The National tribune., 1907-08-08
THAT FLAG OF TRUCE AT VICKS-
BURG.
II Was Received by Officers Of the I'D
wis.

Editor National Tribune: note that
a great deal of interest is being taken
by the comrades who participated in
the Vicksburg campaign as to what Off
Ger received the flag of truce on the
morning of July 3, 1863. at Vicksburg.
AS l was on the picket line that day at
the point where the flag of truce passed
thru, 1t was my pleasure to witness the
''blindfolding act" In your issue OF
April 25 appears an article from Henry
G. Lehman. 32d Ohio. claiming that the
Confederate officers. Gen. Bowen AMI
Col Montgomery. bearing a flag of truce
on the morning of July 8. 1863. appear
ed in front of the 32d Ohio. in Gen.
Logan's Division of the Seventeenth
AT that time I was a Sergeant. and
was the first officer to meet the flag of
truce. Col. BENZ +. Coots. command
ing the SD Ohio, was the first commits
stoned officer. Capt. VIM. NJ Morris. of
Co. ID. 32d Ohio, was Officer of the Day.
and took charge of the officers bearing
the flag of truce" Further on he saws:
THE rebel officers We're taken charge of
by officer of the Day Capt. VIM. NJ
Morris. 60. d, 32d Ohio. blindfolded
and conducted to Gen. A. ]. Smiths
headquarters" Gen. McPherson's com
mand. or the Seventeenth Corps was
regarded bv Gen. Grant as his center.
and the Thirteenth Corps. on the left
of Mcpherson. Gen. Logan's Division in
the Seventeenth Corps was. of course.
occupying the center. Now. it is absurd
to suppose that one of Gen. Logan'e
officers would march those blindfolded
Confederate officers from the center
down the line to the Thirteenth Corps
on the left and turn them over to Gen.
4. ]. Smith. when Gen. Grants head
quarters Ghe destination of these Off
. ta 1;,,n
IS more reasonable TO suppose that Capt.
Morris would have taken those officers
to his cwn division headquarters. Gen.
Logans, whore they could have been
forwarded on the nearest and most di-
rect route to Gen. Grants headquarters.
1t is hard to believe that any of Gen.
Logan's officers would deliberately deny
him the honor of receiving those Con-
federate envoys, and thus disparagc
their own General. They certainly
would not, because no officer in the
army was more beloved by his command
than was Gen. Logan. The important
question, then. is Was the flag of truce
received on this part of the line? No
seen by me. has been made by
any writer in The National Tribune to
prove that it was, by citing any history
or records that were authentic Com
rade Lehman will have to revise his
'write-up' somewhat or produce the
proofs. / can bear witness to the fact
however, that Gen. Bowen and Col
bearing flag of truce on
July 3. 1863, appeared in front of Cen
A. !. Smiths Division. Thirteenth Corps
and were received bv Cant. JOsenh F.
Green, Co. d. 23d Wis. Division Officer
IF the Day. and Capt. Epnraim s. |
Fletcher, Co. X. 23d Wis, Officer of the
Picket, and were by them blindfoIded
and conducted to the brigade headuuar-
ters of Gen. S. G. Burbridge and from
here to the division headquarters of |
Gen. a. J. Smith. Gen. Grant in his |
Memoirs. Vol. /. page 557. says: Bowen
sas received by Gen. A. J. Smith. and |
asked to see me. but his request was |