The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-06-12
STORY OF FIRST
! FLORIDA FLAG
Read ~ Mrs.. Arses ~. Nerris 81 tsis.
teFieal Services U. DC. cenvsn-
ton.


read ~ sire. Amos II. Norris az the
historical services Of the Florida Dt-
vision. unzted Daughters of the Con-
federacy convention. The story fol-
lows;
Floriaa's First Flas.
The actors and the spectators % the
gigantic war drama that filied with
iss scenes u blood and fire and gloom
the stage Of our nations life ia the
ee's are passing.Away. Year after year.
as the veterans gather IN annual 49,
union. the thinning ranks Of those who
foilowea the meteor fIag Of o nation
that feI are shorter and shorter. and
the remnant are awiftly. enc By one.
faklnR fhsis places with those who are
resting under the sod Of the Southland.
awaiting TIE Judgment day; under the
roses ths blue; under the lilies the
gray
The muse Of history has not always
with impartial pen recorded the deeds
cf the men who wore the gray. Tho
larger outlines % the Iurid canvas are
Shown; but what we may call the ms
nor details OF the picture are bat
diniy seen. and VIII soon. unless
brought into clearer relief. he lost %
visw IN TIE twilight Of forgotten mem
cries. buried with the darkened eyes
and the allencea lips Of thass who saw
them naa recalled them TO memory
around the firesides 81 the long ago.
We. the children and grandchildren
Of those VINO lived Ia those heroic
days. owe = sacred duty 10 them. 20
ourselves ard to Our children to per-
petuate these "reminiscences that have
come e Us from lips that We shall hear
speak ne more: for some day q history
will be written that vii depict the
inner life ~ ths "oia South, with the
passions that actuated the people, the
thinga that they aid. the scenes they
witnessed and the words they spoke
IN the days that tried mems souls.
Ally grandfather folle ged The south
srn cross. through four fail years. and
here until his death the proud distine-
lion of having been one 81 'sDickison's
naen." one 81 tbs chief pleasures 81 ny
chlldhnaa wan 20 Sc on hls knee and
listen q hla tales Of var times. and
amonw ~ other "Reminiscences he told
me the story of sFiorlaz's FIRST Flag.
lie has been dead now for IS years.
bat bis face stu fo.ans = vivid picture
Ia my memory. and his woras. the very
tones ~ bis voice, are still with ma.
Ay grandmofhsr. who passed away
less TRAN 3 year ago. M gFaRd-aunt
who Il stu with VS., ard my fathef.
who vas a boy nine years cid At tue
time. have all spoken many times q
the incidents am about 10 relate.
Al TIE beginning of the War BE
tween ire States" and for some time
before. during all the period ~ the
secession agitation and the time u
suspense that Immediately preceded
the breaking Of the storm q war. my
grandfather. Ephraim /. Harrison.
lived in the city Of Feruandlna. only /.
q few miles from the spot where bis +
grandfather settled IN fTa3 and where +
both he ana his father were born. Ny i
grandfather was az this time. IN 1850. #
a Gotten factor and commission mor-
chant and agent for several lines Of
steamers. among them being the Char
lesion line plying between Charleston.
b. c. and jacksonville. Fla. touching .
81 Fernandlna.
During IRE early days oe December.
isso. the excitement Of approachins
war had grown % fever heat. The
South Carolina secession convention
had met, ard decisive aetton was look
Ell Tor MN8A#a AM We ia Mk8M MHNH
enc ordinance Of secession Waa passed
BY that convention on the goth OF DE-
cember; but communication Ga those
days waa not as rapid a. It Il now. and
on the zznd. when the steamer Care
Ina" 81 the Charleston line was due
from that city. they did not know n
Fernaualna what action. II any. that
convention had taken. and the arrival
Of the Carolina was awaited with The
most intense Interest Long before the
regular hour u arrival % the steamer
il seemed that the entire population
Of the town had gathered On the water
front. every wharf was crowded. ts-
peclally that o. my grandfather. where
the steamer Vas 20 land. After waiting
what seemed long q the impatient
throng. bu1 ia reality promptly on time
the smoke e steamer Was sssn
rounding TIE point Of the island and
entering TIE harhor. slowly. as h
seemed - tire waiting thousands. she
crew nearer. and soon someone who
had q pair If field glasses cried. "Sha
is covered with flags from stem 20
stern" Then they knew that something
had happened; Just what they could
nos yet tel; but that Is was some
thlng % rejoice over they knew Initial
lively. ard then for probably the first
time ii Florida, the rebel yell" rent
the air. and cheers relied along the
shore.
As the Carolina" came near enough
fer details 70 be discorned ~ the naked
eye &c vas seen that she We beteckea
with flaas OF every eolsn and % rv-
cry nation one. There was an
omlmoma omission. What al had been
accustomed AL their lives 80 lock
upon as tbs national flag-the old
stars ard stripes-Was ahssnt. Ia So
stead. ia the place of honor. futtered
the Palmetto flag Of south Carolina.
standing proudly on tbs upper deck.
just IN front II the pilot house. a. the
steamer drew 60 the wharf was Capt
Coxettr. tho commander q the Car