Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-10-26
RENFREW AND HIS FLAG.

General Basil Duke and General
John b. Castleman have been over
whelmed with letters from old Con-
federates asking what they knew of
the story of Henry Clay Renfrew, an
ex-Confederate who carried away the
last flag of the Confederacy and es-
capped with it to the Navigator Islands,
says the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Renfrew was supposed to have been
a member of the Second Kentucky
under General Duke. A reporter called
on General Duke to learn the facts
in the case. NO" said the General.
"Renfrew's name has slipped my mem
DRY. 1 thoroughly believe the truth
of the story. The fact that his diary
shows him to have been in both the
Second and the Fourth Kentucky is
point that goes far toward establish
ing the authenticity of the tale. If it
were simply cooked-up yarn the au-
thor would never have thought to put
him in two regiments. The matter of
which flag he took must be a bit I'M
certain. You know we old Confed
crates were so busy that we could not
worry much about the flags. 1 don't
think l had a brigade flag. Renfrew
probably got his company flag, as most
"
pennon 1 have, talked to several of
my men and they say that they re-
member Renfrew perfectly He came
from somewhere near Midway. From
what they tell me he was a gallant SOL
der" The reporter then hunted up
one of the men who was a private I'M
der General Duke. "Renfrew?" ex-
claimed the old soldier. "Of course 1
remember Renfrew. He was one of
the finest fellows in the army. When
1 knew him he was about % years old
and in Bart jenkins brigade. Rem
frew, Bayless and Mosgrove were
mates. They were all college gradu-
ates and naturally drifted together in
the company. They messed together
all the time. Every one of them was
a brave soldier. Bayless now lives in
Cincinnati. l know that Renfrew was
IN that last march as one of Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis escort Most of
that last command surrendered at
Mount Sterling. Some of them, how
ever, tried to work west to join Kirby
Smith. The command split and I lost
sight Of Renfrew. Bayless of Gin
cinnati could tell all about him." The
story is to the effect that out in the
far Navigator Isle floats an old Con-
federate flag that has never been sur
rendered. And now all over the coun-
try old soldiers are rousing themselves
and overwhelming General Duke with
inquiries concerning the story of the
young Kentuckian who bravely bore
that flag, then willingly expatriated
himself rather than surrender it, -Four
years he followed it, and then, for
twenty-five more, it f1oated proudly I'M
surrendered before his hut on a little
Pacific island. Now Private Henry
Clay Renfrew, c. S. A, lies buried
in a rocky headland of that far isle.
He lies so that, rising, his face would
look toward the east, toward the land
of his youth and his love. And over
the grave of the dead soldier floats the
tattered battle flag; the stars and bSrs
for which he gave up home and friends
and all that made life tolerable. The
native who befriended him takes care
of the grave. Captain Martin Schuy-
Ter. formerly captain in the Seventh
Ohio cavalry, brought back the story
from the Philippines. He told it to
Captain T. F. Allen, also of the Sew
enth Ohio. Captain Schuyler met the
native and from him learned the story
of the flag. The native told him that
many years ago an American, who said
he had drifted along the western coast
of South America, after passing
through Mexico, settled in the Naviga-
tor Islands and lived alone. flying be-,
fore his hut a Confederate battle flag,
which he said was carried by the cav
airy escort that travelled with Jeffer-
son Davis in the last stages of his