The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-05-25

ening Of our flag as "Old Glory" APP
pears in the following letter, written
two days after the event, to his
daughter in Salem, and speedily pub.
lished by the Salem Register of Feb
ruary q, 1852:
"Thank God! The flag of the Un-
ion now floats over our Capital. The
Ohio Sixth, the first regiment to land
from the transports, hoisted their
small flag on our State House. About
an hour after, 1 carried my flag, Old
Glory, as we have been used to call 1t,
to the Capitol, presented 1t to the
Ohio Sixth, and hoisted it with my
own hands to the Capitol, amid the
demonstrating cheers of Thousands
over this proud city, where for eight
months 1 have been treated with
scorn. Again and again have
I told these deluded men: Gentle
men, 1 will yet hoist my nag, Old Clio
~, over your fallen Capitol. Then,
gentlemen, am ready to lie down
with my fathers That hour has
como. Ny child, 1 am satisfied"
The Captains letter describes how
his "Old Glory" has eluded rebel
spies, being sewed in the comforter
On his bed, and how his bedroom had
been q magazine SO contrived that, If
necessary, he could blow it up in a
moment, and Ego to glory" as he
termed it, "with his flag" "Old
Glory" went down to the gulf with
the Sixth Ohio. Its end was serio-
comical. 1t was eaten up by mules,
who got at it when slowed in the
headquarters wagon in October, 1883.
The shreds were gathered up and dis
tributed as relics, some of which are
still preserved in Salem. "Old Clio
ryn was . magnificent banner. Its
size was 17x35 feet. It had been pre-
sented to the captain while In COM
mand of the brig Charles Doggett, by
lady residents in an East India port,
for some noble deeds. The story of
the presentation he himself told, in
words that ought never to be forgot
ten:
"Let me tell you about 'Old Glory
and the first time he gave his beauty
to the breeze. He was rolled up in
the form of q triangle, with q thread
easy to be broken around him, the
billiards. bent on, all ready, when o
young sailor stepped forward, with
lines in hand, hat off, and said: My
countrymen! In ancient times, when
q voyage was looked upon with super
stitious dread, it was the custom on
the eve of departure, to roll the BAN
neH up in form like this Ia triapgle).
When all was ready, priest stepped
forward, and taking the banner In his
left hand and sprinkled 1t with con-
secrated water, would dedicate 1t to
God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Ghost, turning point
of the triangle upward as he named
each person, and calling on the sacred
Unity to bless the national emblem
and the voyagers. The flag was
then hoisted to the masthead, the ca
bles cast of, and the ship moved
away. We adopt their form this day,
and consecrate this flag, 'Old Glory
to God the Father, God the Son and
God the Holy Ghost, and to the Union
and Constitution of the United States,
and here swear never to desert that
Government or its flag while life
lasts"
"And then with jerk of the lines,
odd Glory, floated on the breeze, not
mine, but Gods and the country's.
Its folds were OF the finest merinO and
french lisse, though it is now old and
storm-worn."
When beginning research, 1 had no
thought that "Old Glory" could boast
an origin so glorious. But "Old Dri-
ver," as the Nashville women hiss
ingly called the Captain, was of all
men most worthy to be compared to
the seraph Abdiel-"faithful found
among the faithless, faithful only he."
Truly the history of word is worth
more than the history of campaign.