The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-06-12
.CO[ORS Of THE
OO6OIIO ~ 4s
3147H HANDED
=. OVER To CITY.
IMPRESSIVE SCENE @
AT THE FAIR GROUNDS
Feeling Response By Mayer
Thoner to Address Of Ser
geant 0verfeid &

psrusins TO take from Color SefEees
William Overfeld honors that Wers
Justly his, Major General Adeines.s55
cronkhite yesterday insisted thai cef-s
reant overfeld return to Mayor Tnomas
Thoner the flag presented the 3l+th t1eie
Ar.iIIery by Mr. George r. E Gilcnns.
tu,. wears ago. In declining TO preseHt
Tho fag the general said: sergeant,
Overfield carried those colors into Ger
rn,nv and back. The late Colonel Wetsn
ordcrcd him to bring them back
wheeling. and I shall not stand In Mt
way TO prevent him from carrylne ON.
colonel Welsh's command. SerseanS
Cvcrhcld must have the honor that u
riqhtly his. / will stand with the SER
seant during the presentation. =
Acting In compliance with GenerA
cronkhites wishes. 1t was arranged tn.s
Sergeant Ovcrfeld should make the
nresentation. All Of the soldiers stArteQ
down the fair ground race tracks toward
the grandstand when someone sounueo
mess call. This broke up the paTadess
but enough soldiers went to the grand.
stand to participate in the presentauoh:
There General Cronkhite and his chiet
Of staff stood with Mayor Thoner. ser
keant Ovcraeld presented the nrst osts
TALON colors and the Wheeling nag N
the following words: by command OF
the late Col, Robert 8. Welsh. my COM
mauder. and by order Of 1t. Col. William
uurd return TO the city Of Wheeling
Tho colors Of the first battalion Of the
314th Field Artillery and the flag pre-.
scntcd 70 our regiment by Mr. Gilchrist
AZ Dutch Gap, Va, near Camp Lee, two
years ago. -
! This flag went to France and Nlg
carried through all OF the battles. II
went further to the front than our own
rcgimental colors. I consider II an honor
to deliver the colors on Colonel Welsh's
order, and am satisfied that no one viii
take cfrcnsc when say that colonel
Welsh was the best commander we ever
had. He taught US how TO be the best
regiment in the American army, and we
did as he taught US" -
Sergeant Overfleld handed the two /,
Gags to Mayor Thoner. The mayor, In
turn. handed them to Colonel Waldron
as chief OF stan. ~
Mayor Thoner received the colors IN
the following words: p
When this flag. which has become to-i
day the most typical emblem in ths5
world Of the independence Of men,. was
sent to the defenders Of our liberties By
George r. f. Gilchrist, one Of our most
patriotic citizens, not only our own
country but tho entire civilized wosld
stood agast at the terrible conflict that.
was then raging. As in the war for
American independence; as in the war
against Mexican aggression; as In the
war which settled the differences bo- &
tween the two parts Of our country:
as in the war which freed downtroddsn
Cuba. so in the gigantic war Of the
world. the greatest that history has ever
recorded. or ever will record, this dAG
preceded these heroes who settled that
which the entire forces Of Europe and
the old world could not bring to an end.
Now that grim-visaged war has
smoothcd its wrinkIed front and peace
rc!gns again. under the orders Of Colonel
Welsh. your illustrious commander, who
made the supreme sacrifice. you return
it 10 us.
"On behalf Of the city Of Wheeling
and as it's spokesman. now take back
these colors, untarnshed. a stranger to
defeat. and give you the word Of our
fair city that they will be treasured and
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