Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-05-09
HISTORIC BATTLE FLAG.
Battle Scared Emblem of Mexican War
for MissiSsippi's State House.

for Mississippls State House.
The department of archives ana his
tory at Jackson, Miss, is mach elated
over the discovery of a most interesting
rene of the Mexican War in the shape
of the historic flag of the First MisSis-
slppl regiment, commanded by Col JET
tersoA bavis. This battle-scarred en-
bIen Of the yalor and heroism of Mis-
sISslppIs brave sons in the Mexican
Var has been located in Texas, and the
department Will make every effort 40 get
It for the museum of historical relics TO
De established in the new capitol.
lie nag has been guarded as a sacred
thing for The last fifty-SeYen years in the
family of George W. Campbell. the gallant
ensign who bore it ON the bloody fields
where the regiment of Col. Davis saw
heroic service. Its story is fraught with
the deepest historic interest to the people
of mississippi, especially at this time.
when they are consummating the deal
for Beauvoir as an everlasting memorial
to Jefferson Davis.
This flag was the flag of the ''Tombig-
bee Volunteers" a company which was
organized at Columbus by Alexander X .
McClung in the summer of 1916, and ITS
ranks were filled with the youth and
chivalry of Lowndes and Monroe coun-
ties.
On the day of the departure of this
company from Columbus the Tombigbee
olunteerS assembled at the residence of
Maj. Thomas Blewitt for the purpose of
receiving from the hands of the fair
daughter of this old Southern home Il
beautiful silk flag, the handiwork Of the
ladies' of Columbus. The flag was re
ceiVed by Ensign George W. Campbell,
who pledged that it should be honored
and protected even unto the sacrifice of
life, If need be, pledge which was aft
erward faithfully kept.
After leaving Columbus the company
rendezvoused at Nicksburg, and was mus
tered into the service of the United
States as n part of the famous First
MISSISSIPPI Regiment. On the OrganiZa-
ton of the regiment Alexander X. Me
Chung was elected lieutenant colonel and
W. Z. Rodgers of Aberdeen succeeded
him as captain of the Tombigbee Nolun-
teers. The flag of this company became
by common consent the flag of the regi-
ment. 1t was triumphantly borne
through the war, and at the battle OF
Monterey was twice shot from the hands
of the brave color sergeant, George W.
Campbell.
At Buena Vista it proudly flung its
folds to the breeze and bid defiance to
the foe when the line of the First lis
slssippi was ordered to move forward Mt
the rayine where the fortunes of the day
were saved to the American army hy
the brave stand it took History recor Is
that the American army was outnum-
bered five to one at Buena Vista, and
was only saved from defeat by the heroic
conduct of the first Mississippi Col.
Davis, with one of the United States en-
gineers, selected the position and formed
the regiment in the shape of the inverted
Y, and when the Mexican Lancers struck
the deadly angle they melted away like
mist.
At the first meeting of the United Con
federate Veterans at New Orleans tins
old flag was kept at headquarters and
received reyerential attention. Mrs. Da-
Wis took the deepest interest in it. and
sent her kindest regards to the noble
woman who had so safely guarded and
treasured the sacred emblem
On another occasion this old flag was
used to drape the portrait of Mr.. Davis
while a bevy of beautiful girls grouped
around it and sang the Bonnie Blue
Flag" And il was this same old flag
that draped the bier of the hero of the
lost cause when he was laid to rest at
Richmond.
The flag is now in the possession of
Mrs. Saritta Tamplet of Brenham. Tex.
a daughter of Ensign George w. Camp
bell of the First Mississippi Mrs. Tam
plet offers to sell the flag to the state Of
Mississippi, to be placed in the new
apitol.--Memphis Commercial Appeal.