Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-01
1t never lost flag to the enemy; the next
that Its colors never touched the earth dur

1t never lost a flag to the enemy: the next
that Its colors never touched the earth dur
ing battle.
The position Of the color guard, whose
sole duty consisted in watching the for
tunes of the flags and defending them to
the death, was on the left of the right
center company. that is. in the exact GEN.
ter of the regiment. That company was
known as the ''color company" and its
members were especially cautioned to look
out for the colors and supply promptly
temporary substitutes during action for
the guards who fell Usually there was a
contest for the honor of stepping into the
dead hero's shoes, and often the colonel
detailed recruits from q list made up be-
fcrehand. Sometimes he ignored the claims
of those on the list in order to recognize
and reward a brave deed performed on
the spot.
In Defense of the COlOrs.
AS rule the volunteers were not given
to brilliant deeds individually. Modern
methods Of fighting not only do not invite
them, they scarcely furnish opportunities
for them. But a chance to seize an enemy's
f1ag. singlc-handed, oftimes lured men to
heroic death, and Col. Ellsworth, the first
nag martyr, had many tmitators Rarely,
however, were noble blood and sublime
courage wasted in mere bravado. Heroes
battied and died for the glory and triumph
or their flag, giving to its preservation all
they had in life, and their last thoughts Of
death, even while 1T drank their hearts
blood
In the charge on the stone wall at Fred
ericksburg, charge equal in every respect
to that of Pickett at Gettysburg, the sixty
ninth New York. in common with the rest
OF the Irish brigade, left Its green-tufted
heroes In rows along the fatal barricade.
Inc color-bearer fell mortally wounded,
but he had strength left to detach the
banner-the "stars and stripes"-from the
stan and wind it around his waist under
meath his jacket. He then propped himself
up against boulder to await death, and
was found there with bullet hole through
MS heart and through the flag that covered
The flag Of the sixty-third New York
OF the same brigade met a similar fate
at charlottesville. Its bearer Lloyd. was
shot down alone and unseen in the basel
thicket, and to save the banner from
capture he disposed of 1t in the same way
Lying where he fell, the concealed flag
unnoticed by the burial party, went with
him into his grave. The state banner of
ner preserved in the Wilderness, when the
bearer, Sergeant Hackett, knew that he
and his charge were about to fall into the
hands of the enemy. 1t remained under
his uniform during long Imprisonment at
Andersonville. and at his death was buried
with him. More fortunate, though not
more worthy of praise, was the sinking
vaior of Color Sergeant w. II. Greene OF
the thirtyseventh Wisconsin in the assault
at Petersburg, June II. Mortally wounded
and separated from his comrades far out
between the lines, with both legs disabled
he worked his way slowly back to the
Union parapet by means of his hands and
elbows, dragging the flag with him by his
teeth.
painful retrospect, all this If one notes
only the dark lines in the picture. But is
that life lost. which. in passing. increases
our faith i'll manhood?