The Alaska daily empire., 1916-04-26

SITKA, April 24.-To the hoiuo' On page 9 of The Empire of AprH 10. 1916, under the heading Man Who Raised old Glory First in AL aska. Dead" You publish an account of the death at Urbana Ohic oi Nfarcellus Jennings Maxwell iroE which , quote the tollowirg'
 "Mr. Maxwell enlisted in the Unit ed States navy at the beginning or the Civil War and served for four wears consecutively. He was Captain of Marines on the United States steamer Jamestown when that yes- sel took possession of Alaska at the time of It's transfer from Russia to the United States. and was in com mand of the crew which raised the first American flag on American soil"
 A good many first Alaska flag rais- CTS have been reported from time to time. and. in the interests Of accn' racy. I think this matter should be put straight. In Executive Docu- ments. No. 97 to No. 1SO, Second Session 10th Congress. 1S67'6S, every incident connected with the transfer from Russia is officially chronicled in detail.
 The ships in Sitka harbor at the time of the transfer were the Flag ship Ossipee, Captain Emmons' troopship John l.. Stephens, Captain Dali: men of war Resaca, Captain Bradford. and Jamestown. Captain McDougan: Revenue Cutter Lincoln Captain White; Merchant ship Buena Vista from San Francisco; merchant ship NIameluke from the Sandwich Islands, and two steamships and three sailing vessels belonging to the Russian American Company.
 Major General Lowell II. Rousseau the Commissioner of Transfer on the part of the United States. in his re- port of the transfer to Secretary Seward said:
 "The command of General Jeff C. Davis. about two hundred and fifty strong. in full uniform armed and handsomely equipped, were landed about three o'clock. and marched up to the top of the eminence on which stands the governor'c house, where the transfer was to be made. At the same time. Q company of Russian soldiers were marched to the ground, and took their place upon the left of the flag staff. from which the Russian flag was then floating. The command of General Davis was form ed under his direction on the right.
 "The United States flag to be raised on the occasion was In care of color guard-a lieutenant, ser geane and ten men of General Davis command"
 After describing the double nation al salute from alternate guns from the Russian and American batteries General Rousseau continues:
 "The United States flag (the one given to me for that purpose, by your direction at Washington was then properly attached and began its ascent, hoisted by my private secre- tary, George Lowell Rousseau and again the salutes were fired as be- fore. the Russian battery leading o1.
 The correspondent of the Alta Call fornia, who accompanied the expedi- tion. in his letter describing the transfer said:
 "At three o'clock the Russian troops formed on the parapet in front of the Governors House, on the right of the government flag staff. @ fir mast, 100 feet high. At the same moment. our troops em- parked in the launches belonging to the men-of-war, the boat of General Davis, with the flag and guard of honor, taking the lead This move ment covered the little harbor with boats, and the sheen of the muskets' the uniforms of the officers with the dark and lofty mountains as 9 back ground. presented O novel and im- pressiye picture. A short row, and the Stars and Stripes were landed for the first time on our new terri tory. As soon as the soldiere were ail landed. General Davis, with the guard of honor, proceeded to tho Governors Houue. the latter taking their position on tho left in front of the flag staff Our soldiers now filed past, and took their position on tho left of the Russians, the latter presenting arms. and ours returning the salute.
 "Tho battalion of United states