The National tribune., 1902-12-11

Reverently. piOusly, in hopeful patriotism.
we unfurl this banner, as of old the bow
was spread on the cloud and with solemn
fervOr beseech God to look upon it and
make it the memorial of an ever -asting COW
cnant and decree that never again on this
fair land shall a deluge of blood prevail y
Thirty years after that new upraising
of the old flag ON Fort Sumter. on April
IA, 1895, there was a gathering in Brook
lyn. n. Y, of soldiers and sailors who
had served in war time in the vicinity of
Fort Sumter, in the finally successful ef-
fort to restore that flag to its place. Every
officer and man present had battled and
endured in the trenches Of the Sea Islands,
or had done service in the vessels of the
navy before Charleston HarbOr or off Fort
Sumter. Gen. Stewart l.. WOodford,
afterwards our Minister to Spain, presided.
That identical flag, which had been low
cred by Gen. Anderson in 1861, and
raised by him again in 1865. and which
had not afterwards been seen in public
since it was wrapped above his coffin in
1871, was once more exhibited by the favor
of Mrs. Anderson, who had it in kee ping.
1t was stretched across the platform be-
hind the patriotic speakers. Its rents
from shot and shell were more eloquent
than Cesar's gaping wounds, telling their
story by their poor, dumb mouths" 1t
was accompanied to that gathering. at the
special request Oh MIS-. lhuutfsOii, Ds HieIH-
bers of the old AndersOn's ZOuaves as a
bOdygIiard of honor. As one and another
of the officers who spoke pointed to that
old flag and reminded us all of what it had
stood for and of what it had cost in those
four years of war to restore. it to its right
full supremacy, the scene was dramatic and
impressive. All realized the worth of that
flag and the yalue of the efforts to restore
Its supremacy.
Inst hafara tba Snaatars Qaf an old
United States soldier who had battled
through the war and realized the full force
of all that was said. Being in a soldier 5
uniform, he seemed to feel that it would
be IInsoldierly to weep; but being soldier.
with soldiers heart and memories, the
tears would well up from his heart and
stream from his eyes down his furrowed
cheeks. Once they were too much for him,
as touching reference was made by a
speaker to soldiers feelings. as he
watched his flag in the hour of battle.
Quickly and furtiyely he wiped the flow
ing tears from his cheeks with small
handkerchief, which lie hid again from
sight as if half ashamed of his weakness,
and Strengthened himself as before for
duty.
That was typical scene No sight can
equal that of the old flag to an old sol
dier. 1t is so today as it was in the long
gone days of war. The sight of sights to
a veteran on any memorial occasion are
the dear old tattered battlehags. He
knows what it cost TO bring them to their
present state. To him they stand for an
imperiled and redeemed country. and for
the price of its saving. He realizes that
For every stripe Of stainless hue
And every star in the field Of blue
Ten thousand of the brave and true
Have laid them down and died"
The reyerent cry to God of his loyal
heart IL,
''Thou last given banner to them that
ear Thee,
Tia It may be displayed because of the
truth"
(T0 be continued)