Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 32.djvu/207

 Confederate States Flag. J95

him again, for just then his guns opened and a lively skirmish en- sued, but soon quieted down. After remaining a few hours on the north side of the river, a big ferry boat was brought up, and, hav- ing collected fifty or sixty of the nth Virginia infantry who were wounded, I took charge of them and carried them on the boat across the river that evening. Then we marched next morning for Winchester, reaching there in two days. I did not see my regi- ment in the campaign after the fight. In a few months my leg healed and I rejoined my regiment at Hanover Junction in the fall. The above is correct.

JNO. HOLMES SMITH, Late Captain Company G, Home Guards,

of Lynchburg, Va.

CONFEDERATE STATES' FLAGS.

List of 544 of Those of Virginia Troops, and When Captured.

[It was announced in head lines in the issue of the Times -Dispatch of Feb. 28, 1904, that a bill would be introduced in Congress for the return of the captured Confederate flags to the Governors of the States to which they belonged respectively. The editor is informed by Honorable John Lamb that no bill, as yet, has been presented, but that he will confer with his colleagues, and offer one for their due restoration. There should now be no cavil at its passage as there is no question as to the proper custody of these precious me- morials, about which cluster so much that is alike tender and in- spiring.

It would seem that a common patriotism should constrain imme- diate and unanimous action by Congress in a matter so palpably appealing. ED.]

(From Our Regular Correspondent.)

WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 27, 1904.

There are 544 Confederate flags in the War Department. The flags were sent to the department as they were captured by the gen- erals commanding the armies in the field. The Secretary of War