The National tribune., 1903-07-16

Moines, Iowa, May 21, fDO2. 1 was re-
Quested to relate the particulars of the
planting of the Pea Ridge Flag upon
the rebel works at Vicksburg, May %.
1868, and how and by whom it was
brought away. The followingis the story,
in more concise form and with some emen-
dations. that l recountedCat Des Moines:
Conflicting stories, oraband written, re-
garding the Vicksburg incident have been
going the rounds. l am expected to tell
the true story. Two questions have been
asked How far was the Pea Ridge
Memorial Flag advanced at VickSburgy'
Did the members of the Color Guard do
their full duty in carrying, protecting, and
rescuing it from position of imminent
reril?" In other words, did the guard
bring the flag off under fire to Il safe dis
tancc. or did they forsake the glorious EN-
blem. leaving it to be rescued by Adjt
Granger? The second question involves
the honor of the guard. l think ! can
answer that question so satisfactorily
that history will not dishoncr any worthy
soldier. | shall mention some reasons why
conflicting and untrue stores are eXtant:
Many of the actors in that tragedy before
IrVicksburg have not compared notes. Some
of them have seldom, if ever. met in Re
union, where there is reviviscence of
fading memories.
Mans vision in battle, as elsewhere, is
limited. In reproducing battle scene,
we find it necessary to intermingle the
observations of many witnesses. ms
campfire has already thrown some new
light upon the picture of the pea Ridge
Flag" at Ficksburg.
Exciting events have different effect
upon men of unlike tempcraments. 1t Is
n disparagement to some men to say that
their hearts were in their throats when
they rushed from the she.terinG hillside
to the summit. appearing suddenly in full
view of the Confederates, and that they
then thought of little else than waging
war with bullet and bayonet, forgetting
| line and leader in the effort to get there"
Officers and Color Guard had duties to
perform that diverted their minds from
personal consideration, and which We're
peculiarly conducive to presence OF minh,
enabling them to observe contingencies and
act promptly and intellgently. In battle
some men get sick and others become rat
tied. Such men are too much confused
to correctly note the rapid shifting of
troops and the nnumerable tragic scenes
around them. Men like Elson, Sergeant
of the Guard, are of an entirely different
nature. In the presence of danger they
are Ierfcctly COOL their minds clear. This,
permit me to say. was the effect upon me
when we rushed from the hillside conceal
nrent to the works. 1t was repetition
of the calm exhiaration / had enjoyed in
the storm of shot and shell at Pea Ridge
before which our beloved Capt. Dripps
an! many other fearless comrades went
| down. We have been called "The Bloody
Ninth" Pea Ridge was the first chap
ter of the long serial story.
If q man has accurate perception, sound
Judgment. unselfsh purpose, and n good
memory, he is an invaluable witness in
the reproduction of battle scene. Wha,.
ever holds the undivided attention, if for
| moment only, makes deep impression
on the tablet of memory, This undivided
attention was not possible to all in the
confusion of conflicting emotions in the
stress of battle. The memory, is treacher-
GUS Some mems observation of battle
event. correct at the time, soon faded from
| recollection. III
Like the snow fake on the river,
A moment there, then gone forever
We are reminded of this fact every time
| we meet in Reunion. li:-
When a man can produce nnchallenged
writings in evidence, his story becomes
| pretty well authenticated. Il have no
doubt that most of the survivors who fol-
lowed the flag in the assault at Vicks-
burg wrote an account of it to their home
people soon after it occurred. Prob
ably many of those letters, and some
diaries, have been preserved in their fami-
lies and by their friends as precious me
mentoes. Lately ! have searched for.snch
writings, but in vain. If any comrade has
such, or knows of them, touching the for
tunes Of the pea Ridge Flag OH that
day. May %, 1863, he will confer favor
upon the surviving members of the 9th
Iowa by informing Col. Abernethy where
they may be consulted. My own diary
and some letters of that period are open
to inspection.
MYTHS, FACTS AND FICTION.
Soon after the assault was made, q
story appeared in a Dubuque paper to the
effect that CorpI Crawford, Of the Color
Guard, native Of that city, carried the
flag upon the breastworks; that while
rebel held the staff the Corporal tore of
the flag and brought it away amid
storm of missiles. That laudatory story,
ascribng to me glory undeserved, was
a myth, pure and simple. 1t amused me,
however, and prompted me to mentally ex-
claim, "such is history as it is writ
The following extracts from circular
issued in the Winter of 1863'64, authors
name not given, / read with amazement
and Indignation. The object OF the circu-
lar was to induce friends of the regiment
to contribute money for the second flag
The absurdities in the extracts given arc
laughable.
regiment, and stood two hours within ~
feet of the enemy's guns"
During the assault, which was so
bloodily repulsed, our Color Bearer got
on top of the enemy's works, ard, being
a little ahead of the boys who Were clam
bering up the acclivity, he stuck the flag
staff firmly into the ground and cheered
the men on to protect it. The brave fell |
low was shot down on the spot, and our
charging party. was almost annihilated |
Just under the Notifications the boys were |
sheltered from the fire, and, as they stood
there, they saw to their dismay the flag |
waving above them, n few feet from the
enemy's sharpshOoters. Certain death |
would seem to be the fate of any man,
from either side, who should approach it, |
our wounded Color Bearer lying beside |
1t. Our Adjutant, Granger, seeing it, ex-
claimed that lie would recover it or be |
riddled with balls. He crawled to the
place where the staff was standing, pulled |
it quickly out of the ground, stripped the |
flag from it, thrust it into the bosom of |
his coat, and seizing the staff by one |
end, dragged it after him down the hill, |
on the full run, amidst q perfect storm of |
bullets. He escaped untouchgd. The gal |
liant Color Bearer is rapidly, recovering, |
This pyrotechnic account must have |
been written long after The fight. 1 have
learned here to-day that the writer was |
miles away with either the Commissary |
department Or the pioneers Who of us |
would aarTha rayiuapk fo tvvo