The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-08-26
RATTLE FLAGS FOR REUNION.
Reminders of Stirring Times to F1ut-
fer i'm the Mountain Breezes While
the Men i'm Gray March co Music OF
Fife and Drum.
Especial 20 Raleigh Post.)

1A SSN
Asheviiie. y. c., Aug. 22--During the
parade OF the veterans here mex Wees
at the time Of the reunion of the he
roes of the lost cause' there will be a
number Of old battle flags. flags under
which the noble sons Of North Carroll
IA fought, bled and died. One of these
flags was at the first battle of the
Civil war. h battle OF Big Bethel,
while another, an old b~lood-staineo,
Bars waved deiantly over sixty-seven
battlefelds. Marching under these
flags next week will be some Of the
same men. who more than forty years
ago stood beneath their folds and with
keen eye and steady nerve cealt death
to the northern foe.
The most interesting Of these sacre!
emblems and the one dearest to the
hearts of the people of this city is the
old Bethel Flag" The flag since III
war has been kept in the Confederate
museum at Raleigh and was last week
sent to General Ray for use at the
reunion. 1t was made by four Ashe-
Vile ladies at the beginning Of the civil
strife and was Presented to Maj. w.
w. cl > COIbpdus upon us ut-
parture for the front. The flag was
made from the ball gowns OF Miss An
ma Woodfn, Miss Lille Woodfn, now
Mrs Jones. Miss Mary Patton M Miss
Kate Smith, the late Mrs. Marcus En-
win. All Of these ladies are living with
exception of Mrs. Erwin and will pe
present at the reunion. The material
in the flag shows the quality Of silk
from which ball gowns were made in
the days before the war, and still pre-
sentS a rich and Pleasing effect. The
cclorS, intended for red, white anu
lie Were really pink, light green and
cram. The flag is four feet long ana
three feet wide. and embroidered on
the folds in red is the word Bethel"
Worked in the upper corne are eight
stars, the number of states which at
that time had seeded. Major Nc
Dowell's company was made a part
of the First North Carolina volunteer
regiment, which fought the first en-
gagement under the command of Col.
Dan'. H. Hill at Bethel, at which tim,
the flag was adopted as the regimental
flag and was carried by Robert H.
Bradley, of Raleigh.
The flag that will perhaps bring 20
a number of the old soidiers the mos.
vivid recollections of the war will be
that of the seth regiment, the regiment
commanded by the late Col. David
Coleman Of this county. This flag was
in sixty-seven engagements, is torn
almost to tatters n will be carried
here next week by the same man VINO
carried it through II Of the 81 battles.
The flag was here several years G. at
h time of the big memorial celebra-
ton at which the late speaker Crisp,
Of Georgia, was the orator of the oc-
casion.
The regimental flag Of the 18th North
Carolina regiment will also be here
il having been sent from Sherman,
Texas. This regiment was commanded
at first by Colonel Stephen Lee, who
for a number of years before the war
taught school in Chunn's cove, two
miles from Asheville. The regiment
was later under the command OF Col
McElroy, of Madison county, who OK
poets to attend the reunion again n
command the regiment"
Another flag which has been loaned
to the managers of the reunion was
that Of the 25th North Carolina reg
ment at first commanded by he late
General Clingman and later by Col.
RutIedge, father Of Frederick Rut-
ledge Of this city. The flag of the G9tll
regiment. commanded by Col. w. w.
Springfield, of Haywood county, will
be seen in the parade as will also the
flag of the Rough and Ready
Guards" the company that was organ
lied and which left the mountains Of
western North Carolina under COM
mand of the late Senator Zeb. IS.
Vance.
The reunion Of the states veterans
will be a most notable and Successful
affair and it is expected that fully 1909
of the soldiers who wore the gray will
be in attendance.
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