The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-09-19
THE SOUTHERN BATTLE FLAGS.

Reply to those Grand Army men who
objected to the cheering of these flags by |
the Confederate Veterans at the Rich
mond Reunion. July, 1867
Now, Southern men. take off your hats, and |
no I've, all the world.
Stand up and with uncovered heads salute |
those flags unfurled!
Though faded much and tattered more, |
they once were banners bright.
As once were young thosemen whose hairs
ole age has rendered white.
And who so bravely followed them, in bat |
tie line arrayed.
In those discordant days@of death When |
roared the cannonade.
All harmlessly or.many year those battle
flags have lain
Upon the closet shelves OF those VINO
fought for them in vain.
The sore at first was hard to heal, as. ever is
the case
When fercely meet in civil strife one
nation and one race.
Yet praised be God tits ended now, and
foreign foes shall dread
But all the more the Stars and Stripes ior
all the blood we've shed.
| Yet why should not we Southern men who
once. as Southern boys.
| Mid shot and shell and canister and battles
| ureaulul noise.
Followed a flag DER many field where
comrades, falling fast,
Gave for the cause they loved SO well their
| best blood and their last.
Take off our hats at sight OF it just one day
in the year?
Think of the memories that well up and
flow into that cheer!
In ragged clothes we marched with 1t the
| hot and dusty road,
And felt our haversacks grow light, our
cartridge box load.
And here and there, on wlntry days, we
saw the frozen sod
| And trampled snow tinged with the blood
of bleeding feet unshod;
Yet we were rich in high resolve. and
though we oft lacked food,
We had what most soldier needs--a nag
and fortitude
Oh where is he, OF North or South, VINO
lives and bravely fought.
| WLosdoes not know how easily he finds
himself o'erwrought
By all the memories of those days, so sud-
denly aroused
BY his old flag, whichever be the cause that
be espoused?
At Seven Pines we saw it borne amid the
smoke and din.
! While whistling bullets tore its folds and
our full ranks grew thin;
At Gaines Mill and at Frazier's Farm, and
Malvern Hill it FELL
We saw it lifted up again and gave the
"Rebel YELL"
With Pickett's men at Gettysburg, it led
the charge TO death.
While bleeding heroes cheered it on with
their last dying breath.
At Spottsylvania, wilderness, and Chicka-
mauga's field.
And twice hundred more. its foes had
learned to it to yield.
At last it fell no more to rIse-God's wisdom
willed it So
And few are leftswho fought with it, and
they, too. soon must GO;
Yet of the years still left to us we love one
day in each
To see and cheer the flag we bore into the
deadly breach.
You are the victors. Brave you were, you
boys who wore tie blue,
And Valor never yet denied fallen foe bis
due.
The fight is DER. Our wounds are healed
We clasp your hand again;
But while we hold it fast and fair. remem.
Der we're but men
Who cannot quite forgetthe flag tor which
p our brave ones fell,
And so whene'er we see its folds, We fee
our bosoms swell.
Z
that once or so year
We meet our comrades of lang syne anC
6 give the flag cheer.
We have no cause for quarrels now, anc
never more shall face
, Each other in intestine war, but rather
would embracs,
. And teach our children TO defend the ole
? Red, White and Blue
The flag our common fathers loved, thu
only one they knew;
But give us credit for good faith. and j
will all be well.
And ask us not to scorn the flag for wbicl
our brothers fell.
Do it dishonor? That battle flag? Lool
on 1t wiLh disdain
No:never while our pulses beat our homo
s will we stain
| Yet will We touch our elbows close I,
yours, If comes the need
e That we for our united land be called upol
= to bleed,
And North and South as friends again shall
be to each SO true
0 That both can march to "Dixle's Land
and yankee DOODLE" too;
Bat never ask that We shall be so false unit
: our dead
:, That we can turn our backs upon the fial
for which they bled.
Y FRANKLIN III. MACKEY,
: NC. v. Camp III. Company A.. FIT
South Carolina Infantry. Washington
Jnly 20. 1896.