The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-02-01
MEDAL OF HONOR.
NJ WRIGHT a. PATTERSON.

while you are doing Il be careful that the
southern amy does not get you"
Such was the permission and advice given
by the commanding officer Of company X,
First Minnesota infantry, that memorable
Sunday morning in July. 1881, upon which
occurred the disastrous battle Of Bull Run,
says the Radford Review. He was replying
to a question asked him by Serst. John q.
Merritt, Of his company.
What old soldier, who served in that real
ly first important battle Of the civil war,
cannot remember the hush Of expectancy
that spread over the army. either northern
or southern, when 1t was seen that a fight
was inevitable. II was an expectancy that
spread far beyond the armies and invaded
every northern and southern home and
heart. During that fight. and the retreat
Of the northern army that followed II, there
were probably hundreds Of incidents worthy
Of recording. hut in this little tale We pro
pose 10 follow only the fortunes Of Setgt.
Merritt, and tell Of the incidents connected
with the capture and recspture OF the hst
confederate flag that was taken during the
civil war
Serg;. Merritt had had dreams Of martial
glory; he longed for the just praise and re-
ward that comes to the soldier hero. he
himself has often admitted that. To win
this he proposed 10 capture the first con.
federate flag that presented itself within
his reach. He intended to do !, deliberately.
and securing the permission Of HE company
commander was but the hrst stcp IN. bis
elaborate plans.
History tells us many things Of the do.
inss Of the First Minnesota infantry on that
July Sunday. Among other thing It tells
rs that the regiment broke camp at the frst
blush Of dawn on that morning, and began
the march 10 the battlefield. Their route
carried t6em over ground that had been
carefully prepared by the confedcratcs, and
the men elambered over hundreds Of fallen
trees with sharpened points sticking towards
then. Sergt. Merritt wa but a spoke In q
small wheel Of a great machine: every whore
were marching men. Among ;hcm were but
few who had been trained by o discipline di
Sire. al was suppressed excitement, aud az
the un rose higher and higher IN the hcav.
en-. the strain on the mcn's nerve. became
greater.
II wa near ten O'Clock before the heavy
"boom." '"hoom." Of confederate caurgn
tod them that the battle va ~ a. last
A little later the sharp crack Of musk,tiy
warnrd them they were nsarmg the io,.
The end ~ that long wood was reached AZ
fast, and the regiment filed out into the open
field whore the men acre 90 meet their hrst
OF ihe terrible sensations q war. Wounded
and dying were sc,minF'y cv,fl where. ara
mote were constantly bciue b%four.t ia irssi
the aghtng Due. It'll somc DIET he Ia The
front. Men who had ehaftd NJ the long de-
lay in camp; n the Ions hours of seeming
g.. useless ifiii: who had gulmblcd 90 those in
authority for rot ordering an early sdygnSs
into she enony's country. sids,ned at ue
A.. sigh; before them.
Are you ready to go after tia. %corf-i.
crate hag. scig atf" Askel the company
commands. con 'is az. lie had .cyn such
sight. before iurrs Indian campaigns IN the
wet. md hsd expected Il TO take the araor
out 81 hi. young ron.cumms..oned oiicer.
jus a. .oou 81. we st within .lght VI Il,
sif." au.u red ;hc .cfseani. IT. wa a
L-aver man than HI. company commander
had given him ,r,di; iof being.
II IL iginc thI; the time will ZONE oon
now. Ia; don. be- fa.h about il. There VIII
be- more chance. ihaR this one 20 win the
CORY you are dreaming Of" The company
rommani,r va. hail cory he had given the
permission a.kci for 30 lightly. lie had
not realized the iuil depth Of the non. COM
ambition. and had though, that a sight Of
real war would apptase his afdor.
Hurri.diy the regiment was pushed for.
ward towards the right Of the brigade line,
and formed f0r battle In a rayine where
ihey were screened from the enemy's FIRE.
Then the shrill note Of the bug.e sounded
the forward" and the men advanced 4, a
rapid gait TO the top OF ihe little knoll tha,
had separated them from the enemy, line.
They were face TO face with the enemy al
last. Less than 100 yards away hoatsd the
confederate battle flag and the time for at
ton was at hand. The federal artillery were
pouring shot and shell INTO the southern
lines, and before this they were slowly aiv
ing way. HastilS summoning hs chosen
comrades, Seref. Merritt selected the col
ors he intended TO capture. and the i've Of
them started for the enemy's line. regard
lee. Of the rain Of lead that was passing.
The captain saw the move. w, too la,e,,s
cheek II.
There j. nothing that can save them
be said. "and We need brave men badh
now" .
Il was an easier task 10 reach the southern
color bearer than the captain had thought
and Sergt. Msrri.i and his companions wtr,
by his SIDE almost IN a moment
Give me that Gag and surrender, - shout
ed the sergeant, az the same time grabbing
the %colors. and, commanding the southtTr
soldier 10 follow him, he started 10 return
10 us regiment A. rapldi9 ~ poftlple'
The tack of capturing that flag that 'th'
sergean, had % long dreamed q had proven
much easi.r than he had ever thought i
would be. hut getting Il back 20 the nnioi
line. was TO be mother thing. From eth o
the confusion there rnng distinct a ,mal
volume Of musketry, and two OF the ser
geant's companions went down before II
second volley from the confederate lne
killed a third Of his companions and wound
ed the sergeant himself in'the leg, hut sill
he clung 10 the captured colors. But tn
southern soldier had much the same bloc,
IN his veins as his northern foeman, and h
followed his flag. unwilling to see ii carries
into the enemy's lines. 50.
IL was a hand.to-hand tussle, with on,
northern soldier against half dozen Of IN,
enemy, and the odds were too heavy in ia
yor Of the south. In the melee the flag as
urLled from. the sereeant's hands and tn
snnthern soldiers fell hack again to th.i
own lines. The fret confederate flag cap
tured in the war had been reesptured.
Ii is a thrilling story OF how the brav
.a.,t mad. bia way hack IN the uHtoi