The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-19
TO RETURN
 HISTORIC FLAG Confederate Standard Captured at Selma. IN HANDS OF OHIO CAVALRY Trophy Was Lost During Wilson's
 Raid.
IN HANDS OF OHIO CAVALRY
IT. Pitt. and c.pta'a shoemaker Of Cincinnati to Make the Pre- sentation to selma Com
 pany on May F.

A few years ago an interesting inci- dent occurred at the Moves McCook Grand Army Post. Cincinnati, when Gen. Basil W. Duke. of Louisville. Ky, a we'll known veteran of the Confed- crate Army. acting in behalf of the Confederate soldiers. returned to the Union soldiers of Cincinnati the cap tured battle faass of the fist. the 5sth and s0th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regs iments, which had been captured by the Cpnfederates during the war of lss1-ISe5.
 General Duke. who was the spokes- man on the occasion of the return of the battle flags to the three Ohio reg irnents was. during the civil war, in command of Gen. John H. Morgan's Division of ten Confederate cavalry regiments. and when General Morgan was killed. succeeded to the command of "Morgan's Men" holding this conn mand to the end of the war, and he is now the commander of the "Associa- tion of Morgan's Men"
 Tn the newspaper reports of the day, when the flags of the three Ohio reg iments were returned by the Confed- Duke spoke In most eloquent terms, with a feeling which brought tears to the eyes of many of the old Union soldiers. and he was roundly applaud ed and given hearty cheers by his for mer enemies.
 Now fiiE veterans of the lth Ohio Cavalry. many of whom reside in Gin cinnati. are about to return Mo thelCon- federate veterans of Alabama a battle flag which the 9th Ohio Cavalry cap tured in the spirited engagement at Selma. Ala. in the spring of 1885. The 9th Ohio Cavalry at that time was serving under Gen. James Harrison Wilson. on what was known as the "wiison Raid when this distinguish ed cavalry officer led about f3.000 veteran Union horsemen. on a great ending with the last battle of the war. which ocurred at Columbus. Ga. on the night of April Is. 1865.
 This action of the veterans of the 9th Ohio vavalry in returning to the Alabama regiment the battle flag cap tured al, Selma has the approval of the Ohio Legislature and of Governor Har- mon.
 The men selected to carry the flag back to Alabama are Mir. John A.. Pitts. who was private soldier In the 4th Ohio Cavalry. and now we'll known and wealthy retired merchant of Cincinnati. Mir. Pitts enlisted In the 9th Ohio Cavalry when he was only about IS years old. and served until the end or the war, retaining the nigh rank of private. Nowadays he is the commander of the 4th Ohio Cavalry Association. Another member of the 4th Ohio Cavalry selected to accom- pany Mir, Pitts Is Capt. William M. Shoemaker. of Dayton, O., who also served during the entire war of Iss1- 1865 in the 4th Ohio Cavalry. He was desperately wounded being shot through the body. a minnie ball enter ing his breast just below the breast bone. passing through his body and was cut out just from under the skin of his back.
 The time selected for the return of the battle flag is May 18th, at which time Mir. Pitts and Captain Shoema- ker, will carry the flag down to Selma, and return it to its former owners.
 The fact of the return of this flag from Ohio to Alabama has created much interest here in Cincinnati among those who are acquainted with the in cident, and one distinguished lawyer of this city. in talking to Mir. Pitts on the subject. expressing his hearty ap proval. said, T would give $50 to be permitted to go with you on this occa. sion, and stand beside you and hold your hat. while you return the fias to the Alabama Veterans
 Veteran of 1Ss1-s5.