The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-03

(slS corporals, also picked men, with the
tvs serrearts composed the Union
guard on the right Of one and IN tho
LEFT OF the othcr. Directly behind each
vt these tlur marched n corporal, i'o
TINT when heErer fell there was al
Ways hand ready e. snatch MP the
star before the banner could touch
the earth. an event which was looked
upon rs an omen u evll aud blot
on the ogCutchc1n.' ] might dip when
n bearer was shot, but must not fail
PROSTATE on the ground The proudesi
boast OF a regiment IL that a never lost
flag 10 the enemy; che next that rs
cOl1rs never touched the calSh during
battle.
Tho position Of the color guard,whcsa
sole duty consisted In watching the for
tunes az the llaEs and defending Chem
to the death, was on the left of the right
center company. that Is, in the exact
center ~ tho regiment That cnmp1ny
was known NJ tho Color company" and
its members were especially cautioned
70 look out for the Cplors and supply
promptly temporary substitutes during
action FOR the guards who fell. Usually
there was contest for the honor Of
stepping into the dead hero's shoes, and
often the colonel detailed recruits frnm
a list made up Beforehand. Sometimes
he ignored the claims or those on the
let In order ia rouDgnlgc and reward
a brave decd performed on the spot,
In Defense Of tile CnIors.
As a 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, Bit a chanc" 60
snize an enemy's flag, single handed,
OftimcS lured men to a heroic death,
and Colonel Ellsworth, the first flag
martyr had many lmitators Rarely
however. were noble blood and sub.
lime courage wasted in mere brnvndo
Heroes battled and died for the glory
and triumph Of their flag, giving TO lt1
preservation all they had In lie, and
their last thoughts Of death. even while
1t drank their hearts blood,
In the charge on the stone wall at
fredericksburg, charg" equal in every
respect 10 that Of Pickett AZ Gcttys'
burg. the siNty-ninth New York, In
common with the rest OF the Irish bril-
gadc. left it, greenJtufted heroes In rows
along the fatal barrical" The color
bearer fell m0rtnlly wounded but he had
strength left 10 dCtach the banncr-thc
stars and stripes"-frnm the staff and
wind II around his waist underneath
his Jacket. He then proppel himself
up against n boulder 70 await death,
and was found there with q bullet hole
through his heart and through the nag
that covered IT,
The flag Of the FiNty-thlrd New York
OF the same brigade met similar fate
at Charlottesville Its bearer. Lloyd,
was shot down alone and unseen In the
hazel thiCkst, and b save the banner
from capture he disposed Of y IN She
same way. Lying where he fril, the
concealed flag unuoticed by N" burial
party, went with him into his grave.
The state banner OF the f0rty-th!rd
New York was In like mo 1ncr presti"
Ell in the wilderness, when the bearer,
Sergeant Harkstt, knew that he aud his
charge were about 20 fall into the hands
OF the enemy. 1t remained under his
uniform during n long Imprisonment
ut .indrf uvillC. and at his death was
buried with him. More f0rtunate.though
not more worthy OF praise. was the sink
ing valor OF Color Sergeant W. II.
Greene, OF the thlrty-soventh WILSON,
sin in tn. assault at Petersburg, June
II. Mortally wounded and separated
from his comrades FAR out between the
lines. with both legs disabled, he work
ed his way slowly back TO the Union
parapct by means OF MS hands and cl-
bows, dragging the flag with him by
his teeth
A painful retrospect. all this, II one
notes only the dark lines in the picture.
But is that life lost, which. In passing.
Increases our faith in manhood?