The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-01-09

came TO he KIOWn WIS duOplcu.
The day the recruits assembled
at Smethport, April 25, 1861,
James Landregan, member of the
Mexican County Rifles, while pass
ing meat market where deer's
carcass was on display, cut off
the animals tail, stuck it in his
hat and proceeded to headquar-
tiers. Thomas L. Kane, who later
became a general, observed the
bucks tail and selling upon the
idea, announced that the force he
was recruiting should be known
as the Bucktails. Within a short
time the deer's carcass was d.
vested of its hide which was cut
into strips to resemble buck tails
and attached to their caps.
After marching over the noun
tains the Mexican and Elk county
troops Joined those of Cameron
county at Emporium and cOntin
ued their march to Driftwood on
the Sinnemahoning, a branch Of
the Susquehanna river.
Rats had been constructed of
lumber for their journey down the
Susquehanna to Lock Haven. Anc
on April %, 1861. the forces num-
bering 315 men embarked and at
Lock Haven boarded train for
Harrisburg where they were mus
tered into service.
Visitors to the state capitol at Har-
risburg, Pa, can see in the cases
which hold the tattered ensigns of
the Keystone state regiments that of
the One Hundred Fiftieth Pennsyl-
vania Rifles, flag which has an in
teresting history. During the battle
Of Gettysburg the "Bucktails" were
forced to abandon their position on
Seminary Ridge and fall back into the
town. During this retreat the wound.
ed color-bearer became separated from
his comrades and the flag fell into the
hands of the Confederates. Later 1t
was presented to President Jefferson
Davis, and was found among his effects
when he was captured in 1865, and in
1869 it was restored to the state of
Pennsylvania.
In the city of Alexandria, Va, lives
the sole survivor now of the COO or
700 AleXandrians who fought with the
Confederates. He is Edgar Warfield,
member of Company H, Seventeenth
Virginia regiment, known as the Old
Dominion Rifles.
Last year also saw the passing of
an even more famous last survivor
of the Lost Cause" For when Mai,
Charles NJ. Stedman died on Septem-
Der %. 1880, the Congress of the
United States lost it's sole survivor
of the Civil war serving our national
legislature. Up until recent years
there were number of Civil war vet
Grams, both those who wore the Blue
and those who wore the Gray, in both
houses of congress. But the last
decade saw the number cut down
steadily until 1925 when there were
only three left. In that year Gen.
Isaac Sherwood of Ohio retired to
private life at the age of ninety and
his departure marked the passing of
the last Union veteran from the
house of representatives. In 1929
Senator Francis Warren of Wyoming
died and the last, Union veteran was
gone from the senate. And last year
the death of Major Stedman of North
Carolina removed not only the last
Confederate veteran but also the last
Civil war veteran on either side from
both houses.
Major Stedman was born January
%, 1S41, in Pittsboro, N. c.. and en-
tered the University of North Caro-
lima at the age of sixteen. He was
graduated from the university in 1861
and received his diploma, but before
the commencement exercises could be
held he had responded to call for
volunteers and enlisted as private
in the Fayetteville Light Infantry
which was part of the
First North Carolina Cor Bethel)
regiment. Upon the disbanding of
this regiment he Joined company
from Chatham county. rose to the
rank of lieutenant, then captain and
finally major. He served in the army
of Gen. Robert e. Lee throughout the
war and was present at the historic
at Appamattox. Major
Stedman was wounded three times
during the war but survived his
wounds to become lawyer and to be
elected from the Greensboro district
Of North Carolina to the Sixty-second
congress 20 years ago.
10 by Western Newspaper Union,l