The National tribune., 1911-01-05
DEAR OLD GLORY.
What Its Stars and Bright Folds Mean
TO the Soldier.

Reading in late issue of The Nation
al Tribune an article about the Flag,
1 recalled how little realized what the
Flag of our country meant. until 1
went into the service. and then not until
| was captured and held Il prisoner for
nearly year. Thru the efforts of Gen.
Burnside. after the battle OF Roanoke
Island. | was released.
1t was where Burnside captured 2.S00
prisoners, which he proposed to parole
if the rebels would parole 1900 Union
prisoners held at Salisbury, most of
them Bull Run troops which had been
in confinement between 10 and IL
months, and which was finally accom-
plished
l remember was making a ring for
reb Lieutenant. When | had fin
ished it he came for it, and as he did
not have the required amount TO pay
Tor IL. he says to me: Il will tell YOU
some good news You are going to be
sent North in two days"
l said to him: Il have heard that
story so many times that l let it pass
thru both cars" He replied: You will
see / am right" And, sure enough. he
was right; but | never got the balance
due on the ring. If | had not had rea-
sons to doubt his story l would have
gladly made him ii present of the whole
of it.
But to return to the Flag While we
were confined in the old Parish Prison
at New Orleans one of the boys had
managed by getting together bits of red,
white and blue cloth to make quite a
espectable-lOoking flag. but he did not
expect to hoist it over the Rastilc we
We're confined in. He kept the flag Sc
creted in the inside of his shirt, and
when we left Salisbury he still had it
h 10 w 10. u
a freight train. and all that were able
marched to the depot while the sick
and disabled were put into wagons and
carried to the depot. ] remember one
poor fellow that had been in the serv-
ice of the United States for IS years.
He had lost the use of his lower limbs
entirely by scurvy, not having any vege-
tables issued to us. As we carried him
out of the building he made the re-
mark: IF i can only live to see the old
Stars and Stripes once more | can die
happy" At Marlborough we We're put
on tlatboats and poled down the
Tar River to where there was enough
water to allow steam tug to hitch on
and tow us the rest of the way, carry
ing flag of truce. When we left the
mouth of the river we had 20 pass
around a promontory of land, where
we could look down the sound. Not
far away was a boat manned by blue
jackets, carrying flag of truce to meet
us. Farther on in the distance was Lit
tie Washington, and lined up to receive
US was a Massachusetts regiment with
Old Glory waving in the breeze.
When he saw the dear old banner the
soldier who had the flag he had made in
his bosom pulled it out. and waving it
over his head. gave three cheers for
the Flag. 4 rebel guard on the tug or
dered him to put down his flag. Il
guess not" he said. DO you see that
flag out there? f-ointing to Old Glory
that means pI pction, home. friends
and loved ones we are going to see"
The old Regular with the useless legs,
as we came close to the landing, we
prOpped up so he could get good look
at the flag. He said, Now | am salts
fed and in 10 minutes he was dead.
We were put on board a transport and
sent to Newbern, where Gen. Burnside