The National tribune., 1910-06-02
THE COLOR EPISODE.

NSA-PAA ff'cht-
A most important little pamphlet has
been issued by Capt. ]. H. .Bassler, who
commanded the color company of the
149th Pa. at Gettysburg. This was a
paper read before the Lebanon County
(Pa) Historical Society. and deemed of
such Importance that its preservation
and wider circulation in pamphlet form
was demanded. Capt. Bassler was
moved to write the paper in vindica-
tion of the honor of his company, and
particularly of the gallant color guard,
whose heroism had been sighted in the
reports and not given the credit that
was rightfuIIy due it. The story is that
about IL a. m, July 1, 1863, the 149th
Pa. was lying behind a gentle rise on
McPherson's Ridge, screened from view
of the Confederate batteries, number
ing "a guns, on the next elevation be-
yond Wiloughby's Run. The battle had
been going on fierceIy, with Merediths
and Cutters Brigades engaging the
heavy forces of the enemy. About L
p. m. still stronger bodies of Confeder-
heavy fire was begun from Oak Hill.
The Colonel of the regiment Immediate
ly changed direction of the line to Sc
cure the protection of dry ditch, but
this brought upon them the attention
of the "a Confederate guns, which be-
gan to drop shells into the lines, and
the regiment was in danger of annihila-
- Df
stratagem to divert this fire, and in ac-
cordance with it Color Serg't Brehm,
with his guard, was sent out northwest
erly. and planted the colors behind two
rail piles which would give some pro-
lection. This was about so yards north
of the pike. and the flags were plainly
discernible to the enemy over the fields
of waving wheat. This led the Confed
crate artillerymcn to think that the
regiment had moved to that point, and
they changed the direction of fire upon
it. About 3:15 p. m. the regiment be-
came heavily engaged. and with its
brigade was forced back under desper-
ate fighting. 1t was now in order for
Color Serg't Brehm to retire with his
colors. He did not conceive it so, but
with his characteristic Pennsylvania
German steadfastness he determined to
remain until he received orders to re-
tire. With Serg't Brehm were Corp'ls
Franklin W. Lehman, Henry Fl. Spayd,
John FriddelI, Frank w. Hoffman and
Hammel After the rest of the troops
had fallen back, the Confederates adj
vancing in front of the rail pile where
the colors were waving, checked them
selves, expecting to encounter a force
of Union soldiers. Then, discovering
how few there were. a squad of seven
made a rush to capture the colors.
Even then the stubborn color guard
would not go back, and there was a
hand-to-hand fight. A Mississippian
named Price snatched the colors from
the hand of Corp'I Lehman, but Serg't
Brehm jumped for the man and threw
him down, falling on him. Another of
the Confederates dropped his gun to
shoot Lehman, who turned the gun
aside. and the rebel was Immediately
killed by Corp'l Spayd, who snatched
up the State flag and started to run to
the rear, but was shot thru the right
thigh. Brehm picked up the colors, and
ran at the top of his speed to regain the
regiment, but struck a Confederate
line of battle, thru which he attempted
to dash, but he, Friddell and Hammel
were shot down and the colors cap
tured. Brehm was mortally wounded.
Later in the day the colors were recap
tured by the 150th Pa in one of its
savage charges upon the Confederates.
All the testimony concurs to show
that the obstinate stand of Brehm and
his color guard confused the Confeder-
ate operations, and had an important
influence in gaining time and helping
the Union soldiers in their stand against
overpowering forces. Gen. Roy Stone
says that the ruse had much better re-
suits than he had expected. that it
gained time when every minute was
worth a regiment. and he wanted the
place designated as the keypoint of the
first days fight. The captor of the flag
was ]. p. Lumpkin, 55th Va, who after
ward became clergyman at Rich
mond, Va.