Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-10
#iseelAueulls geading.
FLAGS OF THE CoNFEDERACY.
Captured Banners Now Neatly Stor-
ed In a Clean Room.

Captured Banners Now Neatly StOr-
ed In a Clean Room.
Since the wave of excitement which
swept over the country when Cleve-
land broached the subject Of return
ing the captured flags Of the Confed-
eracy these colors have reposed in the
top of the war department. Year by
year they have grown dustier, resting
undisturbed. Recently one Of the Of
ficials inaugurated thorough clean
ing up Of the garret in which the flags
were kept. The dirt Of summers was
swept out, and now in clean and tidy
array there reposes group Of hun
dreds Of banners, each furled around
it's staff and all resting against the
whitewashed walls Of the tiny room at
the war department. Against the side
of the wall nearest the door are many
Of those once taken by the Confeder-
ates; but recaptured and sent to the
department. The great number COM
prises those which once led the Con-
along the length Of the room.
In this array there are 160 flags, thir-
teen having been captured from Ala
bama regiments, six from Arkansas,
seven from Florida, twenty-five from
Georgia, five from Louisiana, one from
Kentucky, eleven from Mississippi.
twenty-nine from North Carolina,
eight from South Carolina, five from
Tennessee, four from Texas, and fifty
four from Virginia.
Among the most famous standards
is a Confederate battle flag Of the 18th
Georgia volunteers, which was captur-
ed by Burnside's men from those of
Longstreet at the attack on Fort Saun-
der's, Tenn, In November, 1868. Then
there is the flag which was borne by
one of Gen. Heth's regiment; the flag
of one of Gen. Gordon's regiments; a
banner taken from South Carolina
regiment at the battle Of Antie-
tam, in September, 1862; flag cap
tured at Malvern Hill, in July, 1863, by
Pennsylvania volunteers. This stand
ard was taken after a most desperate
conflict, in which the Carolinians
made a fort of the bodies Of their dead
and fought like tigers from behind the
human barricade.
Other interesting relics are the flag
of the Sumter Flying artillery, which
was captured by Clusters men; the
standard taken by Sheridan's forces
from the 9Th South Carolina infan-
try; the garrison flag Of the Citadel
Of Charleston, S. c.; garrison flag OF
Fort Mcultrie, Charleston harbor, and
the flag Of the I'd Virginia brigade.
The only banner the whole history
of whose capture is known is that
once borne by the 18th Virginia, which
was taken by George J. Shapp, Com
pany E, 191st Pennsylvania volunteers.
Shapp was on the skirmish line, and,
seeing that the Confederates were raj
lying in force about their colors, he
sprang forward with dismounted cav
alryman as a comrade, both eager to
capture the banner Of the enemy. The
rebels shot the cavalryman dead, but
Sharp seized the colors just as their
bearer fled before the onset Of the Fed
eral force.
Just what has become of the flags
taken by Uncle Sam in his various
wars would be interesting reading. or
those captured during the Revolution
ary war there Is no record; but a rev
flags taken from the British In 1872
were sent to the Military academy at
West Point.
After the treaty Of peace in 1s4S,
President Polk ordered that the flags
and colors taken from the enemy IN
the war with Mexico be deposited also
at West Point.
From the beginning to the end OF
the civil war the generals commanding
the Federal forces sent OF to WASH
ington al colors, flags and standards
taken from the enemy. Among these
were 236 flags recaptured from the Con-
federates and 544 Confederate flags,
making 7SO flags in all. Many were
returned to the captors at their re-
quest, but the great majority are now
stored in the war department, and fur-
ther gifts OF them will not be made
Washington Post.