Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-01-17

EH.sA.s<dM VALUATION on '"-
" 10, 1864. The point selected Tor
assault was in the vicinity OF an Old
| country inn called The Yellow Law
ern."
Gen. johnson Hapgood. whose bri.
| gade of South Carolinians were as
signed to the right of the attacking
force, found that daylight had broken
| before he could align his command.
1t met with a terrible fire of artll-
lery and rifles, and it faltered.
As q merciful suggestion, no doubt,
prompted by the admiration of a body
| of brave men, doomed otherwise to GER
tain destruction by Union soldiers,
called out to them to surrender, but
the call was unheeded.
At that deadly juncture a mounted
officer was seen to emerge from the
| sally port of an earthwork at a re-en-
tering angle on the line of retrench-
meats nearly opposite the center OF the
brigade. He galloped up to the color
| bearer of the South Carolina regiment
and holding out his right hand de-
mandel the surrender of The colors.
Although mounted, the uniform and
| shoulder straps of the daring Union
| officer indicated that he was a captain
OF infantry. He was. apparently, 30
years of age, with q noble and hand
some face. and tall heroic form.
The color sergeant, seemingly dazed,
or perhaps paralized by the sublime
etfrontery of the demand surrendered
the colors.
The flag was especially dear to the
regiment, for it had been presented by
ladies of the district IN which the reg
iment had been raised, and it had been
borne aloft with honor on many bat
tlofields.
1t was a state flag with the arms OF
South Carrlina upon it, and a coun-
terpart of that which the famous Pal
metto Regiment in the Mexican Wa
had planted on the walls of the CAPT
tol of Mexico, tho first foreign flag to
wave there since tho time Of Cortes.
General Hapgood, who was distant
about seventy-iye yards saw with
amazement the surrender Of the flag
He IVES on foot, his horse having been
shot under him, and he came forward
on a run to intercept the officer who
was riding slowly along the front 0.
the regiment, obliquing somewhat to
ward his own lines.
/, Gen, Hapgood, on coming up with
him, seized the bride of the horse and
leveling his revolver at the captains
breast, said to him, Give me that flag
sir"
The answer was. "Who are you?"
The General replied, II command
this brigade, l admire your bravery.
Give me that flag and you shall re-
turn unmolested to your own lines"
The Captain who had furled the
flag and was holding it upright with
the ferule 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 q large force that had sailed
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 flag?
The answer was in q loud voice
Never"
With tho answer Gen. tHapgood
fired, and the officer fell, shot through
the breast. He still grasped the flag,
staff, as he fell backward, and it wa.
wrested from his grasp. The General
then mounted the horse and ordered
a retreat, which was effected with the
loss of nearly one-half of the brigade,
The captured horse was killed on
the retreat by a shot from the Union
lines, and, as he fell he kicked out his
heels and, as if to avenge his fallen
master, struck DR.. Taylor, the brigade
surgeon, in the head, inf1icting q
wound from the effects of which he
never entirely recovered.
Often within the lines OF Petersburo
around many a campfire, Confederate
soldiers discussed the strange incident
OF the flag surrender at Yellow Tavern
How it was that such q famous repi.
ment should have allowed its flag to be
surrendered in battle to a force con
sistlng OF but n man, was most puz.
zling.
The occult power of h~ypnotish
might have furnished q solution. but II
was then unheard of, and is still nm
known to the arts of war.
All agreed, however, that no brave,
deed was ever done than that of the
Yankee captain who fell, still graspinp
that flag.
Sixteen years later Gen. Happood
was the honored chief magistrate al
South Carolina. The writer was a
circuit Judge, and holding court in
Columbia, and called on the Governor
at the Capitol to pay his respects.
You recollect that Federal office,
that l was obliged to shoot in the hat.
tie Of Yellow Tavern, to recover The
dag?' he asked. "Well, thank heaven
did not kill him. He is still living.
Here is a letter that I have mat 70.
ceived from him. Please read i"
1.-The following is a copy:
Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dec. /. ,sao
1en. Jonnston, hapgood, Columbia, 6. g.
1eneral-lf I am correctly informed yo, A..
tne confederate oficer who shot ma N = ~
nent breast In the battle OF yellow 1rava ~
IAs wound was inflicted to recover from M