The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-04
THE BATTLE OF GAINES MILL
IN SEARCH OF A LOST FLAG.
AND SOUTH CAROLINA IF
The Captors at Gaines Mill Surrendered to their
Captives at Appomattox.
From The Grccnvillc Mountainccr.

From The Grccnvillc Mountainccr.
One Of the most remark aolc in
cidcnts Of any battle in the war be
tween the Stnt"o took pace at Gaines
Mill on t. G 27th Of Juue, 1862, during
the Seven Days hativ around Rich,
mOnd. 1t wa4 4 Eauu-tO-h hand conflict
between the Sixteenth Michigan and
tho Palmetto :, Ju~p oHOOtcrs, and this
incident bas recently attracted an un-
usual degree Oi H.t@.:tiUn by reason Of
articles that havo appeared in thu
Confcdcrat" N-'rrxn within tho last
few months. The CuitOr OF TIE
MOUNTAlNEER several weeks ago pre-.
pared an article iOr The Veteran, ia
which be has told the incident as he
saw it, and which diners in some re-
spccts from the account given by a
Federal soldier, but only enough to
verify the general features Of tho ia
cidcnt itself. 1t WAS not our intention
TO print tho story from the Confederate
point of view until it had appeared in
Tho Veteran, presumably the issue for
from others in tho Charleston Sunday
News OF the BIRD inst. makes it proper
to anticipate tho appearance OF our
contribution in Thc Vytcran, and it is
given herewith.
The C0um bia Sp0nt,cnt Of tho
Sunday News gives a ,uttCr just re-
ceivcd by Governor w. H. Ellerkc with
reference 10 the return Of 1. flag cap
tured from I. Michigan regiment,
which is us follows:
The Park, 81. Louis, Michigan,
April II, 1899.
Lieut.. y. II. Lackir, Detroit, Michi-
gan-My Dear Lackie: Your very in
tcrCstlng favor OF the 9th instant is
just received. In relation 70 the State
co!ors OF the lGsi,, Itst III Gaincs's Mill,
Va, taken Dy Col Jcukins, Of the lst
South Carolina SharnshuoJcrs, ji'ai-
mctto,) 1t would Ue most crafty ing to
the regiment could they DC rcturDcd TO
tho association, and by that body
turned in to inc adiutant generals
Oilicc, at such Gm" as ihc association
should designate. IN ?roforc, as pres
Idcnt at SiXtcUrth Regiment
Michigan Infantry Veteran Volun
you, in It's behalf, tc enter into cor
rcsp0nucncc with tho South Carolini.
authorities with this end in Wow.
Please give it yOnr Immediate attcn-
ton. am very trnly yours,
EDWARD HILL,
Late Lt., Col. 10Th Regt, Mich. Inf.
Vet. Vols Brit Cot. u. S. Vo.s.
This letter is followed by another Of
considerable lcugth from MIR. Lackic.
in which he portrays the incident at
Gaines Mill from tue standpoint of a
Federal, and the facts in the main arc
correctly stated. His story is as fol-
lows
DETROIT, MICI,, April Is, 1899.
TO his EXcoilcncy, William II.
Ellerbc, Governor Of thc State Of South
CarOlina-Sir ! have the honor Of
addressing your ExceiIcncy on sub.
jcct the imn1rtance Of which you will
find in the enclosed letter OF Col.
Edward Hill, secretary OF the Butter
held Association, com posed Of the fol-
lowing infantry regiments OF veteran
volunteers, 18th, 44th and 18th New
York, 10Th Michigan, SD Pennsylvania
ana 10Th Maine, Gen. Daniel Butter.
field, president. The 10th Michigan,
originally known as Stockt tons lst
organized at Camp Backus, Detroit,
Mich, by Col. II. w. B. Stockton, OF
FLINT, Mich. Undor direct authority
from the Secretary OF War, before it
left Detroit for the scat OF war, the
ladies OF Detroit, through Mrs. Charles
Il. Dunks and her daughter, Mrs. IL. ~.
elliott, presented TO Stockto rcgi-
mcnt a superb flag Of finest blue silk,
inscribed thereon S ockton's Indcpcn-
dent Rrgimcnt. The State arms on
one side and on the reverse the arms
on which was the motto, Stand by
the Union"
AT the battle Of Gaincs's Mill, Va,
Juno y, 1862, this nag was captured by
Col. NJ. Jenkins Palmetto Sharp
shooters, un"cr the following cIrcum-
9'"hccs Late in The evening Of that
U"y inc Confederate army until then
Ta" oeen unable TO break our lines.
,""u IcHans wore thrown TO the
rom u yen fltz John pOrtcr's left
centre NNartlndalc's brigauc) rush.
ing against it like IL forbade. brat !,
oHGk ana swept along with it the rirhl
OF buttcrlclu's brigade. Tb;s r;,ts1,
being The extreme left OF porter's 1inn
StocKt0n's ,cgimcnt UGth) tho left ~
the brigade, the latter being nov
forced back, formed " new front on Its
original right iIank. StoCkton's brigade
wa, rallied by Major Norman r.. Wolch
and advanced back 10 it, original posi-
ton. w ,aw Is brigade advancing
aCrCa the plateau ~ II TO strike Oul
brigade ON It's left HANK. This brigade
proved 10 be Gen, r. II. Nndors0n's )
commanded by Col. Nj. Jenkins. Majo
Wclch gave Che command, "ltgh
face, HIe JghJ, march ~ Passing dow
the incline until y" formed juno