The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-02

IssNss=r least, past most
MGS@ near at hand but to
@SVEEs%s, one who was in in
No S5Sr fancy when the stir
" ring scenes of the war
were being enacted,
April IA. 1861 seems date of long ago.
The man / met was a remarkable figure in
American history. Possibly he may never be
enrolled upon the scroll of the Nations great
meu-not every man of genuine greatness is
given place there; but he will be remembered
by all who shall read these lines as man who
played a most significant part in the greatest
war Of history.
A tall, splendid1y- formed. square shouldered
man he is, with fine, clear eye, decisive and
vet most kindly look-in every attitude the
pose of soldier, in every movement the bear
ing of a man trained to the scenes of field and
camp, and charge. His full beard just turning
silver in the mint of time falls down toward
broad breast upon which are seen the badges
of the Loyal Legion, the Tenth Army Corps, and
the badge of the Sharpshooters. This soldierly
man l met was Capt. w. 8. Hammer, of the
United States Regular Army, stationed at Fort
Assinnaboine. He was the man who, acting
under the orders of his superior officer, pulled
down the flag which had been 50 proudly float
ing over old Fort Sumter, an act which the
true soldier could not regret, for obedience
must be ever his portion an act which was full
of terrible Significance.
In the most unaffected and modest manner
Capt. Hammer told me the story of his life
He was a soldier in the Seminole war, and had
but lately returned from a trip through
Florida in pursuit of old BILLY Bowlegs"
when he was ordered to Fort Sumter. Here
he held the position of Regimental Quartermas-
ter's Sergeant of the 1st Artillery. Though
Southern man-born in Tennessee and reared
a Virginian-he was a Unionist to the core.
He had o Southern ancestry, but he had an
Americans loyalty to the flag which not all
the influences of birth or location could de-
stroy. He did not appreciate-and who did?
what this war-talk implied; he only knew
that there were words being said against the
solidarity Of the Union he only knew that So
cession's thistles could not lodge in the splen-
did fields of loyalty without harm. So when
he was ordered to help garrison Fort Sumter
he felt he was in the right; ho was ready for
all that might come to soldiers lot.
When the salt pork and water with which
the fort was provisioned showed signs of speedy
exhaustion when hunger as well as overwork
had nearly overcome the gallant soldiers; when
it was evident that the enemy was sure to win
in the unequal fight, the order for the pulling
down Of the flag was issued, and unwillingly
but obediently the young man pulled from it's
proud position the flag OF the Nation.
1t was deeply interesting to watch the face
OF this soldier of the rebellion as he told me in
BILE act. When the great battles had been
fought when the armies of the North had met
and had vanquished the armies Of the South
splendid armies they we're, even in their mis-
guided patriotism when the holy dove OF
a dear-bought peace had builded its nest In
wars still-smoking cannon, there came day
an anniversary day, when amid all the intense
excitement born of victory. with music and
the words of eloquent patriotism, the flag which
the youthful Sergeant had lowered was once
more run up over the old fort. Never may it be
lowered again while time shall last.
/ could not but feel the injustice, poetic in
justice you may call 1t if you wish that was
done the man who pulled the flag down.
He was there; he above all others was most
interested in restoring it to the staff where his
unwilling hands had pulled it; he OF all others
should have been given the right to raise it
over the Sumter Of 65. The music was satu-
rated with patriotism, the cheering crowd was
merely mass of patriotism, the Grafton of
Henry Ward Beecher was patriotism in essence;
but the most splendid exhibition Of patriotism
personiled would have been the act of Capt.
Hammer in raising the flag.
However, the past is past. May history do 1t
full justice.
Capt. Hammer passed through the war with
distinction. He went North after Sumter's
fall and entered the Sd r. I. Art, going into
the Department. of the South under Gen.
Fort Wagner and the reduction of Fort Sum-
ter, and commanded the artillery portion of
the stormiIg party Of 200 men which On the
18th of November, 1863 made q midnight as
sault on the fort he had been obliged to evacu-
ate two years before. He entered the service,
when only II years of age. in 1856. few
weeks ago. On invitation of the Minnesota
Commandery of the Loyal Legion. Capt. Ham,
ner read paper on the siege Of Sumter at the
Commandery's meeting in st. Paul. Cautiously
enough it was the 31st anniversary of the very
day he pulled down the flag, and this made his
valuable paper all the more interesting. The
first shot fired has been matter for much dis
cussion. Capt Hammer said that he was on
the ramparts about o'clock in the morning,
and was notified by Lieut.. Jeff. G. Davis that
the Confederates would open fire in half an
hour. He was watching the floating battery
when the first shot was fired. Just as JEFF.
Davis approached to where I was" the Captain
said in his paper, "a dull sound was heard in
the direction of Fort Johnson. aud mortar
she'll was soon discovered to rapidly approach
Fort Sumter. 1t urstdirectly over US and to-
gether we sought safety under a pile of chassis.
When l had regained my composuro and
crawled out he remarked that it was great
pyrotechnic display. ! assented, but
added that it was somewhat dangerous,
and We went below. Atdaylight was directed
to divide the command into three reliefs. After
doing this / marshaled the civilian employees
of the Engineering Department into a gum
detachment and went into the fight, which
lasted until dark We shot our guns ut inter-
walls during the night to show the enemy that
we had no idea of giving up. Next day-the
13th-the enemy continually fired our barracks
with hot shot, and, after the fires had been ex
tinguished several times, Maj. Anderson finally
concluded that it was useless to further expose
the lives of his men. The barracks were con-
sequently soon mass of flames. Word reached
us that we were attacked by boat, and we
gathered about the spot where the news was
received. We found ex-senator Wigfall. who
offered Maj. Anderson his own terms to evacu
ate the fort. After brief consultation the
terms were acceded to, the white flag was run
up, and hostilities ceased. On the 18th, after
due preparations were made, salute was fred
to the flag and the post was evacuated by Maj.
Andersons command.
AS all visitors to Washington know, the iden-
teal piece of bunting which Capt. Hammer
pulled down, and which was so triumphanty
raised again, Is now in safe keeping among the
Nations treasures in Washington, peerless
historic heirloom.-W. s. HARDWOOD, Mime.
apolis, Mimi.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE is the only
champion the soldiers hare aDaoa0 the 0,eat Dd-