Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1901-08-22
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FIRST UNION FLAG CAPTURED.
The Soldier Who Was Captured with
Il Still Has the Treasured
Relic.

The 6rst union flag to be captured
and the first union officer to be taken
prisoner in fight during the civil war
are in New York city. The officer is
r. N. Shurtleff, who was volunteer.
He has the flag, says the St. Louis Re-
public.
It is blood stained and torn. Hecar-
ried it while on picket duty near Hamp-
ton, Va, ON the morning of July 10,
1861, when small confederate party
lying in ambush, wounded him and an
other officer, and took them prisoners.
Mr.. Shurtleff was the first prisoner;
his brother officer, who was taken cap
tive few minutes later, died about a
year afterward; Maj. Rowlins, third
member Of the union party and war
correspondent, was killed.
The flag returned to the possession
of Mr.. Shurtletf in September, 1885. 1t
was handed over to him by Col. j. NJ.
Sandidge, leader of the confederates
who had made the attack from am
bush.
Mr.. Shurtleff was q lieutenant and
adjutant OF the Ninety-ninth New 1ork
volunteers, who were encamped In
HAMPTON, Va. Gen. Max Weber had
sent Capt. jenkins, Lieut.. Shurtletf
and three other members of the Nine
ty-ninth volunteers to reconnoiter for
confederate pickets on the night OF
July IS, 1861. The scouting party was
accompanied by Maj. Rowins.
Owing to several union scouting par
ties having fired upon union soldiers,
orders had issued from headquarters
that some member or members of ev-
cry scouting party should carry one or
more union flags, to wave in order to
prevent further mistakes. Lieut..
Shurtleff carried flag in one hand
for his party.
They iourneyed past the New Mar
ket bridge and saw in the distance the
confederate pickets. Near the bridge
John NJ. Sandidge. member of the
Charles City (va.) troop, with his son
George, another trooper named Bur-
dette Terrett and guide, saw the
union party and hid in the woods.
Sandidge was the leader of the con-
federate party. He afterward rose to
the rank of colonel in the confederate
army. He decided that he would wait
until the union party had returned
from their scouting and attack it from
ambush. Sandidge believed that the
federals might capture some confed-
crates, and that his party would be
able to rescue them.
The union party returned In the
morning by the New Market Bridge
road and came to the point where the
confederates lay in ambush. Col. San
didge gave this description Of the at
fair:
1--WE were each to pick outs man and
thus make the best use of our ammuni-
ton. At about seven o'clock they ap-
peared, the three officers abreast,
whose names, as afterward ascer-
tanned, were Maj. Rowlins, Capt. Jen-
kins and Lieut.. Shurtleff. When they
were some 20 PAGES distant We fired.
Rowiins fell, shot through the head.
ssShurtleff was wounded in the arm
and side by Terrett. Capt. jenkins,
who was third in the rank, was un-
touched, as my son George had not
fired"
Col. Sandidge then related how Capt.
Jenkins had continued fighting until
he was badly wounded in the breast.
Capt. Jenkins was not captured, how
ever, until after Lieut.. Shurtleff.
"Having reloaded my gum" con-
tinued Col. Sandidge, II returned to
Shurtleff. Aiming the weapon at him,
1 demanded the number of his party
and their whereabouts. He said they
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