The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-27
Col, Blanding Presents A Flag
THOMPSON'S BATTALION GIVEN THE
HISTORIC BANNER.
The Flag Was Presented to the Old Palmet-
to Regiment In tho city OF hIex,co-Giv-
Oh to our S0ldiers by Gen. Winfield
SCOTIA big Crowd Witnessed
tho Int rcsting Ceremony.

Perhaps the chief event Of the day
was the presentation to Major Thomp,
sons battalion of the old Palmetto
regiments flag gwen to them in
Mexico by Gen. Scott.
At O'Clock II large crowd gath
cred at Shandon to witness the inter
esting ceremony. The battalion was
drawn up in line and Col. Blanding,
advancing to tho front, addressed
Major Thompson with much emotion
and presented the old flag with tho
following remarks:
COL. DIANDINa's spEEcn
Tho old veteran said:
Major Thompson: Az president of
tho association and ranking officer
of survivors of tho Palmetto regi-
ment, Mexican war, and by authority
Of the association, l have tho honor
and pleasure Of presenting to you,
Sir, as commanding officer Of tho
First Independent battalion South
Carolina volunteers, U, S. A., for tho
war with Spain, tins United States
flag and this spear head of the State
flag which WAS carried by tho Pal
mctto regiment, South Carolina vol
untecrs, u. S. A., from Charleston,
via Vera Cruz, into the city Of Mexi-
co.
You have been pleased to honor us
by consenting to accept them HI syour
battalion colors
They have history honored by
tho people of tho United States.
That history is too long to be detail
ed on this occasion; but that your
boys may know somewhat of it, per-
nit mo to say that tho State Palmet.
to flag, presented to the regiment in
Charleston in December, 1S40, by
the ladies Of South Carolina, was
lost during the civil war, but this
was its spearhead, aud is now repre-
sentative Of it. 1t was unfurled 9th
March, 1917, among tho first flags Of
the volunteer division Of tho u. S. A.,
on the beach at Vera Cruz, and tho
first blood that was shed in tho siege
Of Vera Cruz was that of South Caro-
lina's and Georgia',1 sons together
under its folds at the Malabran ruins
skirmish, 10Th March, l847, tho day
after landing. 1t was to bo the
standard Of ono Of tho three parties
ordered to etorm Vera Cruz, 2Gth
April, but the city sent out white
flag nt daylight ond surrendered on
tho 10Th. 1t was carried in tho
march up to Cerro Gordo, tho sur
render of Jalapa, through the fight
of Perote, and the surrender of
Puebla. Thence with Glen. Scott's
army, August, 184'7, into tho valley
Of Mexlco--was in tho thlckcst
Of tho battles Of Contreras
and Churubusco on tho 10th and goth
August--was tho third, if not the
second, flag planted within tho cas-
tie Of Chapultepec, and was tho first
American flag planted on the walls
of the City of Mexico on tho 18th
September, 1817.
In tho battlos of tho valley, under
it's folds was poured out the ]ifo
blood Of Col. Butler, Lieut.. Col.
Dickinson and SIX other officers and
about onc-slxth Of tho rank and file.
Undor it woro wounded Major Glad
den and nine other f:cers and about
ono fourth Of tho rank and file; ag-
gregating Is of 10 officers and 1l.24
OF rank and flo engaged. Three
color bearers we're shot down while
bearing it through tho battle OF
Churuousco, one n storming Chapul-
tepec, and Lient. Selleck when plant
ing it on the Garita do Belen Of tho
city. After entering the city, Cen.
Scott, seeing tho old Palmetto flag
80 tattered and torn by shot aud
shell, ordered that it be not used on
ordinary occasions, but bo fnrlod,
covered and carried back to South
Caolina as n sacred relic, and in it's
place gave ns United States regu-
lation rogimcntal flag. This is that
flag; and though it has but 20 stars
tho 10Th being that Of Texas will
therefore be the more honored.
Let mo further state that it ia the
only flag ever carried from South