The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-03-15
The First Rebel Flag.

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the United States Revenue Steamer
Harriet Lane, cast off from her
moorings at the Navy yard, Wash
ington City, and steamed rapidly
down the beautiful Potomac river.
She had on board as passengers a
party made up of Southern congress
men and other Southern gentlemen,
and a number of government officials
with a large number of ladies and
the famous Marine Band.
The steamer was on a secret mis-
sion down the river and probably
most of the passengers would go to
Richmond as big meeting was be-
ing held there in order to'fire the
Southern heart" and thus aid in ov-
empowering the Union sentiment
and carry the state for secession.
The party on board was evidently
a very merry one as mingled with
the strains of the fine martial music
were the sounds of dancing feet and
much gay laughter and conversation.
As the steamer drew near Alexan-
dria, Va, the wharves, landings and
nearby streets were packed with an
immense crowd of people who were
eagerly watching her approach.
The steamer shaped her course
to pass close in by the wharves and
as she did so the band struck up the
Bonny Blue Flag, then the great fav-
orite with all secessionists as the
Southern Marseillaise. This was
the signal for the crowds on shore
to all go crazy mad at once. Never
till then had the writer heard such
yelling and shouting from the throats
of thousands of men, women and
children and at this moment the
Harriet Lane, that had displayed no
colors previously, now suddenly ran
up to her gaff large strange flag;
the people apparently, tried to re-
double their efforts at acting crazy,
and women tainted, children scream
ed and old and young men embraced
each other with tears streaming down
their faces.
Hats, bonnets, shawls and coats
were thrown up in the air and fall
ing were trodden underfoot of the
excited crowds and to add to the
scene, the Alexandria battery fired
a salute of fifteen guns over the heads
of the people. The Harriet Lane
at last slowly moved away from the
wharves, and increasing her speed,
resumed her course down the river,
still flying the strange flag and watt
ing back the strains of the "Bonny
Blue Flag" to the crowds who still
fingered for hours before they calm
ed down sufficiently to return to
their homes. Little did they realize
then that their mad actions were the
Inauguration of the most bloody
and costly war of modern times.
This strange flag, for the first time
displayed publicly, in that part of
the state and SO near the capital of
the nation, was a large silk banner
with one broad band of white run
ming lengthwlse through the middle
of red field. In the upper corner,
near the staff, was a blue field
containing a circle of fifteen white
stars. This, as stated, was the first
exhibition of a rebel flag in those
parts and perhaps in the state of
Virginia. Hundreds of similar flags
were made and in the possession of
secessionists but they had been kept
secretly and only exposed to the
admiring gaze of friends as all seem
ingly, lacked the courage to public
ly display them.
The next day was "hag day" in
the town and hundreds of these, big
and little, were brought out from
their hiding places and raised over
the buildings of the town. The I'm
ion people also brought out"Old
Glory" and spread IT denantly TO the
breeze of the heavens, while they
watched its handsome folds and
bright rays with many a heartfelt
prayer for its success and safety
through the dark day that was then
dawning.
The bold display from the gait of
a United States steamer, of the
first rebel flag, was a strange COM
mentary on the loyalty and patriot
ism of the government officials at
that time. One of the rebel flags
was raised by its landlord over the
old Marshall House, on King street
and 1t foated day and night until
torn down by Col. Ellsworth, and
his hfe's blood dyed the flag a deep
er red as'he was passing down the
stairs of the hotel, and Jackson, who
had fred the fatal shot, was himself
riddied with bullets by Col. Els
worth's soldiers.
The war had commenced,