Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-11
CAPTURED (?) C0L0RS
HOW A GALLANT COLONEL TOOK \
CONFEDERATE FLAG
FROM THE HANDS OF A LITTLE GIRL.
A Companion Mortii ed--uOw He
Manifested the Fact-t Tribute TO
winnie DnyIs-A Poem of welcome
Read at Reunion.
o The Editor Of the pIspateh:

TO the Editor OF the Dispatch
read with interest IA the paper OF
last week The capture % OF a hag Of The
Petersburg Grays. and 50 determined tc
write this story, hoping It may reach the
eyes OF some Of the persQns concerned.
After the battle OF Manassas many OF
the wounded were brought TO the little
village Of Warrenton. My mother owning
n large house. opened It's doors Us hos
piial. Among those brought 10 the house
was a beautiful boy, just l., and mortally
wounded. With him was magnificent
Yankee flag. captured by him from a
Pennsylvania regiment. | wish l could re-
member its number. The gallant Yankee
who bore It was killed, and the Texas
boy was dying. All was done that was
possible TO save his life, but he fingered
only few days. His hast @ish was tlat
che flag should be sent 10 his father; but
how was it 10 be gotten there? The little
village was disputed ground. one week
our men were there. the next the eneHly
was in possession. The houses Were
searched every time the Yankees came
in.
The flag was sewed up in a feather bed,
and after many months young cousin
who was going across the lines, wore
1t. tied under her skirts, and delivered 1t
90 an aunt Of the boy who lived in Pc
tersburg. II was packed away in trunk
and at the fall Of that city the trunk
and contents We're captured. Some time
after the war the father of the boy deter
mined 60 come to Warrenton 10 take the
remains OF his son home; they having
been buried In the family lot. stopping
in hotel in Galveston he walked in his
s.evp out of a second-story window, and
my recollection is that he died from his
injuries. At any rate. we never heard
from him. and the soldier boy sleeps wei
by the side of the woman who so faith
fully nursed him. After her death among
her treasures were found u curl Of
brown hair, ana on the paper was writ
ten;
James r.. Z. Harris. Fifth Texas Reg
iment. died September 1852, Of wound
received at the second battle of Manas-
sas: aged II"
That same fall, as Burns!de's army
came into the little town, a flag was
captured CO without bloodshed. My
mother always closed her lpuse and
would not allow myself and hrue, sister
q 10 and she - TO be seen looking from
the window. But that day the music and
the soldiers with their fine horses was
too much for our patriotism, so we stole
away and went a little up the street with
sssefal other girls to the porch Of Il
neighboIs Feeling, l suppose, that we
must show our loyalty To the Confedo-
Iacy, my little sister placed a COnfede-
pa.e flag. about ashnger long, in her hat.
Suddenly there was call 90 halt ana
a gallant colonel advanced on his horse
10 the sidewalk and demanded the flag.
This little girl ran in doors, declaring
be Should not have it. The gallapt col
onel then said that unless it was sur
rendered he would search the house
went in and made my sister come out
with the flag. In a most defiant manner
she stepped towards tho oAioer, saying:
Here Is the nag. Go home and tell that
you captured this nag from little rebel
girl. You never could SGT one from a
rebel soldier. and # J had been I'm my
own house pointlng across the streeO
you would not have il now"
I remember now how her eyes flashed
and her little foim quivered.
The gallant commander gave the order
10 march. That night the whole Of Nc
Clellan's army went into camp just out
eide of the town. In the evening an
officer and his orderly rode up to my
mothers house, diemOunted, ana asked
81 the little girls whu had surrendered
their fiag lived there. We were dread
fully frightened but my mother going
out TO receive him. called us. lie came
forward and with a bow said: Young
ladies, l witnessed the scene across tine
street this morning. ana was so mortified
that have come TO bring a peace Offering
and TO ask IL the little girl will make
me little fiag," and with that he called
his orderly, and gave us several large
bundles of oranges and candy, saying:
81 will call for my flag in the morning"
which he did. leaving photograph
which l treasure among my war relics.
on the back is written: "TO the pretty
little girl who so kindly presented me
with a small flag with good. Wishes
Truly. James l.. Bates" ! wish his COM
mand had been attached, but am sure
II was Il Massachusetts regiment
The little rebel girl is dead, the older
sister hopes that this true story may
amuse some little eirl, or. may be, some
veteran, Ike herself. J. II. w. II.
E.x