The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-03
HISTORICAL BATTLEFLAG.


Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The Department of Archives and History
at Jackson. Miss. is much elated over the
discovery of a most interesting relic of the
Mexican war In the shape of the historic
flag of the First Mississippi Regiment.
commanded by Col. Jefferson Davis. This
battle-scarred emblem of the valor and
heroism of Mississippi's brave sons in the
Mexican war has been located in Texas,
and the department will make every effort
to get it for the museum of historical relics
to be established in the new Capitol.
The flag has been guarded as a sacred
thing for the past fifty-seven years in the
family of George w. Campbell. the gallant
ensign who bore 1t on the bloody fields
where the regiment of Colonel 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 Beau
voir as an everlasting memorial to Jeffer-
son Davis.
This flag was the flag of the '"Tombigbee
Volunteers" company which was organ
lied al Columbus by Alexander X. McClung
in the summer of 1916, and its ranks were
filled with the youth and chivalry of
Lowndes and Monroe counties.
On the day of>the departure of this COM
pany from Columbus the Tombigbee Volun-
Thomas Blewitt for the purpose of receiv-
ing from the hands of the fair daughter
of this old Southern home beautiful silk
flag, the handwork of the ladies of Colum-
bus. The flag was received by Ensign
George w. Campbell who pledged that 1t
should be honored and protected even unto
the sacrifice of life If need be, pledge
which was afterward faithfully kept.
After leaving Columbus the company
rendezvoused at Vicksburg and was mus
tered into the service of the United States
as part of the famous First Mississippi
Regiment. On the organization of the reg
iment Alexander h. McClung was elected
lieutenant colonel, and w. p. Rodgers, OF
Aberdeen, succeeded him as captain of the
Tombigbee Volunteers The nag OF this
company became by common consent the
flag of the regiment. 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 Mississippi was
ordered to move forward at the ravine
where the fortunes of the day were saved
to the American army by the brave stand
it took History records that the American
army was outnumbered five to one at Bue-
ma Vista, and was only saved from defeat
by the heroic conduct of the First Missls-
sippi. Colonel Davis, with one of the
United States engineers, selected the posi-
ton and formed the regiment in the shape
of the inverted ", 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 this old
flag was kept at headquarters and received
reverential attention. Mrs. Davis took the
deepest interest in Ii, and sent her kindest
regards to the noble woman who had sc
safely guarded and treasured the sacred
emblem.
On another occasion this old flag was
used to drape the portrait of Mr.. Davis
while bevy of beautiful girls grouped
around it and sang the Bonnie Blue Flag.
And it was this same old flag that draped
the bier of the hero of the lost cause wher
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. Campbell, OF
the First Mississippi. Mrs. Tamplet offers
to sell the flag to the State of Mississippi
to be placed in the new Capitol.