The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-27
Col, Blandiug Presents A Flag
BATTALION GIVEN THE
HISTORIC BANNER.
The Flag Waa Presented to the Old Palmst-
to Regiment In tho City OF hIcx,co--Giv-
Oh to our Snldiers Hy Gen. Winfield
Scotia big Crowd Witnessed
the IntercstIng Ceremony.

Perhaps tho chief event Of the day
was the presentation to Major Thomp.
sons battalion Of the old Palmetto
regiments flag g,von to them in
Mexico by Gcn. Scott.
at O'Clock large crowd gath
orod 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 tho old flag with the
following remarks:
COL. BLANDINas SPEECH
The old veteran said:
Major Thompson: Az president OF
the 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 the
First Independent battalion South
Carolina volunteers, U, S. A., for tho
war with Spain, thus United States
flag and this spear head Of tho 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 Moxi-
co.
You havo been pleased to honor us
by consenting to accept them III your
battalion colors.
They have n 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 tho regiment in
Charleston in December, 1S40, by
the ladies Of South Carolina, was
lost during the civil war, but this
was its spearhead, and is now repre-
sentative of it. 1t was unfurled 9th
March, lS47, among tho first flags of
the volunteer division Of the U. S. A.,
on the beach at Vera Cruz, and the
first blood that was shed in the siege
Of Vera Cruz was that of South Caro-
lina's and Georgia's sons together
under its folds at the Malabran ruins
skirmish, 10th March, l847, the day
after landing. 1t was to be the
standard Of ono of the three parties
ordered to storm Vera Cruz, 2Gth
April, but the city sent out white
flag at daylight and surrendered on
tho 10Th. 1t was carried in tho
march up to Cerro Gordo, the sur
render Of Jalapa, through the fight
Of Perote, and the surrender of
Puebla. Thence with Gen. Scott's
army, August, 1847, into tho valley
Of Mexlco--was in tho thlckost
Of the 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 Chapultopec, and was the first
American flag planted on the walls
of the City of Mexico on tho 18th
September, 1817.
In the BATTLES of tho valley, under
its folds was poured out the ]ifo
blood Of Col. Butler, Lieut.. Col.
Dickinson and six other officers and
about one-slxth Of tho rank and file.
Under it were wounded Major Glad
den and n:nc other officers and about
ono-fourth Of tho rank and file; ag.
gregating Is of 40 officers and II "a
OF rank and flo engaged. Three
color bearers we're shot down while
bearing it through tho battle of
Churubusco, one ir. storming Chapul-
tepcc, and Lient. Selleck when plant.
ing it on the Garita do Bclen of the
city. After entering tho city, Gen.
Scott, seeing tho old Palmetto flag
80 tattered and torn by shot aud
shell, ordered that it bc not used on
ordinary occasions, but be furlcd,
covered and carried back to Sonth
CaoIina as sacred relic, and in its
place gave ns n United States rcgu-
lation regimcntal flag. This is that
flag; and though it has but 20 stars
tho 10Th being that of Texas will
therefore ba tho more honored.
Let mo further state that it il the