The National tribune., 1902-12-04

sular campaign under Gen. Mcclellan.
a bullet shattered his right arm and the
colors fell to the ground. Snatcling them
up with his left hand, the brave boy push
ed forward undaunted until a bullet
through his chest gave him his death
| wound. Only then did he yield the charge
of the colors to a Color Corporal. who
caught them from his dying grasp.
1t WIS not an uncommon thing for a
regimental flag to have two, or four, or
even more, noble fellows fall in its up
bearing in Il single fight. In the military
museum at Albany is Il tattered flag of the
Both n. Y, on the staff of which is this
inscription: AT the last battle of Bull
Run, these cOlors fell during the engage
shot dead on the field. Thirty-six balls
passed through the Stars and Stripes, and
| the staff was shot into splinters." Such Il
| record gives point to the story of the de-
voted soldier who, catching up the falling
| colors as they went down again in a
| fight. called out heroically, "Here are two
minutes more for the old flag!' and dashed
ahead into the jaws of death.
In the first severe engagement of which
| was witness, our Color Sergeant and
one of the Color Corporals were badly
| wounded, and were borne to the rear and
laid on the ground side by side at the field
hospital. As | knelt by the Corporal his
| first words were:
Il did what | could to guard the colors,
Chaplain. I'd stand by 'em to the last
Il know you would, Corporal" / replied
You were always faithful"
Where's the regiment nOw:' he asked.
Its gone on and finished its work."
said.
Glory he cried.
| As the Surgeon told me that the Cor
poral had hut a few minutes to live.
asked him if lie had any message to send
/ to his parents.
Tell them,'' lie answered cheerily
that | gave my life for liberty, and
only wish | could give another"
Just then the Ma ior Of the regiment
made his appearance. the battle being over,
At once the wounded Sergeant called to
me:
Chaplain, there's the Major: won't you
ask him if the cOlors are safe?''
The colors We're first in the thoughts OF
| their soldier guardians, at the front and ai
| the rear.
Pat 'otism. loyalty, devotion, centered in
! the fl: as Il symbol. as it could not. in the
natuI Of things, center in anything else
Soldi came TO love and honor the fiag
above all other visible objects. They look
ed at it in battle as that for which they
must be willing to die. They looked at il
in quieter times as that which had theil
hearts affection, for which they had al
ready done so much, and for which they
| We're willing to do yet more. The very
sight of it was a call to heroism, and nj
inspiration to noble thoughts and deeds
The formal bringing of the colors to theil
place in the line, at parade or review
was a ceremony that never lost its power
through familiarity. 1t grew in impress
siveness with the growing experience o.
soldiers in army service. 1t intensified
the sacredness of their guide and theil
charge.
HOME on VETERAN FURLoUGH.
When the re-enlisted veterans Of th,
10th Conn. and the oath Mass. We're goin;
North at the same time from st. Angus
tine on their veteran furlough." there
was a lively scene at the pier where la,
the two transports that We're to take then
to Hilton Head for new start homeward
Those who were to go were eXchangin:
hearty farewells with those who were t,
stay; for even brief absence in war time
involved peculiar possibilities, and was ex
ceptionally impressive. Residents of the
old Spanish city were also present to bic
goOd-by to their friends or to watch til,
veterans depart. All seemed absorbed il
each others words and ways as they chat
ted merrily together, crowding the read 0
the pier, when the sound of drums anC
hfes coming up the street called the at
tention Of ALL
Permission had been granted the veter
ans of the oath Mass. to take with then
one stand of their regimentaI colors Oh
their veteran furlough, and these were
now being borne to the transport under q