The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-07-23
SAVED THE FLAG
Interesting Incident ii Con-
nec.ion With Famous
Battle.
How tie Irish Colors We're
Saved at Fredericks-
burg.

can fear;
OF a thousand deeds let him learn
but one Aubrey de We're.
Calamity as the soldiers of the Irish
brigade maintained the ancient re-
nown of their heroic race on the slopes
of Ma,ye's hill; nobly as they proved
their devotion to their adopted coun-
try OH that and many another hard
fought field; dearly as they loved the
banner of their native land, and proud
~ as they bore it in the face of death,
beside the stars and stripes, neither
individually nor collectively did they
ever exhibit il sublimity of heroism
or cllivalric devotion to the fair fame
of their mother isle. surprising that
displayed by the Irish soldier in the
Confederate service in connection With
the battle of Fredericksburg. says a
writer in the San Francisco Monitor.
Though it is many years since Cap
tain Patrick ]. Condor. of the siAt
third New York volunteers Urisll
brigade), related the thrilling story, it
is given as nearly as possible in the
words of the narrator. one of the
truest and bravcst of that gallant
corps:
On the night following that iii which
the Union army evacuated Frederlclis-
burg and recroSsed the Rappahannock.
some Of Cur pickrts stationed on the
banf, of the river heard Il rifle shot.
quickly followed by several others
from the opposite side of the stream.
There seemed nothing extraordinary in
the occurrence mt such Il time; still it
seemed to direct their attention to the
river if possible, more sharply than
before They took it for granted that
the shots were fired at some one at
teutl,;llg to cross: it might be il Strng-
glcr from the Union army left behind
i'll the retreat: it might be n Confeh-
crate attempting To desert, though
under the circumstances that did not
seem very likely or, what WAS more
pftil;tiJlt. IL HllSHt bc IL SIP. ilto'llIiS
this apparently desperate method of
sainn" admittAnce to the Union camp.
Whatever it was that caused the fir
ing, even though but Il water rat, they
were determined it should not steal a
march on them. so they scrouched
down in silence on the bank, and
int Il, ind IN DIN hof
hid the greatest portion of the river.
After Il lapse of several minutes thci,
vigilance WAS rewarded. a dark OBJ
jcct emerged from the gloom and ap-
preached the bank. Immediately they
ascertninnd that it WAS Il man swim
ming lahoriouSly and without amy at
tempt mt conccamcnt across tho rapid
current 1t had raincd heavily '!ii'
previous night. and the river WAS con.
sdrrHhy swollen, SO that it was Il
dangerous and difficult undertaken"
it. The swimmer gained the bank mt
length, and drew himself with some
difficulty out of Tie water. He .:lzrd
around for Il moment. and thea al
vanced slowly. He had not gone m )rc
than dozen PAGES frUm the river
bank when he was surrounded by 10
viGilrt guard and made IL priSon.:
lie seemed in nowse surprised. sid
asl.,d to be conducted ut once to Goa
era, MeA2ncr'S quarters. His rnpro. :
were Irshmcn, and at once recognized
his Munster accent so. as he declined
any further conversation, they COLI
piled with his request, and two Of
them accompanied him to the gen
erals tent. the others returning to
their posts Oh the picket line.
On being brought into the light. the
stranger proved to lie Il Confederate
soldier. lie recognized General Mcng-
her, among some other officers who
were in til" tent and, Saluting him,
requested to be alone with him for Il
few moments. At Il sign from the
general the officers withdrew. AMI
then the stranger drcw from beneath
his shirt the green flag of the Twenty
eighth Massachusetts volunteers, and
presented it to the general. In Il few
words he told all he wished to reveal
He was an IriSlnna,l. stationed dur
ing the fight of the 18th on Maryc's
hill. lie had witnessed the advance
of the brigade, With what conflicting
emotions lie could not say: seen hi
countlymen fall thick and fast before
the whitening fire. still the "grccl
flag" moved onward; nearer aud near
err it came, his gaze rivettcd upon il
At last it went down, with the aallaii
fellow who bore it. He marked tin
spot where it lay, and was determine,
to obtain possession of it: so that nigh
he secured it before anyone else "ori,
reach the spot, and, wrapping
around his body, waited for the frs
favorable opportunity to restore it t
the men who had fought so brave!
beneath its folds. He was ConfcL
crate soldier, devoted to the cause II
had cspoused; but he was an Irish
man, and he was determined tina
while he had life his country's fla
should not be 4 trophy in the hand