Evening star., 1915-09-27
MEMENT00F CIVIL WAR
ON VIEW At CAMP EMERY
United States Flag Found Aboard
Burning Gunboat in
Year 1852.
Held by Captor Until Recently,
When It Was Presented to
Mrs. I. w. Ball.

One of the emblems which hang in the
naval headquarters in Camp Matthew G.
Emery is United States flag taken from
the Black Warrior in the fight at Eliza
beth City. February 10, 1862. at the
mouth of the Dismal Swamp canal. The
Black Warrior. as described i'll history.
was a little schooner carrying two thirty
two Founders. This 'scrimmage" oc-
CURED just after the work Of the navy
at Roanoke Island, and the fleet was sent
to take Elizabeth City.
After being driven from Roanoke Is
land the Confederates collected the rem
nants of their forces and made a gallant
stand at Elizabeth City. where they
thought they could guard the approaches
to the canal
The Confederate forces entered Albe-
marie sound on the morning of Febru-
ary with the following gunboats
under Commander Rowan: Delaware
Ga flag ship. Louisiana, Hetzel, Under
writer, Commodore Perry, Valley City,
Morse. Lockwood, Ceres. Shawsheen,
Brinker and Gen. Putnam. They made
their way among the treacherous
shoals and at o'clock in the afternoon
the Pusquotank river and gave chase
Steamers Make Escape.
They did not succeed in overtakng
the boats and at pm. dropped anchor
waiting for daylight. At daylight Feb
ruary 10 they advanced toward Eliza
beth City, where the six Confederate
gunboats were drawn up in line of
battle 800 yards behind battery
mounting four thirty-two-pou
The ammunition of the Confederate e
gunboats had been reduced to twenty
rounds. Commander Rowan issued Or
ders that no gun be fired excepting
within short range, where every shot
would tell The gunboats started
rapidly up the river past the battery
and made straight for the immense
hotiiid. The Ellis was burned and sur
rendered The Fanny was run ashore
and blown up by her own men. The
Appomattox was blown up. Thus in
fifteen minutes four of the immense
steamers were destroyed, one cap
tured. two put to flight and the bat
terry was silenced
Among those that were eventually
burned was the Black Warrior. The
nag in question was found by William
F. Gragg. who now lives in Plainville,
Mass, and who was an officer aboard
the Whitehead. which gave chase to
the Black Warrior. He was ordered by
Commander Rowan to board the Black
Warrior. put out her fires. move her
into deep water and take charge He
boarded the schooner, but had no means
of exiting uishing the fire that was al
ready started. He began looking about
to see what he could find and the flag
in question was the one thing that
caught his gaze.
1t was spread out on the cabin table
Gragg says. where the officers could
look at it. He made grab for it, and
forgot to make any report of the mat
ter. Mr.. Gragg served as watch officer
on the Gen. Putnam and on the Young
Rover. and this flag. with it's thirty
two small stars and one large star in
the center, flew from the fleet on board
of these vessels in several very pretty
fights. after he captured it from the
Black Warrior. 1t has been in MIR.
Graggs possession up to the present
time, and has been carried in many G.
A. r. parades. has been employed to
trim many churches. halls, etc, and
used at Fourth of July celebrations 1t
is worn almost threadbare, having been
made by hand of very fine bunting.
MIR. Gragg's health is failing. He has
many keepsakes of this character
which he is giving TO his friends.
Now the Property of Mrs. Ball.
Believing that Mrs. Isabel Worrell
Ball would appreciate the gift, he has
presented it to her, and she values it
very highly. She has loaned it to the
naval committee for the decorations
Of naval headquarters.
The Black Warrior burned to the sea
and sunk the flag was taken off
her. 1t was Comrade Gragg's belief
that the officers on the Black Warrior
had gone over to the Confederacy after
having received the education at An
napolis. and that they could not quite
give up the old flag and kept it in sight
for sentimental reasons.
The flag is something of curiosity
because it must have been made by
hand. and was not made at govern