The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-14

the front of the regiment ObliquinQ
somewhat toward his own lines.
General Hagood, on coming up with
aim, seized the bride OF his horse,
and leveling his cooked revolver at
the captains breast, said to him,
Give me that flag, sirl" The answer
was, 'sWho are you?'' The general
-eplied. Il command this brigade.
admire your bravery. Give me the
dag, and you shall return unmoIested
to your own lines" The captain who
had furled the flag and was holding
it upright, with the ferrule of the
staff resting on the pommel of his
saddle, responded: General, you
had better surrender to me yourself.
Look behind you
The general looked to the rear. and
saw that a large force which had sal
lied from the intrenchments on his
left was moving to cut off his retreat,
all other commands having retired
from the fruitless assault. Turning
to the defiant captain, he exclaimed:
"Once more, sir, will you give up that
hag?" The answer was in a loud
tone, "Neveri" With the answer Gen
eral Hagood fred, and the officer fell,
shot through the breast He still
grasped the flagstaff as he fell back
grasp. The general then mounted the
horse and ordered a retreat, which
was effected with loss of nearly one
half of the brigade.
The captured horse was killed on
the retreat by shot from the Union
lines, and as he fell he kicked out his
heels, and, as if to auenge his fallen
master, struck DR.. Taylor, the brigade
surgeon, in the head, infiicting a
wound from the effects of which he
never entirely recovered.
Often within the lines at Peters
burg, around many a campfire, Con-
federate soldiers discussed the strange
incident of the flag surrender at Vel
low Tavern. How it was that such a
famous regiment should have allowed
its flag to be surrendered in battle to
a force consisting of but one man, was
most puzzling.
The occult power of hypnotism
might have furnished a solution, but
it was then unheard Of and is still
unknown to the art of war.
All agreed, however, that no drawer
deed was ever done than that of the
Yankee captain who fell, still grasp
ing that flag.
was then a captain of engineers
in the Confederate army. Sixteen
years later General Hagood was the
honOred chief magistrate of the state
of South Carolina. I was a circuit
judge, and holding court at Colum bia
and called on the governor at the
capitol to pay my respects. 1 found
him highly elated, and he said to me
as soon as L was seated: "You recoI-
lect that Federal officer that I was
obliged to shoot in the battle Of Vel
a
thank heaven. did not kill himl He
is still living. Here is letter that l
have just received from him Please
read it."
Tread the letter with the deepest
interest. of which the following is a
copy:
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa Dec 4. 1880
GENERAL JOHNsTON HAGOOD, Columbia. S Q
GENERAL-If am correctly informed, you
are the Confederate officer who shot me in
the right breast, in the battle OF Yellow
Tavern The wound was inflicted to re. over
from a regimental fas which had been
surrendered TO me by one OF your color bear
ers 1 had apparently recovered entirely
from it. but it has troubled for some time
and now find myself obliged to apply for
pension
As I was within your lines and out OF sight
OF my comrades when L was shot am Obliged
to request that you will aid me to prove that
I received the wound in the line OF my duty.
You would do me great favor II you will
make aIuQaVlJ stating the rHCbS ana forward
it to me Please state also that you have
interest in my claim am. general. yours
respectfully JAMES BAILEY.
Late Captain Fourth Iowa Volunteer In
fantry.
am unable to state the entire con
tents of the affidavit, but I noted this
paragraph:
Captain Bailey received the wound
described while in the faithful dis
charge of his duty as a soldier.
ssHis act was the bravest that have
ever known or read Of in military an
nails Nor was it an act of mere in
considerate rashness, for, in my de-
liberate Judgment, had 1 not inter
posed as I did, my entire brigade of
veterans might have surrendered to
his single ARM
In his letter inclosing the affidavit,
Governor Hagood extended to Captain
Bailey a most cordial invitation to
visit South Carolina as his guest.
He assured him of a most sincere
welcome, and that he would be re-
ceived by an escort of many thou
sands of ex-Confederate veterans, all
now heartily loyal to the United
States. He stated, further, that the
flag with which Captain Bailey's
wound was SO honorably associated
was still preserved. not as a hostile
symbol, but as a souvenir of comrade-
ship, and that he would be pleased to
place it in his hands, and have him
view it in the midst of friendly sur
roundings.
Captain Bailey made a most soldier
" reply, expressing his grateful APP
probation of the invitation so cordial
" extended to him to visit South Car