Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-14

address by Major Henry Romeyn, U. S. A.
retired Major Romeyn reviewed the gen
eral history of the battle standard, begin
! ming with the early Egyptian era ana foi-
lowing its development down to the present
day He talked to the students about pa
triotism and made several apt references
to Edward Everett Hales Man Without
Country"
I'm ancient tines he said 1.-The Spartan
! and the Roman mother told her son to
bring home his shield, or be brought nome
on it. The mothers of the sixties told their
sons to bring back their banners, untarn-
ished and with honors. or to die in Its
defense.
I'm the defense of this flag several in
stances are on record where every member
of the regimental color guard have fallen In
keeping the flag waving In the battle or
| the Weldon railroad in August, 1864 the
LIST Maryland Infantry had seven men
| ed that while the bearers all fell in ra Id
| succession the colors were so quickly
caught by a cOmrade that the banner did
not touch the ground.
1.-The Romans bore standards. We SOL
| diers of the sixties carried banners. The
| greatest misfortune which could befall a
| regiment was the loss of their colors. The
| capture of the colOrs of ones enemy has
| ever been regarded as an exploit Of the
| greatest bravery and entitled to the high
| est decorations
At the Eastern.
| At the Eastern High School brief Flag
! day program was observed. The principal
| address was made by Mr.. A. s. Perham of
| this city. Mr.. Perham's father, Ex-Gov.
| Sidney Perham of Maine, and Col. H. H.
| Humphrey, U. s. A, retired, were also on
the platform. and by the continued applause
| OF the students were compelled to make
short responses. Several songs were sung
by the school. but there were no solos.
| either vocal or instrumental.
Mr.. Perham related many anecdotes of
| the war which impressed the students with
! the full significance of the company COL
| ors.' He traced the history of the present
stars and stripes, and in closing told the
| students that those who carried the flag in
| 1S61-5 now look to the rising generation for
| the maintenance of it's glory.
| During the battle of Falling Waters in
! July, 1863 said Mr.. Perham, General
then Captain-Llewellyn G. Estes saw the
| line of battle in his front Imbued with an
Irresistible desire to possess the flag, Estes
| put spurs to his ever-faithful and intelli-
| gent horse rushed across the Intervening
| space between the hostile lines of battle,
seized the flag from the bearer and. amid
a shower of leaden hail. bore the valuable
trophy into his own lines.
| This f1ag-captured with so much brav-
| ery-was sent to her who had taught him
love of country and all those incentives to
| deeds of valor and heroism-his mother"
ITO me two things enter into the mean
| ing of the flag, one the memories of devO-
| ton. of suffering, of sacrifice, Of toll. of
griefs pain. death and hundreds of thous-
ands of desolated homes The other, the
mightier, is what is gained by these suf-
! ferings; the salvation of all there Is in
| what we call country. home, flag. your edu-
cation, all we hold dear, SO high. noble.
I'VE who followed the flag in the sixties
leave to you, young ladies and gentlemen,
the great problems of state finance, COM
merce and education. We look to you to
carry this flag to still further and higher
| renown, to uphold our national honor and
glory at home and among the nations of
the world. We trust you will remember
it's splendid history, what it cost to estab-
lish, to defend, to retain intact. to carry it
around the globe and plant it, and what 1t
represents across the Pacific
Swear Allegiance to Flag.
The exercises at the Western High School
were held at 1:15 this afternoon in the as
sembly hall of the institution. The address
of the occasion was delivered by Rev. DR..
Bristol pastor of Metropolitan NJ E.
Church. The Fatherland'' was sung as
the opening number of the program. Fol-
lowing the address of DR.. Bristol the school
sang The Flag" and swore allegiance to
the national emblem. The exercises came
| tn close with the singing of America"