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Posted on 11/21/2004 12:13:05 AM PST by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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During the Civil War   In turn, the soldier identified himself with the regiment’s flag, or colors. The ideals and honor of the regiment were embodied within and represented by the regimental flag. The flag was the symbol of the regiment. When a regiment was being mustered in a particular town, it was often the women of the area who would join together and make the unit’s colors. The completed flag would then be presented to the regiment during an elaborate ceremony, often attended by hundreds of people.  The inscription reads: God Help the Right 140th Regt. New York S.V.  The inscription reads: Presented by 34 Young Ladies of Rochester N.Y. to the Monroe Co. Regt. To the homesick soldier, who was far from home and engaged in the most terrifying episode of his life, those regimental colors were a concrete reminder of their mothers, wives, and sisters who had helped make the flag. A Georgia captain’s response to the women who had just presented him with his unit’s flag in 1861 is typical of the feelings of most soldiers:  “Those tri-colors are emblematical of your . . . fair cheeks, and your blue eyes; in the future when we look up at those glorious stars . . . whose radiance will guide us to victory and fame, we will fondly remember the loved ones at home.”  To help build a sense of esprit de corps, the regimental colors were also designed to set the unit apart from others and, often times, to proudly display the unique characteristics of the regiment. For example, the 69th New York Infantry regiment was recruited in New York City from a very strong Irish community. Their regimental colors were illustrated with pictures of shamrocks and a Celtic harp on a green background, reminders of their Irish heritage. Another New York regiment, the 11th New York, had been recruited from firemen of New York City. Their colors contained the tools of their trade: a fireman’s helmet, ladder, hoses, and axe all appear on their regimental colors.  Once on the battlefield, the colors had the added importance of guiding the troops in the field. With scores of regiments and thousands of men often involved in the chaos and confusion of combat, the flags served as a way of keeping the various units together. A soldier who might become separated from his regiment could look for the unit’s colors to be reunited with his regiment. The colors were carried by a soldier known as the color bearer. He would be charged with carrying the flag and keeping it aloft for all to follow. While the color bearer was a position of great prestige, it was also one of the most dangerous assignments of the regiment. Recognizing the importance of the flag for direction and morale, the enemy often targeted color bearers when battle commenced. In the early months of the war, however, many of the young, naive soldiers disregarded the danger and eagerly sought the honor of carrying the colors in battle.  A young color bearer prior to the First Battle of Manassas wrote home: “I have a position just under the flag and woe be to the Yankee who tries to take it from [me] for we’ve sworn to preserve it, or perish beneath its folds. What a glorious death!” Accordingly, once on the battlefield, these soldiers would go to great lengths to ensure that the colors were protected. If a color bearer were shot (as was often the case), another man would pick up the flag and carry it, continuing to hold it aloft for all to see. A Union soldier could be awarded the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate flag, or going to great lengths to ensure that his own banner was not lost. Because a regiment’s flag was a source of immense pride and because such steps were taken to protect it, the colors also played a prominent role in the disciplining of troops. For troops who had misbehaved, or performed poorly, a serious blow could be dealt to the unit’s pride by stripping them of their flags. The hope was that, in order to have their colors returned, the men would work that much harder to prove they were worthy of the banners.  Shortly after the First Battle of Manassas, the 79th New York Infantry mutinied when they were denied a furlough that would have allowed them to return home for a visit with their families. To teach the men a lesson after the mutiny was put down, General George B. McClellan ordered “the regiment will be deprived of its colors, which will not be returned to it until its members have shown by their conduct in camp, that they have learned the first duty of soldiers - obedience - and have proven upon the field of battle that they are not wanting in courage.” Of this punishment, one of the New Yorkers wrote, “you have seen in the papers the punishment awarded to the Regiment - the taking of our colors and the disgrace from which we are suffering.”       |
Thanks Godebert. We are thankful for your g-g-grandfathers service, thanks for sharing the 26th SC Regimental colors with us.
The Foxhole Sunday song. Thanks for bringing it to us every week feather. Lovely.
You're most welcome snippy. It is my pleasure to give to the Foxhole.
Good morning alfa6.
Thanks Jaysun.
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.
Copied from Poems of Alfred Tennyson,
Hugz radu. ;-)
It's wonderful that so many of these flags still exist, the condition of many is almost appropriate.
Good morning Aeronaut.
Thank you and good morning Mayor.
Good morning EGC.
Oh yea! Good looking stack of pancakes. That'll start my day. Mornin' Gail.
free dixie HUGS, duckie/sw
OU 35 Baylor 0
Yesterday we're entertainging guests. My brother from texas is here. Wifw and daughter up in Northern Oklahoma visiting her mother.
Sister and husband and son also visiting from the city today. Busy time here.
Hi Snippy!
Dr. Rice looks quite natural in this setting.
Dr. Rice is fabulous!!
She does doesn't she!
there was NEVER an official policy of what battle flag that CSA units HAD to carry.
i've seen one AR (CSA) regimental flag that was made from a piece of ladies lingerie. it was PROBABLY made from a white & PINK silk & LACE underskirt from a wedding gown, which was then embroidered & appliqued with "patriotic symbols & sayings"! (units used whatever they HAD or could buy/make/get donated. the vast majority of CS units were too POOR to even buy food & clothing on a routine basis, much less money to buy fancy flags!)
free dixie,sw
"Lib'rals!!"
(To be sung to the Rolling Stones' "Some Girls")
Lib'rals steal yer money...Lib'rals steal yer souls!!
Lib'rals just crave Power...o'er lives that ain't their own!!
Lib'rals love their "Programs"...Lib'rals love to TAX!!
Lib'rals, we give most our bread to...We won't ever git it back!!
Lib'rals they LOATHE Liberty...DemRATS, They Love POWER!!
Lib'rals hide behind children...each time they beg fer MORE!!
So give'em all YER money...Do Just What Yer Told!!
Left takes more'n half of what I own...
But it's Right who's doin' the Chores!!
BigGuv'ment takes yer money...Leftists Corrupt Yer Souls!!
Lib'rals tax the shirt off yer back...and tell ya "You a selfish louse!!"
Lib'rals, they love JessieJay...Sharpton, they're UncleToms!!
American Left wants everything in the World...They're all TAKE and Never GIVE!!
Medyuh Whore'd...They're ALL Sissies...I can't stand 'em on TeeVee no mo'!!
Sometimes I venture over to CNN fer just a look...but I end up barfin' in the stall!!
White RATS, they're pretty funny...They think that 'Life's Soooo Sad!!'
Black Libs...they just wanna blame the damned Right!!
Self-reliance, they can't Stand!!
Chi-Com Spies are so subtle...They got Slick on his knees!!
But the Right knows 'bout what Left's cookin'...They're all Enemies of the FREE!!
Give Libs all YER money...Give Libs all YER Gold!!
Bought me a house outside the City...I'll educate MY kids in my Home!!
Yeah...gonna VOTE Dem Leftists home...
LeftWing spreads manure...Lib'rals Are Corrupt!!
Lib'rals warp their children...look at Chelsea, she's such a DUNCE!!
Give Slick half YER money...we'll put Slick behind bars...
Re-Impeach Left's Boy, I say...WE'll CONVICT the Left's Biggest Star...then Laugh!!
Make Slick his cellmate's "honey"...make'im a Prison 'HO!!
Let's CONVICT Left's Evil, FReepers...first step's to VOTE Conservative...Let's Roll!!
Mudboy Slim (09/23/2002)
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