Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-06-30
Co. E'> Flag.

W c. Thompson got home Sunday
from his trip to Washington The
| party went via the B. q O.. got tC
| Washington about ; a. III. took the
street cars to the Ith street wharf
caght the morning boat TO Fort Wash
ington. and We're in the camp before Il
O'Clock. They saw the boys handling
the big guns in the fort and took dinner
and supper with them AT $50 p. m.
there was dress parade. and then Bee
presented the flag in neat speech, and
it was accepted for the Company by
Capt McJunkin.
That evening they We're rowed across
the river, and caught picnic boat back
to the city. where the ladies of the
partv-the Misses Thompson, Adams,
White and Vanderlin secured lodging
and intended staying for a week to see
the city.
The boys are all in good health and
spirits.
THoMPSON's PRESENTATION SPEECH.
1t is with great pleasure that | greet
you the boys of Company E and especi-
ally so as | am the bearer of the good
wishes encouragement and kind re-
CARDS of your friends and neighbOrs of
Butler.
After the demonstration that was
made in your honor on the evening of
Your departure it is unnecessary for me
to assure you that each member of this
Company is held in the highest regard
and esteem by every citizen of your
native town. They well know anc have
full confidence that whatever else may
happen or whatever else may be done
in this war, that Company E will do its
duty, faithfully and well.
Flags have been adopted by all
Nations of the earth from the earliest
history of the world for we read in
Holy Writ Every man of the children
of Israel shall pitch by his standard,
with the ensign of his Fathers House.
Ever since this command was given,
every Nation has pitched by the stand
ard that represented its principles, its
belief or its religion, and these have
been various in form and representing
all sorts of animals and wild beasts,
feathers tied around pole or piece of
armor elevated, the name of the king
and many other forms and devices.
These were adopted to awaken feelings
of awe and devotion and TO create en-
thusiasm in their followers we
find England with its lion, Russia with
its bear, and Spain with several differ
ent kinds of animals, but it remained
for freedom to select a new device as
her banner on which terrestrial objects
had no place for, as we are told.
when freedom, from her mountain
height,
Unfurled her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night,
And set the stars of glory there
To You Captain McJunkin and
You present this flag to COM
pany L as the most cherished gift your
friends could bestow
Accept it in the same spirit of affec
tion with which it is presented
Cary it fourth upborn by brave hands
wherever duty calls, and whether it
floats in peace or futters amid the storm
of battle its honor will be safe in your
care It's stars will never shine bright
er than in the smoke of battle as
Darkness shows us worlds of light
we never saw by day.
Defend it, if necessary, with your
life, and when armed foes confront you
and threaten dishonOr or defeat to our
arms, then
Let the bugle sound you1 starry ban
ner wave
And either victory or the grave.
Let the flag be your pillar of cloud by
day, of fire by night, to guide you to an
honorable peace, through triumphant
victory.
Then when peace spreads her white
wings, when the cannon cease to roar,
when the bugles call is heard no more
on bloody fields, return in safety and
honor. and wearing the plaudits of a
joyous people on your brows and this
starry banner in your hands, well adj
vanced and floating proudly over your
heroes. while the multitude
with uncovered heads in song heard
beyond the seas, sing
30, the star spangled, o, long may it
wave,
Ger the land of the free and the home
of the brave.