River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-06-10

the taking of the Alabama regiments
colors by Private Springer, of the
Fourth Pennsylvania, and short time
afterward the prize was sent to Wash
ington.
The history of the capture of each
flag brings out the story of some deed
of heroism on the part of the captor
For example, the Louisiana Tigers"
were famous confederate fighters, and
the Thirteenth Louisiana infantry was
in that fighting brigade. On May II,
1861. i'm The vicinity of Spottsvlvania
Courthouse, Virginia, the Thirteenth
Louisiana came into deadly contact
with Birney's division of the Second
corps. In the long charges and coun-
ier-charges which ensued among the
briars and underbrush, Sergt. William
Jones, of the Seventy-third New York.
and Corp. Reg nolds, of the Fourth Ex-
eelsi1r regiment, managed to secure
their encmy's tattered fOrerunner. but
one of the captors, Sergt. Jones, fell
pierced by dozen balls before he could
realize what was gained. The emblem
is well-nigh in shreds. and its streaming
pieces are in keeping viii the ugly bat
tie ground where its capture was eff
fected.
Another relic of the haud-to- hand
fight which ragged for hours May ~,
1864, is the standard which the MEM
bers of the First North Carolina fol-
lowed into battle early on that day.
Before the contest was an hour old the
Second corps of Grants forces was or
dered to charge. This time private
of Keystone state regiment distin-
guished himself when G.. w. Harris, of
the One Hundred aud Forty-eighth
Pennsylvania broke the hold of the con-
federate color guard and bore his prize
out of reach. Unlike its mate, taken
from the Thirteenth Louisiana. the
North Carolina flag is in fair condition.
There is not a flag in the collection
which does not bear a memory of the
shedding of blood. The flags were de-
Tended bravcly. even to desperation.
They were captured by brave men of
the same race of people. The history
discloses the fact that even after cap
turing the flags many a federal sol
dier yielded up his life.
\ Gag with an interesting history is
one belonging to a South Carolina reg
iment, '"hich the palmetto" soldiers
lost at Antietam. September II. 1862. The
number of the regiment and its corps
or division are not inscribed upon the
banner. and consequently are unknown.
but il was opposed to the Thirty-ninth
New York in the struggle. which made
AN unhealthy locality in the neighbor-
hood of the "sione wall" as Private
Hare. who was killed in the same battle.
was the man who captured the bullet
SCARED trophy
What became of the stars and stripes
which were captured on numerous bat
tlefelds by brave confederate soldiers?
They are not on exhibition. When the
civil war ended the union was pre-
served. and all federal flags captured
were given back TO the federal troops.
Ultimately through the war depart
ment. they were returned to the regi-
ments which had lost them.
II is not TO be presumed that. during
the present generation. the confede-
rate flags will be returned to their sew
erul states. if ever. Only .hose who
followed those aags will retain vene-
ration for them. The next generation
viii know DAT one flag. the stars aud
stripes. They arr not likely 10 wish TO
possess the tattered remnants of the
colors which were borne against the ua-
ton. SMITH u. FRY