The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-11
J. M. Barnes.
The Flag of the 5th Alabama Reg
 fment.

Greensboro, April 9th.
 Editor The Advertiser:
 The question has frequently been asked me How did the 9th Alabama Regiment lose her fiag?" l will, in as brief a manner as possible, tell for the
 benefit of all interested, how, when and where the flag was lost. It was captured on the 3rd of May, 1863, at the battle of Charlottesville. The
 9th Alabama belonged to Rodes's Brig ade, which was made up of the 3rd,
 5th, 9th. 18th and 26th Alabama Regi- ments, commanded on that memorable
 Colonel of the 9th Alabama) com handed this Brigade at the battle of Sharpsburg. and I have never seen
 it stated what troops he was com
 manding when he told General Lee that he could and would hold a certain po-
 sition until sundown, I will say that
 it was this same brigade of Alabamians. On the night before the battle of the 3rd of May, our Brigade bivouaced in little field about q mile and a half
 south of Charlottesville Hotel, on a
 road running north and south. Next
 morning about an hour by sun the ar
 tillery began fighting. Soon our di-
 vision was formed with our brigade on the left of the road, with the right of the 9th Alabama Regiment resting on the road. Ours was the extreme left Brigade of the Division. We nov ed forward (north) and passed over OeneGalS EIuWafu JOnnSOn ana A. T '. Hills Divisions, which were lying down. We soon found the enemy and drove them back, at least a quarter of
 a mile. We pressed them back some distance in advance of the other troops
 on our right. Just here I will try for
 the benefit of those who may visit the
 battlefield, and also that my readers
 may better understand the position of our Brigade on that day, give de- scription of the field in which we fought | Ia da naU
 We drove the enemy back to a ridge
 In the southwest corner of the field
 in which the Chancellorsville Hotel
 sat, and which hotel was General Hook
 ridge there was another ridge on which
 the enemy that night threw up breast
 works. ravine ran from west to l east between the two ridges, not tree
 or bush to obscure the view. Just as our brigade reached the first ridge the
 Yankee artillery moved back near the | hotel, which was about 200 yards back,
 leaving the infantry in works they had | thrown up the night before. The 5th
 Alabama was ordered to take those
 works. which they did, as Colonel | O'Neal said, most gallantly." After
 reaching the second ridge looking
 south there was a line of battle fight
 ing. and in looking up to the right of the ravine we had just crossed there
 was a heavy column of infantry reach | ing from one ridge to the other, pass | ing over the exact spot from which we
 had made the charge. We saw that we were completely surrounded, and every
 man made an effort to take care of him
 self George Nutting familiarly
 known as Tom) was our color-bearer, | a member of my company. He was | quite a boy, but as brave a soldier as ever lived. George ran east with the l flag into a line of Yankees. They or dered him to give it up, which he re-
 fused Two of my company were with
 him, and when the Yankees threatened | to shoot, they begged him to surrender | the flag. George threw 1t into the
 woods as far as he could, saying:
 There is not a d-n Yankee living that I would hand that flag to. | In the reports of the Government of the battle of Charlottesville, Colonel O'Neal says: The 5th Alabama, after
 most gallantly taking the works, could
 not hold them, as almost all were either killed wounded or captured '
 General Rodes. in his report, says. "The
 5th Alabama after most gallantly car rying the works, could not hold them for the want Of proper support: Gen-
 eral Lee says, Troops on the left, (which were our troops), carried the works of the enemy, but for the~want
 of support could not hold them. My company numbered that morning. rank and file. thirty-two (92), and lost going ] into those works four (4 men killed, fourteen 14) wounded, and the re-
 mainder captured. The only man now living who saw George Nutting throw his flag into the woods Is E. L. Hutch | inson of Greensboro. who was also a member of my company, and brave and gallant soldier.
 was captured, but was told when returned to the army that when our
 troops recaptured those works, (which was done in about twenty minutes) ), they were surprised to see on the held of battle so many of the 5th Alabama
 dead and wounded, not knowing that
 we a short time before had occupied those works.
 Capt. Go. D, 5th Ala. Reg
 The 9th Alabama Regiment was com posed of the following companies: One company from Greene County, (now Hale), one from Pickens County, two from Sumter, one from Dallas one from Monroe, one from Clark, one from Lowndes, one from Talladega and one from Barbour County. J. w. w. X Race of PigmieSs
 Chattanooga Times. ,.,o,..