Wayne K. Durrill | Ritual, Community and War: Local Flag Presentation Ceremonies and Disunity in the Early Confederacy | Journal of Social History, 39.4

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Wayne K. Durrill | Ritual, Community and War: Local Flag Presentation Ceremonies and Disunity in the Early Confederacy | Journal of Social History, 39.4 | The History Cooperative

RITUAL, COMMUNITY AND WAR: LOCAL FLAG PRESENTATION CEREMONIES AND DISUNITY IN THE EARLY CONFEDERACY

By Wayne K. Durrill University of Cincinnati

In the early hours of Monday, April 22, 1861, "the greatest activity" could be seen in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina. Soldiers of the First Regiment of the South Carolina Volunteers had risen early in the hotels where they had been quartered during and after the siege of Fort Sumter. They busied themselves packing trunks and carpetbags full of the clothes, blankets and other necessities they would need in Virginia during the following months. They had volunteered almost to a man to serve at the anticipated seat of war, despite the fact that they had been recruited and organized only to defend their home state from a federal attack. Now they piled luggage, overcoats, knapsacks and canteens into heaps in the vestibules of Charleston's hotels. Later, their baggage would be collected and forwarded to the appropriate trains already waiting at the station. Then the soldiers slowly made their way in knots of three or four or five to the depot of the Northeastern Rail Road.¹	1
A little after eleven o'clock, the soldiers formed themselves into a square at the railroad depot to receive a regimental flag. By this time, a large crowd had assembled to witness the departure, including "a number of ladies" which "seemed to inspire the troops with additional enthusiasm." In short order, Colonel Gregg, commander of the regiment, and his staff and officers of the various companies "advanced to the front" where they met Mrs. D. H. Hamilton, "in company with a number of other ladies." Mrs. Hamilton then handed over a flag that had been sewn by "the patriotic ladies of Charleston" to a certain W. D. Porter who was requested "to present it to the Regiment on their behalf." Porter did so after giving a short speech in which he explained that the flag was "intended," among other things, as "an incentive" for the soldiers "to stand steadfast and true, in whatever extremity may befall them." He also told the soldiers that "by request of these ladies" he delivered this flag into their hands as a "sacred charge," meaning that "you cannot return without it." And when the soldiers of the First Regiment did make their way back to Charleston, Porter continued, the flag must be either crowned with wreaths of laurel in the Roman fashion or surrounded "with a rampart of their bodies." To this last remark, the crowd responded with "great applause."²	2
Afterwards, the flag "was placed in the hands of Colonel Gregg" and then "cheer after cheer went up both from the Regiment and the assembled spectators." Colonel Gregg, for his part, remained "for some moments... unable to speak, but at length replied" with a short speech of his own. He began by thanking "these ladies of Carolina" for "this beautiful flag," and noting that he would consider it a great "incentive" to his soldiers, if such an incentive "were wanted," to persuade them to "perform their duty to their State." Colonel Gregg then explained the political value of the banner. "It is my hope and it is my expectation that the men of Virginia will receive the flag with favor, and will look kindly upon the Regiment which bears it, for the sake of those ladies of South Carolina who have sent it." Finally, he explained that he and his soldiers would carry the flag where ever they went, including into battle, with the aim of "maintaining this flag in honor in the field." Colonel Gregg then handed the flag over to a subordinate officer who would supervise its care thereafter, and afterwards he turned to Porter and bade him to tender his regiment's "most hearty farewell to the fair of Charleston." This was followed by three cheers from the soldiers "for the ladies of Charleston," and then by three cheers "by the crowd for the First Regiment of the South Carolina Volunteers." Afterwards, Colonel Gregg dismissed his troops until three in the afternoon when they were to return and board the train for Richmond and beyond.³	. . .

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