Posted on 03/25/2018 11:21:32 AM PDT by Bull Snipe
The Secretary of War returns all captured Confederate Army Battle flags, in the possession of the Department, to the Southern States they represented. This action was in accordance with a law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Roosevelt in February of that year.
This was a laudable gesture, but it went unreturned. The former Confederate states, by 1905, were in the grip of Democrat/Klan dictatorships. Republicans were not allowed to organize or vote in many states.
Wow, 40 years after the war the flags got returned.
Then, 112 years later, Democrats want to take them all away again.
At the Battle of Peach Tree Creek, (Atlanta) the regiment was cut to pieces. From the original muster strength of 1100 men, less than 90 surrendered at Durham Station, NC
http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/flags/052.html
This flag was captured by 1st Lt. William T. Simmons, Co. C, 11th Missouri Infantry on December 16, 1864 near Nashville, Tennessee. Lt. Simmons was recommended for and received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The vote for the law to return the flags was unanimous in both houses of Congress
A few years ago the State of Wisconsin still had many captured CSA flags in a room at the top level of the Capitol building on Madison. It was open to the public and I saw them. They must not have gotten the word.
Iowa also has or had many captured Confederate flags. Probably the 1905 act was only those under federal control.
The law directed the War Department to return the captured Confederate flags in that Depts. possession. It did not apply to those flags that were held by various Northern States. Minnesota has the flag of the 28th VA Inf. It was captured by the 1st MN Inf. during Pickets Charge on the 3rd day of Gettysburg.
Virginia has been trying to get the flag returned for some time, but Minnesota will not let it go.
Those were different times. At the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg (1913) the peaceful reunion was repeatedly marked by events of Union–Confederate camaraderie.[6] President Woodrow Wilson’s July 4 reunion address summarized the spirit: “We have found one another again as brothers and comrades in arms, enemies no longer, generous friends rather, our battles long past, the quarrel forgotten—except that we shall not forget the splendid valor.” (Wikipedia)
Another story from the war always got me a bit misty: An ill-fated Union charge into a heavily manned Confederate line ended as only the young flag bearer was left alive, marking time at the Rebel wall. The Confederates refused to shoot him, instead telling him, “You’ve done your duty son, now go back to your lines.”
Wasn’t 1905 about the time Illinois had a Klan governor?
I think they still do!
“Republicans were not allowed to organize or vote in many states.”
If this is a true statement, it must have occurred with the tacit approval of the North. After Appomattox the North had the courts, the congress, and the executive branch. And the guns.
neat story, thanks.
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