The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-18
GErrING HIsToRY STRAIGHT.
History OF the Flag of the Beaufort
Pillow Boys Presented by the
Ladies of Chocowinity.

To the Editor:-In your issue OF Inc
News and Observer, of March Sth,
| 1905, appears the following:
Trenton N j., March 7th. In the
House today Mr.. Coyne introduced
resolution authorizing the Cover
nor to return a Confederate nag TO
the Governor of North Carolina, cap
tured by the New Jersey volunteers
at the Battle of New Bern, North
Carolina The flag was presented TO
the Beaufort Pillow Boys by the LADIES'
of Beaufort, N. c. The reason Tor
this resolution is the fact that New
Jersey has appropriated $4,000 to erect
a suitable monument at New Bern
in honor of the New Jersey Nolun-
teers.
L desire to correct an error into
which the New Jersey correspondent
has naturally fallen. The flag referred
to was not presented by the ladies'
of Beaufort, n. c. but by the ladies'
of Chockowinity in Beaufort county
N C.
The Beaufort Pillow Boys was COM
pany raised by Henry Harding, now
of Greenville, N c., who at that time
was resident of Beaufort County
The company was composed mainly
of men from Chocowinity, Pantego ana
Washington n. c.. The officers of the
company were Henry Harding, Cap
tain; Thos. II. Satterthwaite, 1st Lieut.;
William Stephenson, End Lieut.; ID. w.
Jarvis, 3rd Lieut..
The flag was made by the ladies of
Chocowinity, n. G. Among those who
helped to fashion it were: Miss Julia
Harding sister of Maj. Harding, Miss
Julia Patrick, now Mrs. Julia Wilson,
mother of Mrs. w. II. Kicks, of Green
Vile, n c., Miss Sarah Crawford now
Mrs Sarah Swindell, of Aurora, ~,
c.; Miss Olivia Patrick now Mrs. Oil
via Charmalt, of Washington, n. c..
Miss Julia Hill, now Mrs Gaylord
Shovender, of Pantego, N. c.: Miss
Hattie Perry who now resides in Pitt
county, n. G. and Miss Mary Winfield,
now Mrs Many Joyner wife of Ed
mond Joyner. of Columbia, $. G. The
latter was chosen by her companion
to present the flag in their behalf
to the Beaufort Plow Boys.
The presentation of the flag was
made in November, 1861, by Miss Mary
Winfield who standing on the piazza
of the home of Rev n. c. Hughes at
Chocowinity n. c., presented it to
the company which was drawn up
in line in front Of the home. Henry
Harding, the captain of the company
received it from the hands of Miss
Winfield and placed it in the hands of
William Richards, the company's coli
or sergeant
The flag was captured at the bat
tie Of New Bern, on the fifteenth day
of March, 1862, by the Ninth New
Jersey volunteers. During the progress
of the battle, the flag was stationed
on the breast works just in front of
the Beaufort Ploy Boys. A fierce
charge having been made by the Fed
eral troops, the Confederates We're
forced to a speedy retreat to prevent
being captured. Just at the moment
the Confederates We're forced from the
breast works. William Stevenson, a
cousin of Hon. Mark Stevenson, of
New Bern, n. c., caught the flag staff,
and with his pocket knife, While run-
ming up the hill from the work, cut
the cord that bound the flag to the
staff and hurriedly placed its folds
Confederates were SO hard pressed
they were compelled to throw off all
encumbrances except their guns in or
der to escape alive. Thus the flag
was lost in the knapsack of William
Stevenson.
The Beaufort Pillow Boys afterwards
became Company B, of the 61st regi-
ment, North Carolina Troops. On Sep
TENDER 5, 1862, Henry Harding, cap
tain of Company B, was promoted to
major of the 61st regiment, and Will
liam Stevenson became captain of the
company.
Among those of the old company
who still survive, are Maj. Henry Har-
ding, of Greenville, n. c.; Seth
Bridgeman, Washington,N. c.; William
II. Patrick, Chockowinity, n. c., who
became second lieutenant; William
Archibald, of Beaufort county; w. f..
Demby, ChocoWinity, n. c.; Geo. f.
Hill, of Washington, n. c.. Seth "
Hodges, Roanoke Rapids; d. w. Jar
Wis, of Pantego, II. c.; Charlie Malli-
son. of Washington, N c.; H. D. Sat
terthwaite, of Bonsonville, n. c.; Sam'
Smell, of Hyde county, N. c., and Will
liam M. Stevenson, of Wilmington
n. c.
1t is with no little interest that the
survivors of the Beaufort Pillow Boys
learn that the flag, which was taken
from them just forty-three years ago
today, Isl to be returned. Major Har-
ding especially will gladly welcome
the return of the flag of the Beaufort
PloW Boys, which, through the ever
changing fortunes of war found it's
way into the State of New Jersey, and
which now, through the softening in
huence of many years of peace, finds
its way back to home again."
F. G. HARDING.
Greenville, n. c., March II.