Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/276

 268 Southern Historical Society Papers

battle-flag which was carried by Hart's battery, Hampton's Horse Artillery, and which was in 153 engagements. It was carried by Mr. Lewis Sherfesee, the original color -bearer, who received it at Charleston. The flag floated in every battle from Bentonville to Gettysburg.

FROM MISSISSIPPI.

Mississippi, which was entitled to second place, this having been the second State whose troops reached Virginia in 1861, was repre- sented by the Columbia Riflemen, twenty-four strong, Captain A. J, McDonald, and the Brown Cadets, forty in number, Captain William P. Brown, commanding. They have a very pretty dress uniform of olive green with old-gold trimmings and white helmets. They constituuted one of the handsomest bodies in the line and marched well.

Alabama's two.

Alabama sent two infantry companies and they came in at this point. They were the Montgomery Grays, Captain W. J. Booths 32 men, and the Sheffield Light Guard, Captain J. V. Allen, 32 men.

WASHINGTON ARTILLERY.

The Washington Artillery, of New Orleans, whose handsome ap- pearance attracted the admiration of the lookers-on all along the line of march, represented the great State of Louisiana, and did it handsomely. The battalion, consisting of the veteran association and three active companies, was under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel John B. Richardson. There were thirty-eight veterans commanded by Colonel B. F. Eshelman, assisted by Generals W. Miller Owen and W. J. Behan. Captain H. M. Isaacson commands Company C, Captain E. M. Underbill Company A, and Captain Eugene May Company B. The battalion numbers 127, including the band. Its membership is about 300.

IN SIXTY BATTLES.

The Mexican-war flag carried by the Washington Artillery, marked X, and bearing the names of sixty engagements in which the com- mand participated during the war of 1 861 -'65, is of red silk, with embroidered centre of the coat-of-arms of the United States. It is a handsome piece of needle-work, showing the same on both sides,