Bridgeton pioneer., 1909-12-02
GIRL REsCUES
BATTLE FLAG.

Few persons Of the many who annu-
ally view the collection of hattle-
Scared flags in thu "war museum at
the state house know the story of
heroism and daring that is woven, SO
to speak, into the torn and wrinked
remnants of the battle flag of the "Old
FOURTH
The Fourth New Jersey, one of the
Fox's fighting regiments. was organ
lied at Trenton. August 10, 1861, and
finally mustered out July 8, 1865. 1t
was command by Colonel James H.
Simpson. a West Point graduate, who
resigned August "a. 1862, succeeded
by Colonel William B. Hatch. killed
December 13, 1868, in action at Fred
ericksburg. Colonel William G. Birney
then took command, resigning June
H. 1868, and succeeded by Colonel Ed
ward Campbell, in command at the
time OF the final musterout The
Fourth was assigned to the famous
Jersey Brigade, under the command of
General Kearny. At Gaines Mills the
regiment, with the Eleventh Pennsyl-
vania Reserves, held its ground after
all other troops had fallen back, but
being surrounded, finally was forced to
surrender, losing 45 killed l03 wounded
and 437 captured or missing. In the
fighting in the Wilderness and Spottsyl-
vania the Fourth lost 80 killed, 139
wounded and 23 missing, 1t belonged
to Wright's division, Sixth Corps, and
out OF total enrolment of 1, S67, lost
Isl killed ana 105 from disease, etc
Out of its original enrolment Of 900,
1S1 were killed. Its total of killed and
wounded was 5SS, and 81 of its mem
bers died in Confederate prisons.
1t was during the engagement Gaines
Mills, June 27, 1868, that the Fourth
facing a CALLING fire for hours, holding
the opposing forces in check and finally
submitting to capture when its ranks
had been reduced to almost half their
strength through death and injury.
When they surrendered to the rebel
forces, their battle flag was taken and
finally placed, shortly after, in the state
house at Austin. Tex, Texan troops
having accepted the surrendered of the
Fourth regiment.
1t was late in the year of 1868 tina:
Miss Mary Hamilton, a Jersey girl
and loyal one, saw the flag in the
Texan capital, and in part loyalty and
part mischief she Immediately con-
cocted daring scheme for its recovery.
Miss Hamilton knew of other loyal
lassies in Austin, and was not long in
securing a round dozen brave volun-
teers.
The bevy of girls saddled horses the
next afternoon and rode to the state
house. In accordance with prearrange-
ment, the girls, all except the youthful
leader, cantered about the grounds and
not at all averse to making the ac-
quaintance of the guards. Miss Ham
ilton was slipped within the building.
There were guards there, but her aides
were fully equal to the demands and
exigencies Of the occasion, bandying.
cajoling rebel guards formed in twevle
distinct groups about twelve blushing
Yankee maidens. Talking, laughing
and in engagements with their quar-
ries, the girls finally enmeshed them SC
completely that every inside guard was
drawn to the door.
AS one of the fairest led five Of the
unsuspecting inside guards to- the door,
little Miss Hamilton. her demure little
figure vibrating with excitement and
her flushed face showing deepest coral
beneath crown of jet black ringlets,
hurriedly ripped the tattered colors
from their staff. rolled them up and
hid them safely beneath her hoop-skirts
and petticoats.
The flag was never found by the
Texas 'Johnnies," and some time
later it was returned to the "Old
Fourth" by its fairest protector.
This is roughly the story connected
with the old flag, and with view to
having their pictures taken meath the
shadow of its folds, seven OF the ten
survivors of Company b. the Trenton
company gathered a. the state house,
where a staff photographer of the
Estate Gazette took a nhoto