Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-04
"Ir Is BUT A BIT OF RAG"
A Pretty Little story of n Confede'
rate Flag.

A Pretty Little story of a Confedc-
rate Flag.
Amid all the burst OF glory, and the
charms with which signs of victory are
surrounded there IS ofttimes note of
pathos, often sorrowful tune that
makes one halt and consider Hundreds
OF battle-f1ags. Scared and torn by
weather or shot. are carefully preserved
in the archives of a State, secure against
the ravages of time, to tell the future
generations how n0bly men fought for
that cause that wavered from Big Bethel
to AppOmattox. From 1861 TO 1865 forms
a period of time in the annals of America,
when there were thousands, If not
millions. OF armed men scattered over
the country, rallying about flags and
ready to do and die in that cause which
to them seemed best. How beautiful
the majority Of those flags were. and at
what a cost Of time and money on the
part of many patriotic women some Of
them were produced! Many an old fellow
can remember how the companies, or
the regiments, were drawn up in line to
receive these colors at the hands of
some one of these patriotic women. They
could do all that was needed in the way
of work for the benefit or glory Of their
townsmen who were going off to battle
but the presentation speeches made By
them were never long. How could they
be when their hearts throbbed with emo
ton at the time and the cause in which
they were participating. Some one Of the
officers was delegated 10 accept these
beautiful flags and promise for those with
him to do or die. and not come back ex-
cept with the flag.
Truly those were great days and be
yond compare. and the few episodes Of
the past year or two in foreign parts play
no such tune upon the heart-strngs as
do the recollections thereof. Do you re-
member how "Wll" and Jeff" went off,
and how "Blacke" and MAC" Joined the
ranks Of the boys in gray or blue? In
towns or country districts il was always
well known who was going aud when
they joined. but in the large cities we
used to wonder why the boy is not home
this evening" Mothers would anxiously !
await the next day 10 bring news OF
her absent boy Then he would come
and in all the glory of his new uniform
and the truth was out. Needless TO dilate
upon the tears that were shed, the brave
attempts of the boy at being soldierly in
his military garb. and then after few
days came the marching away, with bands
playing. and coo. or more happy, earnest
youths bound for-they knew not what
but each to do his best and follow the
flag wherever it might lead him.
Yes, to follow the fagl To what did II
not lead many a noble fellow Of North
and South? To fever, prison, sickness and
death, but all in the cause; TO field OF VIC
tory or defeat to scale the heights, with
the flag In the centre and well 20 the
fore; TO plant it behind the stone wall and
hold back everything that came, but
never took the standard; to carry 1t up
the hill with a short and the rush or at
tack, while its bearers drop off one by
one, but il never falls TO the ground
sometimes six or eight gallant fellows
going down in the one action. The flags
sun fly. amid the melee. where all is
mixed and no one can tell IL Virginia or
Pennsylvania yield, as back and forth,
the wave OF gray or blue Is driven across
the field How gayly these guidons Of the
cavalry companies flap as the squadron
trots out by tours along the dusty roads;
then, when the bugle calls. the dash for
the opposite lines. the crack OF pistol,
and the clash of sabre. Sometimes IN all
this, there is victory for one side or the
other, and the taking of so many Stands
of colors," is sent forward to the press
of the country, and this seems TO repay
the victorious party for all that part OF
the report wherein is detailed the loss OF
so many brave fellows. We read the list,
and there are the names Of some we
know: we choke a bit, as we tell the tale:
but ah the colors OF our opponent were
taken. Does II repay2 Only by those who
are intimately connected with the fallen
heroes will be question be answered In
the negative. The mother will bring out
the old tintype OF her soldier boy Win
his letters full of interest to her, breath
ing Of devotion to a cause, but she cannot
withhold the tears that fall and give re-
lief to her aching heart. Her boy VIII
not come home, but somewhere on the
hillside, or amid the thickness OF the
woods he lies with eyes of blue or brown
looking upward to Heaven, where she
will meet him.
Among the memorials OF the civil war
which are preserved at Albany. in the
Military Museum. Is a flag that was car
red by a southern company, and to all
appearances It Is homemade TO the last
degree No beautiful sllken banner, such
as the women OF the cities and towns
would subscribe for, or make themselves
OF the best materials. so that their
brothers, friends, sweethearts and others
might have a memorial OF home to re-
member their loved ones by. and to fight
under while life lasts, is the memento 10
which l refer. Nevertheless II was the
flag" and as such had its value TO those
who followed it, even though Il were made
Of homely cotton, with its stars so rudely
cut out OF white cloth and roughly stitch
ed Oh the red cross bars with coarsest
thread. All this LONELINESS tells me that
here is the emblem OF some back country
company. raised in a little hamlet among
the mountains, and how eagerly the hardy
sons rallied to the defence OF what they
considered their rights
Remember. there was valor on both
sides. of which future generations may
we'll be proud. AS has well been said OF
one particular action: IF courage was
all that a nation required. there was
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