regiment was mustered
out at Madison at the close of the war the Of
fcers and men united in the preparation OF a
letter in which their commander was spoken OF
! in the highest terms as one .'than whom there
is none more gallant and daring" who "asked
nothing and received little" and who was al
once "a gentleman, soldier and q hero. VI
Gen. Sprague, under whom Gen. Rusk served
during the greater portion OF his army life
also commended the Wisconsin soldier for his
effective gallaury.
Veterans have p I forgotten Gen. Rusk.
When he was gov II OF Wisconsin he was
invited to attens , Grand y ny reunion at
minneapolis. The H,gram ri l: that the
governor was to be accompanied by his saaff,
but instead Of those officials he took with him
squad OF crippled veterans and paid their
expenses at a first-class hotel. Not a man al
the party but had either lost leg or an arm
or bad been most ssriously wounded. In some
part OF the body
sExAToR sPooNxR's sK1ruz.
/ Qnnafop 9v>o0nap ak>x T.
] ny career With wonderful and hssxt-stirrins
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

upon them with the stars and bars fiuttering
In the wind Capt WInslow ordered the ship
put about with her nose pointed seawaEd.
Then the drum beat to general quarters
and the ship was cleared for action Every
man sprsng TO his station with a will. and when
the executive officer made his report to the cap
tain the shIp was as quiet and orderly if a
Quaker prayer meeting were going on instead
Of preparations for q bloody battle. The Ala
bamA Was escorted by the French friSato Cour-
onne 30 . distance of three marine miles from
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22

only distinguishing marks of rank. would
naturally suggest the same device for repre-
sentins the United Colonies 1t is also sug-
gestcd that 1t Is possible the stripes upon our
flag were selected by Washington because of
the stripes on his own escutcheon. They were
also one of the devices on The flag of the troop
Of light horse which accompanied Washington
from Philadelphia to New York when proceed
ing TO assume command of the army at Cam
bridge.
Mr.. Chas Ebert Of the clothing and equip
ment bureau of the War Department. who has
given considerable thought and study to this
subject. has theory of his own in regard to
the origin OF the stripes the American flag
and which has never been published. Said
MIR. Ebert to the writer: when Washingtons
army was encamped at Cambridge our country
was very poor and the ports were blockaded
by the British. Washington needed dstinc-
tive flag for his army Material with which to
make flags was very difficult if not impossible
to obtain. Not having the material to make
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-22
THE FLAG OF 1777

THE FLAG OF 1777.
INTO the expediency Of altering the flags of the
United states. While this committee had the
matter under consideration Mr.. wendbver
called upon Capt. Saml c. Reid famous for
MS defense OF the privateer general Armstrong,
and asked him to make design for the Ameri-
can flag which would represent the increase OF
states without destroying its distinctive charac-
Yer, the committee being disposed to increase
ootn stars and stripes to twenty. the whole
number of states then in the Union. Capt
Reid recommended reducing the stripes to
thirteen, to represent the original states, and
increasing the number of stars to the number
OF all the states these stars to be formed in one
great star whose brilliancy should represent
their union and thus symbolize in the dag the
origin and progress OF the country, and its
motto TO be :. e Piuribus Unum." IN accord
ance with this suggestion the act Of April {.
1873, vas passed. and tbs dag Of the Union vas
permanently established.
The rot provided That from and after the
1oerth day of July next TOE naG Of the Uuitsd
bosees shall - tAtsteen AoEisoatal s1ripseL