The National tribune., 1898-11-17
THE pnoRI CUHRDS.
Just Tributes Paid TO Exceptionally
Valiant Men.

|
Editor National Tribune: In recent
issue comrade calls attention to the
valor and soldierly work of the non-com-
miSsioned officers ref the army. He
claims that so far, little, il any, notice
has been taken of their part in the great
civil strife. Why, this is so he makes no
attempt to expl9in;1 but the probable
reason is that their rank was so little
above that of a private. They carried the
musket and forty rounds, instead of "a
sword, and tented and messed with the
common soldier.
The comrades claim, however, that the
bravery and ability OF these SergeantS and
Corporals in the majority of cases was
as great and as marked as the COM
m1ssloned officers is without question a
Just one. And so the article was timely
and will set the Old boys to thinking OF
the 'Nom- Com" with whom they mingled
in camp, on picket duty, and upon the
| battlefield in the days of '61-'65.
The article has prompted me TO call
attention and present few facts about
one special claSS-"the color guards. p"
These men, so far as | remember, have
never been written up, and yet their
numbers were many and duties import
ant, and so they are entitled to more than
a passing recognition. AS there were
nine of them in every infantry regiment,
some $4,000 must have filled this position.
This "color staff consisted of one Ser
giant anu SIHuJ thS lOUhCi
was called "Color Sergeant" and the lat
ter were called "color guards" The Ser
geant's duty was to carry the National
flag; the Corporals accompanied the same,
and were its special guards and defenders.
The position of the colors was in the
center of the regiment; the Sergeant bear
ing the c0lors, and a Corporal on his
right and left in the front rank, three
CorporalS covering them in the rear rank,
and the other three two PAGES in the rear
in the line of Sergeant5.
AS each regiment was furnished a regi-
left of the Sergeant was given the duty OF
bearing the same, so there were two
flags to keep floating and defend.
This color staff had no other duty re-
quired of them. The colors being always
so conspicuous, they often became the
principal target for the enemy, and so
these guards were in the most exposed
position on the line. Their duties could
not be regarded as the most desirable,
and yet those who were selected TO fill
the place considered it a position OF honor
and trust, and many were slain under the
flag Of their country while bravely de-
tending it.
As custodian OF these colors we were
ready to give up our lives rather than see
il traiied in the dust or fall into the
hands OF the enemy.
Comrades can undoubtedly recall brav
cry ana TerO1Sm utSDi1yeu on many oC-
casionS by the color staff of their own and
other regiments. Thus does the writer
of this article, as he was called upon for q
time not only to guard, but to bear the |
flag in the battles Of the |
Vicksburg campaign, seven in all, IN y
days, including the charge on the same.
OF course we do not claim all the BRAY
cry. Others were also brave and were |
ready to bear aloft the flag in the midst Of
the fray. But no one will deny that our
position was trying one, and we know
something OF what it cost to reinstate 1T
over every State Of tho Union. We rev
erence and understand the meaning of
is beautiful folds, having exposed our
ives for its defense.
Col. Marcus Kavanaugh paid hand
some compliment and Just tribute 10 these
men in rccenti speech when he said
The color guards, whoi are tho priests Of
he flag, are selected. because of their
military bearing, their courage and their
military record.
This utterance was with regard to the
soldiers of the late Spanish American
var But are they not especially appli-
able to those who filed the same place
md performed tbs same duties in the
ivii war, where 50 many battles were
ought and SO many opportunities given to
Iefend the flag i
Let us hear abzut some fights for the
tandard by some Of these color guards
Trough the columns OF The National
so kindly offered to US by the
1ditor to fight cur battles and present
of the days when we were
oidiers. John +. ingham, Color Guard,
Sd H., Whiting, Ind.