New-York tribune., 1902-02-16

of the Connecticut Society sons OF the american
Revolution.
The Rev. Charles Dixon. Of Britain, was
Chaplain of the 18th Connecticut Regiment He
Is now past eighty years old. and Is on the super
snnuated list Of the New-York East Methodist
Conference He was captured with his regiment
al Plymouth y. c. on April %. 1864. and was i'm
prisoned with a large number Of Union officers AZ
Milan. Ca the enlisted men Of the regiment hav
ing been taken TO Andersonville. On July T. 1854.
the Union officers in the Milan prison arranged
for celebration OF the day. and Chaplain Dixon
vss assigned TO offer prayer for President Lin
coin He had not uttered half dozen sentences
Of his prayer before he was ordered by the Con-
federate officer in charge OF the prison TO desist
With z fash Of inspirati ton. the his knees
stopped articulation and for ten minutes went
with the prayer in pantomime. making most
effective scene The Confederate officers. not less
than the Union prisoners, we're spellbound by its
simplicity and earnestness and by the realistic
nature Of his pantomime. which easily inter
preted. This Union chaplain praying for Presi-
dent Lincoln in a Confederate prison Is an Eng
hshman by birth. He is one Of the oldest veterans
q the state. but has rot lost any OF the en-
thusissm or faith that sgnalized his life in the
Milan prison. He is d regular attendant at the
meetings of the association
The c0Iors Of the 18th Regiment torn from
the staf At Plymouth y G.. 70 prevent their
falling !nro the hands Of the Confederate army.
and we're distributed in small remnants among the
men before the capitUlaJion Of the garrison. The
fsgsta1s were buried under the breastworks.
Colonel John H Burnham. who was in command
Of the regiment. ordered the flags TO be brought
70 him while there was tremendous fire Of grape
and canister pouring into the Union forces from
one Of the aDtured forts. II at that moment
that they torn from the staff and carried
across the field. which under hot fire. TO
Colonel Buruhan and Adjutant John r. Clapp.
both Of this city and both dead. The flags
were carried by Color Sergeant Francis Latimer
and Color Corporal ira F. Forbes. The latter.
OF the best known newspaper men Of Hartford is
how tho only survivor Of the episode. After he
saved his own flag, Corporal Forbes went back
and brought in the colors Of the l0lst Pennsyl-
.yania Regiment which were called for by the
officers Of that command. The Connecticut flag
Was carried ir dimnutive strips by the captured
men through their confinement Ia the Anderson
vile, Charleston and Florence s. c. prisons For
The great battle flag parade in Hartford in 1873
ihe pieces remaining from the old flag that had
been saved Plymouth were gathered together
rom the surviving prisoners Of war, and made
INTO shield and placed on white silk flag
heavily trimmed with gold fringe. The shreds Of
ne cd colors thus gathered now permanently
RESTING in the battle flag oorrIdor Of the Capitol
Where they attract even more attention than the
haes that show the effects OF riddling shot and
eael in open battle.
the new president Of the association. Samuel X
sfsuidirg, of Putnam is Of the best known
9asiness me- Of Eastern Connecticut He was
member Of the 18th Regiment Of this State ono
y rs fellow townsmen, Major Jerome Tourtel-
40ue IS member Of the association and
vas member Of General Joseph r. Hawley's
'egiment the 7th ard captured in the
sauH On Fort Wagner He had reached the para
peI when he was dangerously wounded and fell
INTO the hands Of the enemy. He is member Of
sle General Assembly and treasv-er Of the Putnam
Savings Bank
'oan " Loomls. Of the .Etna Life Insurance
-'npany, Of this city. also captured with the
-'a Regiment at Plymouth and was in the prisons
= Andersonyilie Charleston and Florence When
-e hfst thousand prisoners were sent from Flor
- - 70 be exchanged al Savannah, in November
- Sergeant Loomis who had been selected for
e exchange. surrendered his place for the benefit
y ms cousin. who dying in the stockade.
major George O. Whitney. OF this city, was also
i'h Connecticut man, and shared the fate OF
ne regiment al Plymouth. he was one OF the
sDuhgest in the regiment and had been
,Hioogh the battles Of Antietam and Fredericks-
's before he nineteen years old. He Is
- secretary Of the regimental association, under
lHe Presidency OF Colonel Frank w. Cheney
=, manchester the head OF the silk manufactur-
"in OF Cheney Brothers Major Whitney has
- lor most OF his business life connected with
rottIratt & Whitney Company. OF which his
e1' amos Whitney. was one Of the founders