The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-07-06
Story of First War Flag Raised at Alex
andfia, Va.

Story of First War Flag Raised at Alex.
andfia, Va.
That one of the very 6rst Confed-
crate flags of the war was raised over
the Marshall house, in Alexandria.
Va, is fact not generally known by
the public. This was done by Charles
II. Taylor, Of Company H, 18th
Virginia regiment, who not only raised
the flag but also raised subscriptions
for it and had it made. His nara.
tive follows
10 the early part of 1861, war be.
tween the Northern and Southern
States seemed inevitable, as about all
OF the Southern States had eeceded.
Very soon thereafter war was declared.
l at once concluded to get up flag to
represent our cause. After consult
ing With many Of the citizens, I
found that they approved of my
plan and would gladly subscribe to-
warde dcfraying the amount the Aae
would cost.
l theH made the design Of the flag
and submitted it to Mr.. John w.
Padgett, who was in that business,
to know what such flag would cost.
Having Informed me, eaid to him
that l would canvass the city and if I
succeeded in raising the amount I
would give him the order. So got
up list and canvassed the people OF
the city and soon raised the required
amount, and Immediately called on
Mr. Padgett and gave him the order
to make the flag. The flag was made
OF fine bunting and was eighteen feet
long by thirteen feet four inches wide;
was red and white with blue field
containing thirteen stars to represent
the thirteen Southern States, and it
cost $50. Mr.. Jackson said to. me
that he would be glad to have thssaag
float over the Marshall house, Of
which he was proprietor, and would
give me oil the assistance that I need.
ed in placing the pole on the hotel to
receive the flag. I told him l could
see no objection to the flag floating
over the Marshall house, as I CON
sidered it the best place in the city,
and oesid55 IL would DO under his. pFo
lection.
The next move was to get pole for
the flag. After Investigation found
that the Democratic pole was not used
and | made application to those in
authority and they gave me permis-
sion to take it for the use Of the flag.
turned this pole over to Mr.. jackson
and he had it placed on his hotel.
The pole was placed through the trap
door Of the north gable end of the
hotel and on the south side of the
chimney, the foot Of the pole resting
on the floor of the attic room for sup.
port. The citizens Of the city were
notified as to the time the flag would
be raised, and very large crowd was
present. On the afternoon of the
day that the flag vas to be raised, I
went TO Mr.. Padgett's house and was
there when the last stitchs was taken
in the aag by Mrs. John w. Padgett
and her sister, Miss Sarah NJ. Ora.
ham; they turned the Aag over to me
and we folded it up and took it to
the Marshall house and to the room
where the pole was placed to receive
it, and fastened the ropes to the flag,
making it ready for hoisting.
In the meantime M-. jackson, the
proprietor of the Marshall house,
came in and I told him that every
thing was ready and the time about
up, aud wanted him to defend the
flag. He said that if the flag ever
came down, it would come down over
his dead body. I said, II will now
go down and give the signal to raise
the fsg."
It was aoated to the breeze, accom-
panied by cheers and shouts from the
assembled crowd and the booming Of
cannon. The day was beautiful and q
brisk northwest wind was bfowine and
when the flag was raised never saw
one float more beautifully than the
one raised over the Marshall house in
Alexandria, Va, on the 17tb day Of
April, 1861, at 4 o'clock, to represent
the thirteen southern states.
On.the 18th day Of May, 1861, the
man'of. war Pawuee steamed up the
Potomac river with port. holes open.
and anchored in front of Alsxandria,