The National tribune., 1903-08-20
FLAG ON COURT HOUSE.
Entering vicBsburg-Honors Claimed by the
45th Ill.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: AS to
what regiment first entered the city Of
Vicksburg" on July i. 1868, is now getting
to be More interesting, and the facts may
be brought out and settled, for some are
now getting walked up, who were there in
person, in the line Of duty, and do not
quote Rebellion Records as against living
witnesses with hat and boots on, who do
not even qualify their statements with ito
the best of my knowledge and belief" etc.
but give incidents in confederation.
Comrade J. 2. Jones, of Sheldon, Mo-,
gives testimony that is worthy of notice,
if he had not overdone it and claimed that
"the flag of the 45th III. was placed over
the Court House." and do not think there
is any comrades outside of the 45th Ill.
who will uphold his claim as against Adj't-
Gen. Clark's statement that 1T was our
headquarters flag that first foated there,
placed by Gen. Strong's party" The 45th
Ill. flag over the Court House would look
like handkerchief on a stick in COMPARE
son to Gen. McPherson's headquarters
flag, which was certainly very appropriate
for the occasion, and big enough for the
boys of the Seventeenth Corps to all rally
round it. and claim their rights to stand
up and be counted in favor of Gsn.
Strong putting the flag on the Court
House.
No, comrades of the 45th ILL.,, you must
haul down the flag as quickly as you can,
for Gen. Leggett's report does not help
you out in the matter. He says: My brl-
gade, led by the 45th H., was honored with
the privilege of being the first to enter the
garrison, and the flag Of the 45th Ill. the
first to float over the conquered city.
We had been fighting for about two
months for the line of works around
Vicksburg-and there was where the gar
risen" was, and not in the city-and as
soon as he crossed the works lie center
ed the garrison" and the flag of the 45th
would be ''the first to float over the con-
uuered city," for it was inside of the
works, and they did not have to go to the
Courthouse to be 'hOnOred," and their
flag did not float over the Courthouse, :"
or else Gen. StrOng's party and Gen. Nc
PhersOn's flag is still myth.
If COmrade Jones gets into trouble with
the boys in claiming too much in his pos
tive way, he has himself only to blame,
and it might put discredit on his other
claims and testimony in the case.
We do not wish to steal any thunder"
nor claim any hOnors that are due to the
45th Pa, for they did excellent service,
and I have slight claim to be connected
with them, for Gen. John e. Smith was
their Colonel, and l was PrOvost-Marshal
on his staff from Savannah to Raleigh.
AS to Comrade c. w. FulfOrd. VIM
bleton. N. Oak, / can tell him
that Col. Sanborn was not following any
body. during the two hours that we We're
marching and waiting (halting) over the
two miles of road from camp to and
through the city to the Courthouse Square,
and l did not see any troops at the Court
house.
Now, comrades. there are some acts and
incidents of our lives that we can remem-
Der 40 years ago just as plain as though
they happened only week ago, and that
4th of July morning surrender. and that
ride into the city by the side of Col. Tour
tellotte, on that bright and beautiful af-
ternOon, is as fresh and plain to me as
though it happened yesterday.
1 agree with the 45th boys that they
went over the works in the forenoon, and
into camp or bivOuac somewhere, and if
they then Scattered out to see the sights
and meet the 4th MINI. boys at the Court
house in the afternoon. hOnOrs would seem
to be about evenly divided; for we stayed
less than an hour and then went back to
our old camp in the ravine, and on the
9th inst. moved in for good, and duty.
Now, comrades, any of You that were
there and can remember anything on either
side of this controversy, should stand up
and be counted, and state it. so that we
can get at the facts, for future history.
Please do not quote Rebellion Records
without you have some positive knowledge
to cOrrOborate them, for enough has al
ready been quoted in The National Trib-
une that bears on this. and l have been
flooded with personal letters, all quoting
the Records-and one of them was %
page one which seemed to be trying to
prove to me that was not there at all.
Extracts from old letters. or Il diary,
that was written July 4, 'G3, is good evil
dence, and l shall quote some if | come
again. COmrade Il. B. Reese, 50th Ind.
New Cumberland, Ohio, i'll late issue, tells
us that some u or IS years ago he called
Gen. Logan's attention to the question of
Col Sanborn's Brigade being the first
troops to the Courthouse, and that Logan
gave it his emphatic Endorsement.
AS Gen. Logan was ranking Division
Commander in the Seventeenth Corps, and
commander of the post. his report might
hurt the claims of the 45th boys and make
them wish that they had kept still and not
claimed two honors. when there We're 9TH
crs who had done their share in well doing
Who remembers Logan's letter to Reese,
or will we have to call on the editor to
look over the old files and republish it,