The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-05-21
The 9th Maine Battle Flag,

The following letter to the Lubec Her
aid will be of interest to many of ou
readers:
Mr.. EDITOR: In your paper some tw,
weeks ago, copied from other county pa
pers, was an article stating the flag of the
old Sixth Maine Volunteer Infantry, burn
ed in the Machias fire recently, was the
one carried up Maries Heights, at Gettys-
burg, Rappahannock Station, etc. This
is an error, and if allowed to 90 without
correction might pass into history as cor
rect. The fact is, the flag burned at Ma
chias was one presented to the Sixth
Maine, Nov. 16, 1868, by the friends of
Cherryfield, Machias, Pembroke, East
port and Calais to replace the one carried
from 1861 to Nov. 16, '63. The one bap-
tized at Williamsburg, Seven Pines, etc. !,
with Mcclellan and all the campaigns of
1862, and the charge OF Rappahannock
Station, pierced in several places by bull
let's, the staff shot away, the stripes near
ly severed from the Union by shell
bursting in front of the color guard that
caused many brave men to kiss the
earth, is now deposited in the State
| House in Augusta, and is the flag present
ed to the Sixth Maine by Mrs. E. A.
Souder of Philadelphia, daughter of
g.
is unfortunate that this other flag was not
cared for as well. The flag burned first
went under fire at or near Mine Run, then
with Grant down through the Wilderness
to Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and the en-
tire campaign of 1864 to Petersburg,
thence to the defense of Washington, when
the Sixth Corps was hurried there to in
tercept Early in his daring raid into Mary
land and in front of Washington. This
old flag, when spread to the breeze on that
fine morning of July II, 1864, near Fort
Massachusetts, Zone of the circle of earth
works around Washington gave warning
to Early that other troops than the inva-
lid corps were there to defend the Capitol;
and the attack that was to be made that
morning terminated in a council of Early
and his officers in plain sight of the above
Fort, the group being recognized through
a field glass by those familiar with them.
This was the last time this flag was ever
unfurled over the original organization of
the Sixth Maine.
The term for which the regiment was
mustered into service having expired, all
who had not re- enlisted were here order
ed to the State, and the veterans, together
with the recruits, started after Early
through Maryland into Shenandoah Val
ley, where the Sixth Corps did much to
render Sheridan's name immortal at the
celebrated battle Of Cedar Creek. Soon
after arriving in the Valley, the 5th, 9th
and 18th Maine Battallions were consolid-
ated and formed the LIST Maine Veterans,
and the remainder of '64 and '65 these
regiments lost their identity, also the
benefit of the credit for these killed and
wounded in service for nearly year Of
active service under Grants Administra-
ton.
One reason for wishing to correct this
statement is that we once sat and listened
to an eminent statesman in this district
assign the honor of carrying the Sixth
Maine colors up Maries Heights to the
wrong man, without word of comment
from any person present
JAMES B. NEAGLE,
Sec. 9th Maine Veteran Association.