Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1917-10-03
The Two Flags

experience IN regard I'd 1ne I"o
Flag.
On the 10th of April, 1861 l
volunteered in Company G 7th, S.
G. Regiment in Allen Kemp's old
field, under the Confederate Flag,
the ''Stars and Bars. Under its pure
folds I marched, and watched and
fought, and bled.. Three of my
brothers were were killed under this
flag, three were twice severely
wounded. The Stars and Bars
floated proudly and beautifully, on
land and sea for four years, and it
was the admiration of the world,
and it was as free from stain as the
golden stars in their silver sockets.
But on the 9th day of April, 1865
in the cool of the day, our mighty
chieftain" General Robt. E. Lee
told us to stack arms and go to
our homes and rebuild the fortunes
of our devastated land, and take care
of the women and children. have
fought the war through with you,
and have done the best 1 could"
1t was with sad hearts, aud wet eyes,
we laid down our rifles for the hoe.
our word for the pow and our sword
for the pen. But the Flags, the
Flag, loved the battle Flag of
the Confederacy as mother loves
her first born.
That was to me the first Flag
up to the time I entered the service.
l had not seen much of the world
Of course I'd been to Edgefeld,
Hamberg, and Augusta, Ca, but l
do not remember to ever have seen
the Flag of the United States: The
"Stars and Stripes" until I looked
at it on the battlefield of July 2lst,
1861 on the Federal battle line.
Yes, / loved that Flag, with a
Mothers Love-, and do to-day. I'll
now tell about the second Flag,
"OLD GLORY".
After arms was stacked and the
Cenfederacy was buried in its bloody
grave at Appomattox, and as the
little broken army gathered around
that grave with inconsolable grief,
She then were told that we had to
be paroled, and 60 to our homes un-
molested.
(Let me say just here, what | saw.
the color-bearer of the 25-Alabama
Reg't. was taking his flag from the
staff to carry home with him. A
long, lank blue eyed yankee walked
up and said "I'll take that Flag, -
and with an oath, the Alabama
Sergeant said You know you have
run from the flag many a time.
Ny hands are tired, and you know
it. 1t is time now".)
The Federal officers soon began
to parole the men. We had to-take
up arms against the United States.
We had to furthermore promise
and swear to stand by the Con-
stitution of the United States, and
to defend the Flag. AS | read the
document over, 1 said to my captain,
st will be mighty hard for me to
sign this thing, and he said to me,
'You can sign it and go home or
not sign it and 60 to prison.,
''Well", I said "Gen'l Lee said for
us to take this oath and stand by
and defend the STARS and Stripes,
and will do it, SO help me, God:"
And from that day to this moment
I have stood ready to uphold the
honor of this great Republic of ours
and defend the Flag, and will strike,
and strike to the death, anybody OF
any thing that attempts to cast an
insult upon its pure folds. Every
beat of my heart, and every throb OF
my pulse, and every drop of blood
in my veins, singing to me the sweet
song of life, is tinctured afresh with
patriotism, when l see the South
Carolina boys hocking fsto the
"COLORS". Il answered the call
in "9l"and will 60 again if needed. F."
Let me say to the young men who
go to France, that the war is their
occupation, and they will have to
accept the situation, be that what ii
may. A soldiers first and last duty
is, to obey orders, and a good soldier
is apt to do that. When you reach
the firing line on the hills of France,
and the battle is on, some of you
will be hurt. But be assured of this
fact, the Red-Cross Brigade will
look after each one; they will pick
you up and lay you on your shields,
and will bind up your bleeding
| wounds, and bathe your fevered