Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-04-26
meaowas. Colo. bearer Carrie. New Flag.

Rptledge, Ca, gives an accouu: of
how the tag of Orr's Rifles, Mo
Gowan's brie ade, was concealed from
the enemy Wien the color bearer,
MoBryde, was ,aptured at the battle
of Spottsylvani court house.
The report 8, ,es that McBryde
died in prison. 'his is a mistake, as
he is still living and was recently
pastor Of the Pre- byterian church of
this place. He is the Rev. John T..
McBryde.
AT the fearful bs tile of Spottsyl-
vania court house, on May IL, Nc
Bryde held the flag 5f his company
over the command n the bloody
angle, though exposed 20 the most
terrific musketry fire, for eighteen
hours. He stood at the point of the
horseshoe bend, as it i. sometimes
called, without protection and unin-
jured while large tree iust four
feet behind him and twei ty-three
inches in diameter, was cut down.
The trunk of that tree is now in the
national museum at Washington. 1t
was riddled by musketry fire, 70.
there was no cannon at this point.
In speaking of the occurrence,
Gen. X. r. Hemphill, editor of the
Abbeville Is. o. Medium, lately
sergeant major of Orr's Rifles, said !:
"Almost Immediately the order
was given to move forward, but amid
the thunder of 80 many guns, no
human voice could be heard and the
gallant regiment could only follow
its leader.
Gen. MCGOWAN gave the order to
Col. Mod. Miller, and was shot
down. Col. Miller gave the order to
the editor of the Medium and was
shot down; we gave it to McBryde
and with him mounted the earth
works along with Calvin Galloway,
ono of the color guard. The flag
f1uttered out in the breeze. We stood
awhile upon the earthworks, the gal
liant regiment caught sight of the
battleflag, arose to man and with a
cheer that rang out high above the
tumult of the conflict, double quicked
into the midst of the struggle going
on over the last of the captured
breastworks.
"Then ensued the fiercest hand-to-
hand fight of the war. For hours
McBryde, with unfaltering courage
held our banner over his undaunted
comrades until in one of the most
desperate charges of the day, the
Yankees mounted our line of breast
works. Unable to Withstand the ter
rife fire which welcomed them, they
were forced to- retire. As they did
80, stalwart Yankee seized Nc
Bryde by the collar, lifted him and
his flag out of our works and carried
him off. McBryde kicked and strug-
gled to free himself, but he was no
match for his captor and we saw
nothing of him again until he was re-
leased from prison and exchanged.
"During his struggle with his cap
tor, finding that he could not escape,
McBryde tore the flag from its staff,
concealed it in his bosom and
brought it back with him from
prison. McBryde was boy of ten
der years and undeveloped physique,
but no braver or truer soldier ever
trod the consecrated soil of Virginia"
After the battle McBryde and his
fellow prisoners were searched and
again while in Fort Delaware the
men were taken out on the open
grounds and gone through carefully.
Whenever one of the searching par
ties felt a lump in prisoners coat, it
would be cut open and examined.
The coats of the men on McBryde's
right and left were ripped. One OF
the officers placed his hand on Nc
Bryde's shoulder and it rested there
on the battleflag he had secreted
but with an unbelieving glance at the
youthful color bearer, he passed on.
Had tho HA0 hann 9innn..nrnl NJ.