Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-11-16
A FLAG INCIDENT.
How a kentuckian Won His Freedom
By Flying Old Glory.

Every war veteran who was at
Camp Douglas, Chicago, during the
closing days of the civil war remem-
bers the strange incident which be-
fell the garrison flag, just when the
rejoicings over the fall of Richmond
and the surrender of Lee were at their
height.
The garrison flag slipped down to
half-mast, and nothing could get it
to it's proper place at the top of the
high flag staff until the broken fixtures
at the very end of the pole could be
repaired.
The commandant of the post offer
ed reward in gold and an honorable
discharge to any soldier who would
climb the staff and repair it so that
the flag might again fly from the top.
One poor fellow accepted the chal-
lenge, climbed up, and began work on
the ropes, but he became frightened,
started down and fell, crashing
through the platform which surround
ed the Flagstaff, and received serious,
if not fatal, injuries.
And so the garrison flag still hung
at half mast. 1t was uncomfortable,
while every heart was singing with
joy over the end of the war and the
approach of peace.
The offer was now made by the
commandant to any prisoner of war
in the prison camp, where thousands
of confederates were held. To any
one who would repair the staff 500
in gold and his freedom was prom
iSed.
A prisoner. a young Kentuckian.
one of Morgan's men, came forward
and announced his readiness to try
for the prize of freedom.
When the time came for his climb,
Johnny Reb was furnished with every
safety appliance that could be found,
and orders were given that strict sill
ence should be observed by everybody
in the camp until the man had safely
made his ascent and descent, and
raised the flag to the head of the staff.
An immense crowd gathered in the
square at the foot of the Flagstaff, and
the enforced silence of such a throng
of soldiers and citizens, men, women,
and children, was impressive.
Up the staff-it was of great height
climbed the 1.-THE figure OF the Ken
tuckian, and when he reached the top
he coolly did what was necessary, and
then slid quietly down the staff Pull
ing the cords, he raised the flag to the
peak, and fastened it there by scien-
tific jerk.
Off came the hats of every man in
the place, and a tremendous cheer
went up, in which officers and men
joined, REINFORCED by the shril1 hur
rahs of children. Those who had
been superstitious over the accident
and had predicted some dire event
which would turn rejoicing into woe,
now regained their confidence, accept
ing the chatting of their friends on
their vanished fears with philosophy.
The Kentuckian then and there was
given his reward, writes Ada G. Sweet
in Chicago Journal, and after much
handshaking with the soldiers he went
back to prison square to pack up his
blanket and shirt" ready for the jour-
ney to his home. For an hour the sol
diers sung and cheered and enjoyed
their jolliication. The flag foated
where it belonged, participating in the
general celebration. and all was well
For one day it waved in the sky,
and was lowered at night with honors,
and raised again at sunrise, but only
to be lowered again on the 18th day
of April, 1865, when the sould of Alb
raham Lincoln was rent from its worn
and weary body by an assassin's hand
Half-mast the flag remained for many
days. like all the flags from sea to
sea of the north. And the people who
| had been shaking their heads over
! the refusal of the flag to fly at the top
of the staff again looked wise and
said: I told you So
| 1t is among the worldwide proverbs
that every cloud has silver lining,
and it is quite equally true, though not
so well learned as yet, that every gold
| en- cup of joy has its adlnixture of gall
| and NORWOOD.