The Robesonian., 1917-07-05
THE LITTLE FLAG AT MANILA

The First American Flag to Float as
a Token of Possession Over the
Philippines
By Francis E. Clark, D. D., presi-
'tent of the Worlds Christian En-
! deavor union, in The Youths Com
panion Of June IA, 1917.
THE Chaplain Steele of the follow
ing interesting story was pastor of
the Presbyterian church of Lumber.
ton for one year prior to his death in
September. 1912. His widow and
daughters have lived in Lumberton
since his death.-Editor.1
One Of the most precious of the
possessions that I have accumulated
In many years Of travel is little
copy OF Old Glory. Commercially,
|, suppose, it is not worth penny;
the bunting is cheap, and there is
big. hole in two of the stripes. But
It IS precious to me, for it is the
first American flag that floated from
a flagstaff in the city Of Manila after
the occupation by the American fleet
in 1898.
J 1t was given me at convention in
Denver by Chaplain Robert E. Steele,
formerly Of the United States navy.
He told its story in large tent in
Which ten thousand young men and
women were packed, and then he un-
furled it over their heads. The depths
OF their patriotism were stirred, and
they cheered and cheered the little
flag as If they would never stop.
1t was first in the possession Of
Leonard Buduow, the coxswain of
one Of the cutters Of the battleship
Olympia, Admiral Dewey's flagship
at Manila Bay.
young Budrow," said Chaplain
Steele, "was a typical American blue
jacket, with a high sense of honor,
and as true to the code Of ethics of
the navy as any man who ever wore
it's uniform.
II knew him Intimately" said the
chaplain, "and when l stood at his
open grave in the Congressional GEM
etery at Washington one bleak March
morning in 1901 it was more than a
shipmate' whose body was laid away
to await the resurrection; it was an
honored friend. Nearly a year be-
fore his fatal illness and death he
came to me one day with little boat
flag in his hand, and said:
| "'This is the first American flag
hoisted at Cavite after the great
| fight. | was, coxswain of one of the
| cutters of the Olympia, and my boat
| took ashore the party whose business
it was to hoist the Stars and Stripes
on the flagstaff at the Cavite arsen-
| al.
| "'You know how excited we were!
Not man in the fleet but walked
on air. We had fought and won one
of the great naval battles in history
Not man had been lost, and oul
enemy was completely wiped out. We
were intoxicated with the glory of il
all. Officers and men alike were
ready to cheer and yell at the slight
est excuse. Under circumstances sucf
as those, discipline was greatly re-
| Taxed, and we fellows did some tring.
we would not have done otherwise.
| "'When We pulled up to the land
ing, and the flag party went ashor,
to the Plaza, happened to glanc,
up to the top of the great shears use,
for hosting masts and heavy machin
cry. There, on the tiptop, was a lit
tie jack staff, with halyards all rove
just waiting for a flag. I could no
resist the temptation. In the boa
box | had spare boat flag that be
longed to me, and to get out the key
open the box and start up the shear
was the work of moment. Th
shears were provided with the usus
rungs for climbing, and I was 500
halfway to the top, running like
monkey.
| 'As I cleared the tops of tn
trees, saw the flag party still o
it's way to the Plaza. / knew I coul
beat them. In a few minutes NOR
was on the little platform at th
top, and had the flag bent on an
hoisted. The boys in the boat belo
sent up cheer that must have star
led the other party. Just as I star
ed down again, the band struck U
The Star-Spangled Banner, and OF
Glory began to rise majestically I
. the great flagstaff.
- "'Of course everyone stood at a
. tention and faced the colors; but n
-. fellows and I faced the little bo
flag, and the salute we gave w;
to this little piece of bunting.
was the first American flag to flo
as a token Of possession over Il
Philippines. I let it stay there
while on the little jack staff, and tn,
took it down and have kept it ev
since.'"
At the close of his address, al
before the vociferous cheering tn
greeted the flag had died away, II
chaplain turned and generously Or
sented to me the historic piece
bunting. Do you wonder that I pri
it as one of my chief treasures?
I'll Ee -