To carry the colors

[JCSettle]

To carry the colors is the honor was every Civil War soldier's dream, both Confederate and Union. To head into the hell of battle, knowing the chance of them walking away from this was silm, and yet keep calm. My 4 great grand uncle was the color sergeant of the 44th Virginia, and amazinly survived. Even as a reenactor, I dream of the day I will carry the colors into battle. What is your opinion?

 

[FrazierC]

Very fortunate that he survived! There's just something about a flag blowing in the wind that raises the spirits.

 

[bankerpapaw]

That would be one job I would not want. Gimme a gun. Better yet, let me be a cook.

 

[Tin cup]

I'd want a gun.

Kevin Dally

 

[JCSettle]

Here is to the fallen color bearers of the Civil War. Your bravery will not be forgotten

 

[Jake Patterson]

To carry the colors is the honor was every Civil War soldier's dream, both Confederate and Union. To head into the hell of battle, knowing the chance of them walking away from this was silm, and yet keep calm. My 4 great grand uncle was the color sergeant of the 44th Virginia, and amazinly survived. Even as a reenactor, I dream of the day I will carry the colors into battle. What is your opinion?

While an honor - I don't feel it was "every Civil War soldier's dream." Some avoided the colors like the plague.

 

[ole]

It was well known that the life expectancy of color bearers was not particularly promising.

 

[Lefty]

Many moons ago......
I walked into a USMC Recruiting office. Conpiring Sergeant Gunny Salesman, who's wife was the Corps, told me that since I was so "**** tall" that I would most certainly carry the flag during our Graduation Ceremony.

Point being....there's still that aura, that suicidal young man's way of thinking, wherein pride & Semper Fi still rules and common-sense (or lack thereof) takes a momentary backseat........ impulse dictates decision. I think most ACW soldiers, be they part of the Color Guard, or not, knew that carrying the flag was tantamount to jumping on a grenade.

 

[LoyaltyOfDogs]

Ran across this great Washington Post photo recently and thought you might enjoy it. It's from the 146th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. They look like they're stepping right out of the mists of time.
tinyurl.com/b3shm3n

 

[unionblue]

To carry the colors is the honor was every Civil War soldier's dream, both Confederate and Union. To head into the hell of battle, knowing the chance of them walking away from this was silm, and yet keep calm. My 4 great grand uncle was the color sergeant of the 44th Virginia, and amazinly survived. Even as a reenactor, I dream of the day I will carry the colors into battle. What is your opinion?

JCSettle,

I have had the distinct honor of carrying my reenacting unit's colors through my years of reenacting. I was part of the 49th OVI's color guard at the 135th Antietam reenactment and let me tell you it is an honor and event I will never forget.

I also had the honor to be part of the 76th OVI's color guard during a reenactment at Guyandotte, WV, some time ago, where I was 'captured' and had to surrender my unit's regimental colors to the attacking Confederate forces. This is one of the very, VERY, rare times that two units got together to arrange such a 'capture' as most reenacting units will simply not permit this to happen. Made for a heck of an event though which the spectators really appreciated.

Hang onto your dream, JC, its worth striving for.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[TinCan]

I would side with Kevin,Lefty, Jake, Ole,and AUG351, on this one.

 

[William]

Wasn't there a Sharpe novel that dealt with the capturing of French colors or something like that?

I must admit that I doubt I'm that brave to carry the colors during a battle. It makes that capture the flag game we used to play when we were little even more sinister.

JCSettle, did your relative survive the war unscathed or was he wounded?

 

[23rdYahoos]

I know that a lot fo the Medal of Honor awardees were from Color Guards. I think that speaks volumes.

 

[Carronade]

Wasn't there a Sharpe novel that dealt with the capturing of French colors or something like that?

Sharpe's Eagle. In the Napoleonic army, the regimental flagstaff was surmounted by a bronze eagle bearing the regiment's number, so the whole assembly was referred to as an eagle. "Capture the eagle of XX Regiment" was the equivalent of "capture the flag". In the British army, a regiment which captured an eagle would often add an eagle to its own regalia somewhere.

 

[JCSettle]

JCSettle,

I have had the distinct honor of carrying my reenacting unit's colors through my years of reenacting. I was part of the 49th OVI's color guard at the 135th Antietam reenactment and let me tell you it is an honor and event I will never forget.

I also had the honor to be part of the 76th OVI's color guard during a reenactment at Guyandotte, WV, some time ago, where I was 'captured' and had to surrender my unit's regimental colors to the attacking Confederate forces. This is one of the very, VERY, rare times that two units got together to arrange such a 'capture' as most reenacting units will simply not permit this to happen. Made for a heck of an event though which the spectators really appreciated.

Hang onto your dream, JC, its worth striving for.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

Thank you Unionblue. I'm actually on the Confederate side. Maybe I'll have the privledge of capturing you and the colors, have another honor!

 

[unionblue]

Thank you Unionblue. I'm actually on the Confederate side. Maybe I'll have the privledge of capturing you and the colors, have another honor!

JCSettle,

I have not attended a Civil War reenactment for some time now, but I will not rule out the idea of getting back into the hobby someday.

As for the privledge of capturing me and the colors I once carried, perhaps the arrangement we had with our Confederate counterparts at Guyandotte might serve as an example for you in one of your own future reenactments. Our Union regimental colors were captured on day one of the reenactment, reflecting the actual events that took place during the Civil War when Confederate forces captured a small Union force in the town on a raid.

The next day of the reenactment, our Confederate foes gave us the honor of capturing their unit colors, after a very hard fight, I might add. It was because we trusted one another and respected one another that we were able to come to this rare event at a Civil War reenactment.

Good luck in all your future endeavors.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[JerseyBart]

I want to be the staff officer carrying letters from generals to generals and back on horseback.

 

[Miles Krisman]

The 5th Alabama Infantry Regiments lost six Color Bearers at the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862.
"Our battle flag was bourne off with staff shot in two and 28 shot holes in that and the flag!"

 

[unionblue]

The 5th Alabama Infantry Regiments lost six Color Bearers at the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862.
"Our battle flag was bourne off with staff shot in two and 28 shot holes in that and the flag!"

Miles,

Click on the link below to see what happened to the colors of the unit my reenacting company, the 76th Ohio, is based on.

1st Arkansas Returns Flag of 76th Ohio.

http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~lstevens/1ark/

It was this incident that prompted my reenacted 76th Ohio to stage a capture of our regimental colors at Guyandotte, WV, during that annual reenactment.

Enjoy,
Unionblue

 

[Miles Krisman]

Miles,

Click on the link below to see what happened to the colors of the unit my reenacting company, the 76th Ohio, is based on.

1st Arkansas Returns Flag of 76th Ohio.

http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~lstevens/1ark/

It was this incident that prompted my reenacted 76th Ohio to stage a capture of our regimental colors at Guyandotte, WV, during that annual reenactment.

Enjoy,
Unionblue

Thank you for sharing this story of the 1st Arkansas and the 76th Ohio. It's enough to bring a tear to one's eye as one envisions the horrific trials these men had to pass through. The respect and admiration these old warriors showed for one another years later should serve as an example for us all.