The Coolidge examiner., 1932-06-10

Cruz and the Citadel at Mexico City. The hal
yards on 1t carried the Mexican flag on the Ma
tional palace in the City of Mexico and by the
same halyards was carried this American ensign
on September IA 1S47."
But even more interesting is the story which
the placard on another American flag tells. 1t
reads "Regimental colors Of the Eighth United
States infantry, carried by Lieut.. James Long
street regimental adjutant in the storming of
Churubusco. 1t was the first flag planted on the
Notifications by Capt j. '. Bomford and Lieutenant
Longstreet and 1t was the second flag planted
on the battlements Of Chapultepec by Lieut..
George f. Pickett 1t was claimed by the regi-
ment to be the first American flag TO enter the
city of Mexico" Such Is the record Of this flag
In the Mexican war. Is II necessary to remind
any American that these same men who carried
1t then rose to greater fame in a greater conflict
later-Longstreet as a general in the COnfed-
crate army on many a hard-fought field from
1861 to 1865 and Pickett as the leader Of that
immortal charge up the slope at Gettysburg?
The Civil flags in the museum legion,
including such notable colors as General Sheri-
dams headquarters flag for the Cavalry Reserve
Brigade First Division, Cavalry Corps. Army of
the Potomac, with its record of 50 battles and the
colors OF the Fifth cavalry, the Fighting Fifth"
of later Indian fighter fame with 61 battles on
its record. But perhaps the most historic Civil
war flag there Is one which is labeled thus: Flag
Of the First New York Zouaves (Col Ephriam
Elmer Elsworth's ZOuaves). 1t is claimed that
this flag was placed on the staff of the Marshall
house in Alexandria, Va, May "a 1861, by Col
onel Ellsworth after he had pulled down the
Stars and Bars. He was shot dead by the hotel
proprietor while descending the stairs. There
is some doubt as to whether or not this is really
the flag since 1t has SO stars on It and the
American flag did not have that number Of stars
until between October 81, 1864, and March
l, 1867"
Not so historic, perhaps, as the Ellsworth
flag Qf it is indeed the Ellsworth fag) but hav-
ing connected with 1t a remarkable story is an
other carried by the Thirteenth United States
Missouri Volunteer Infantry regiment Here Is
the story: On Sunday morning, April G, 1852. at
the Battle of Shiloh the Confederates attacked
soon after sunrise The regiment advanced to a
bridge near Shiloh, leaving its camp flag fying
and only few sick men to protect it. One
boy named BEEN, was member of the color
guard. The regiment was forced to retreat
through its own camp. Cannon balls were flying
through the air and one of them passed through
the flag. BEEN hauled down the flag undressed
wrapped the flag around his body and dressed in
larger garments made his way safely through
the thick of the fight in time to save the regi
mental flag. For this he was commissioned as
an officer This flag was presented to Professor
Church of the military academy faculty in 1874
by Col. Crafts ]. Wright of Glendale Ohio. who
commanded the Thirteenth Missouri during that
historic Sunday battle. ut was not such
peaceful Sunday morning" wrote Colonel Wright.
my regiment lost 50 killed and wounded in
about an hour, among them all of my field and
staff officers"
The story o. the improvised flag at Fort STAN
wix is somewhat paralleled by another impro-
vised flag which is on display in the West Point
museum, described follows: handkerchief
flag, made of a colored handkerchief, eight
stars in a blue field. Used by United States
troops in an expedition in the Philippines Above
is the official record but it is probable that
small number of men were detached from the
main body and sent on an expedition during the
Insurrection of 1S99-19O2 Not wishing to be
without a flag wherever they went, they made
this one from the material available"
(9 by Western Newspaper Union)