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Show TZZJZSXf "X v -STI T J wife m:fl hi "1"" "VO- , 'T - Cruz and the Citadel at Mexico City. The hal- J 7" 7 y 1 X yards on it carried the Mexican flag on the Na- W" - t C ' ' tional palace in the City of Mexico and by the J '''St,J,, ! 1 " , 1 n same halyards was carried this American ensign Isviif-w -3 s K 1' I' on September 14, 1S4T." "(-mm fM ' ' But even more interesting is the story which XaSatMfr-" K&th) ff u the placard on another American flag tells. It VJp' ' ; reads "Regimental colors of the Eighth United ; ( Ji f States infantry, carried by Lieut. James Long- ' " "cgy V)v- w'tftyCTrqBiriL'WjP' street, regimental adjutant, in the storming of v- . WA!lfl&t&&-$S-SJ8iJa Churubusco. It was the first flag planted on the By ELMO SCOTT WATSON 1UNE 14 Is Flag day and on that day cf patriotic Americans will pay tribute B to the emblem which "symbolizes the jkHffl freedom, equality, justice and human- lty for which our forefathers sacri- ficed their lives and personal fortunes" for-tunes" and which "represents a nation na-tion of over 100,000,000 free people, its Con-tltutlon Con-tltutlon and Institutions, its achievements, and aspirations." Everywhere over homes, business busi-ness offices and public buildings the Red, White and Blue will be displayed in celebration of the anniversary of the day when the Continental congress In session in Philadelphia "Resolved, That the Flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." There are several places in the United States which have become "flag shrines" because of their association with the history of our flag and there could be no more appropriate celebration celebra-tion of Flag day than a visit to one of these shrines on that day. One of them is the little house at 239 Arch street in Philadelphia, where once lived Elizabeth Eliza-beth Griscom Ross, famous in American legend as "Betsy Ross," who, even though she may not have been, as the legend has it, "the maker of the first American flag," was certainly one of the early ones. Another is the reconstructed Fort McIIenry In Maryland where was displayed the flag which provided the inspiration for Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner." Still another is the case In the National museum mu-seum In Washington where is displayed the very flag which Key saw "by the dawn's early light." It was this flag which gave him the inspiration in-spiration for the Immortal poem that has become be-come our national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner." Then, too, there is the monument In Old City cemetery In Nashville, Tenn., which marks the last resting place of Cnpt. William Driver, the New England sea captain, who first called the flag "Old Glory." Interesting as all of these are because of their Individual parts in the history of our rational emblem, there is no place, perhaps, where so much flag history can be found in one place as In the museum at the United States Military academy at West Point. In its cases are displayed colors which not only cover more than a century of American history but' which, as Individual flags, played their part in stirring events in all of our wars from the Revolution to the Spanish-American war. One group of flags which has a special appeal during this, the Washington bicentennial year, Is composed of British and Hessian colors which were once the property of Gen. George Washington, Wash-ington, having probably been surrendered at York-town York-town In 1TS1 with the command of Lord Corn-wallis. Corn-wallis. These flags were bequeathed to George Washington Parke Custis, son of Washington's adopted son and grandson of Martha Washington. Custis bequeathed them to the War department, who received them in 1S."S, whereupon Secretary Secre-tary Floyd sent them to West Toint. Meager as are the records for these flags, the labels on them suggest Innumerable thrilling stories of the days when Washington and his Continentals were fighting what so often seemed to be a hopeless fight for American liberties. Here Is one described as "British king's colors 1. The museum at the United States Military academy at West Point. Note X-arrange-ment of the stars on the American flag in the middle. 2. One of the Hessian flags, captured at Trenton and once the property of George Washington. Wash-ington. 3. Ansbach-Bayreuth, German mercenaries' colors, captured at Yorktown. 4. A battle-torn British flag, which became the property of the Americans when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. 5. British king's colors or regimental Union Jack of the Seventh Royal Fusiliers. Probably the first British flag captured during the Revolution. Revo-lution. $ or regimental Union -Jack of the Seventh Royal Fusiliers. Probably captured at Fort Chambly, October IS, 1775, and was therefore the first British Brit-ish flag captured in the Revolution." What memories mem-ories of the brilliant exploits of "Mad Anthony" Wayne or of the stubborn fighting in the redoubts at Yorktown are called up by the label on this one near by: "British king's colors or Union Jack, Queen Anne pattern, 1707. History not known, but this may be the flag of the Seventeenth Seven-teenth regiment, lost at Stony Point, or the Forty-third, Seventy-sixth or Eightieth regiments, regi-ments, lost at Yorktown." There are half a dozen or more flags described as "Ansbach-Bayreuth, German mercenaries colors, col-ors, bearing the date of 1770, captured at York-town" York-town" and "Flags captured from the Hessians, one taken at' Trenton, and two others either captured cap-tured at Trenton or at Yorktown." No doubt Washington often looked upon these colors, while they were in his possession, with particular pride for they were relics of the two high points in his career as a soldier. Reminiscent of the fierce border wars In New York during the Revolution, when green-coated Tory and black-painted Iroquois carried the tomahawk toma-hawk and the torch against their erstwhile neighbors neigh-bors who had espoused the Tatriot cause, are two flags close by those previously described. One is labeled "Captured English colors, probably prob-ably Revolutionary" war or War of 1812. Imitation Imita-tion British king's colors or Union Jack. Queen Anne pattern, 1707. Probably a Tory or renegade rene-gade flag and believed to be the flag of Colonel Butler's Rangers carried in the Susquehanna region during the Revolution and at the Wyoming massacre, also believed to have been taken at Fort George in Upper Canada, May 27, 1S13." The other is even more historic if the following inscription is correct: "Captured British colors, Revolution or War of 1S12. Imitation British king's colors or Union Jack. Queen Anne pattern, pat-tern, 1707. A Tory flag which has an olive green St. George's Cross. May be either Sir John Johnson's 'Royal Greens' flag captured at Fort George in Upper Canada May 27, 1813. Or it is possible that this flag was captured by Colonel Willett at Fort Stanwix, New York, August C, 1777." Close by the British and Hessian colors captured cap-tured during the Revolution are the colors of another foreign enemy captured In a later war Mexican flags taken by the troops of Scott and Taylor below the Rio Grande. And there are American flags there, too, which played an important im-portant part in that conflict One of them Is designated as "The first flag hoisted over Yera Cruz and the Citadel at Mexico City. The halyards hal-yards on it carried the Mexican flag on the National Na-tional palace in the City of Mexico and by the same halyards was carried this American ensign on September 14, 1S47." But even more interesting is the story which the placard on another American flag tells. It reads "Regimental colors of the Eighth United States infantry, carried by Lieut. James Long-street, Long-street, regimental adjutant, in the storming of Churubusco. It was the first flag planted on the fortifications by Capt. J.V.Bomford and Lieutenant Longstreet and it was the second flag planted on the battlements of Chapultepec by Lieut. George E. Pickett. It was claimed by the regiment 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 It necessary to remind any American that these same men who carried It then rose to greater fame in a greater conflict later Longstreet as a general in the Confederate Confed-erate 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 war flags in the museum are legion, Including such notable colors as General Sheridan's Sheri-dan's headquarters flag for the Cavalry Reserve Brigade, First Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, with its record of 55 battles and the colors of the Fifth cavalry, the "Fighting Fifth" of later Indian fighter fame, with 01 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 Ellsworth's Zouaves). It is claimed that this flag was placed on the staff of the Marshall house in Alexandria, Va., May 24, 1SG1, by Colonel 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 it has 3G stars on it and the American flag did not have that number of stars until between October 31, 1864, and March 1, 1867." Not so historic, perhaps, as the Ellsworth flag (if it Is indeed the Ellsworth flag) but' having hav-ing connected with it a remarkable story is another an-other carried by the Thirteenth United States Missouri Volunteer Infantry regiment. Here is the story: On Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, at the Battle of Shiloh the Confederates attacked soon after sunrise. The regiment advanced to a bridge near Shiloh, leaving Its camp flag flying and only a few sick men to protect it. One, a boy named Beem, was a 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. Beem 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 regimental regi-mental flag. For this he was commissioned as an officer. This flag was presented to Professor Church of the military academy faculty in 1S74 by Col. Crafts J. Wright of Glendale, Ohio, who commanded the Thirteenth Missouri during that historic Sunday battle. "It was not such a peaceful Sunday morning," wrote Colonel Wright. "My regiment lost 89 killed and wounded in about an hour, among them all of my field and staff officers." The story of the improvised flag at Fort' Stanwix Stan-wix is somewhat paralleled by another improvised impro-vised flag which is on display in the West Point museum, described as 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 a small number of men were detached from the main body and sent on an expedition during the Insurrection of 1S99-1902. Not wishing to be without a flag wherever they went, they made this one from the material available." ( by Western Newspaper Unlor. 1 |