OHIO BATTLE FLAGS.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
APPOINTED TO PROVIDE FOR PLACING THE
FLAGS IN THE
ROTUNDA OF THE
STATE CAPITOL.
(House Bill No. 247.)
AN ACT
To provide for the display of the battle
flags now in the possession of
the state in the rotunda of the state
house.
WHEREAS, There are now in the relic room
of the state,
the battle flags carried by the sons of
Ohio from 1861 to 1865,
which flags are the most precious
possessions of the state, and
WHEREAS, Their present location is inconvenient and they
are poorly displayed and they are not
well protected from the
ravages of time, and
WHEREAS, They should be placed in a more
public place
where their lessons of patriotism may be
better impressed on
the people of Ohio, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of the State of Ohio:
SECTION I. There is hereby appropriated
from any funds
now in the state treasury and not
otherwise appropriated, a sum
not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars
to be used for purchasing
and installing hermetically sealed wall
cases with glass fronts,
around the rotunda and corridors of the
state house, in which
all the battle flags carried by Ohio
soldiers during the Civil and
Spanish American wars shall be
displayed. Said cases shall be
of architectural design to harmonize
with the design of that part
of the building in which the cases are
to be located. Said cases
shall be purchased and installed by a
committee consisting of
the governor, the auditor of state and
the adjutant general. The
flags shall be placed under the
direction of the foregoing com-
mittee acting in conjunction with a
committee of two veterans
of the Civil War and one veteran of the
Spanish American war
to be appointed by the governor. Said
funds shall be paid out
Vol. XXVIII-15. (225)
226 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
on a voucher issued by the auditor of
state and approved by the
governor.
CHARLES D. CONOVER,
Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
JOIN H. ARNOLD,
President of the Senate.
FRANK B. WILLIS,
Governor.
Passed May 15, 1915.
Approved May 18, 1915.
Filed in the office of the Secretary of
the State at Columbus,
Ohio, on the 19th day of May,
A. D. 1915.
REPORT OF COMMISSION
STATE OF OHIO,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR.
COLUMBUS, JANUARY 1, 1917.
To the Members of the Senate and
House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith the report of the
Committee appointed
under Section 15291-1 G. C. to
provide for placing the Ohio
Battle-Flags in the rotunda of the State
Capitol.
The work this Committee has done in
conjunction with the
state officials designated by statute to
cooperate with it, speaks
for itself. It can not be otherwise than
a matter of solemn pride
to know that in Ohio these sacred
emblems of the nation's life
are better protected and more fittingly
displayed than in any other
state of the Union.
These battle-stained banners hallowed by
the heroic sacrifice
of Ohio's sons and consecrated in the
tears of her daughters,
utter in voiceless eloquence the message
of patriotism and in-
spiration which every passer-by should
hear in reverence with
uncovered head.
Battle Flags of Ohio. 227
So carefully did the Committee in charge
of the work per-
form its duties that $1,099.00 of the
amount appropriated re-
mained unexpended.
There are 19 miscellaneous flags for
which there is not room
in the cases. I recommend that a small
appropriation be made
in addition to the $1,099.00 remaining
from the former ap-
propriation so as to make possible the
purchase of another case
to provide for the 19 miscellaneous flags, certain regimental flags
now missing and others which will be
turned over to the state
for preservation in the future.
The report of the Committee, prepared by
Col. W. L. Curry,
contains historical matter of very great
value. In order that
this information may be preserved for
future generations I sug-
gest that the report be printed in full
in the Journals of one or
both Houses of the General
Assembly.
FRANK B. WILLIS,
Governor.
BATTLE FLAGS OF OHIO,
IN ROTUNDA OF STATE HOUSE.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
COLUMBUS, OHIO, December 27, 1916.
Governor FRANK B. WILLIS, Executive
Department, State
House, Columbus, Ohio.
SIR: The Committee appointed by you for
the purpose of
placing the Ohio battle flags in the
rotunda of the State House
have the honor to make the following
report:
After the contract had been made for the
bronze cases in
which the flags were to be deposited, an
invitation was sent out
through the headquarters of the Grand
Army of the Republic
Department of Ohio, to all Posts of the
G. A. R., to the Mexican
War Veterans Association and
Spanish-American War Veterans
Camps to assemble at Columbus on the
27th day of April 1916,
228 Ohio Arch. and
Hist. Society Publications.
to take part in the exercises for
removal of the flags to the
rotunda of the Capitol.
On that date thousands of veterans
assembled at Columbus
showing that the memory of the heroic
days of all our wars kept
warm in their hearts. The parade in
charge of Col. B. L. Bar-
gar, Marshal of the day, with an escort
of several companies
of the Ohio National Guard, the veterans
were formed by
regiments and paraded around the Capitol
Square amid the ap-
plause of the thousands of assembled
citizens. It had been ar-
ranged that the old tattered banners
were to be carried in the
parade by members of the regiments to
which they belonged,
but by reason of a drizzling rain that
part of the program was
dispensed with.
The flags were placed in the corridors
along the stairways
and in the halls of the Capitol building
and were viewed by the
great throngs from all parts of the
State, and tears came to the
eyes of many a grizzled veteran as he
touched the old flag he
had followed on many a field of battle,
for the last time.
The Committee had prepared and
distributed hundreds of
beautiful badges as souvenirs with the
inscription
BATTLE FLAGS
of
OHIO.
Mexican War
Civil War
Spanish War
Last Parade
April 27th, 1916.
After the parade a bountiful lunch was
served in the base-
ment of the Capitol building by the
ladies of the W. R. C. and
ladies of the Spanish War Auxiliary.
At one o'clock the throngs assembled at
the west front of
the Capitol where the ceremonies of the
day concluded with the
following program:
Battle
Flags of Ohio. 229
SPEAKING.
Introducing
the Chairman of the Meeting-General J. Warren Keifer
Representing
Department Commander G. A. R.- General B. W. Hough,
Adjutant
General of Ohio.
Invocation................................
Rev. Thomas G. Wakefield,
Chaplain,
Wells Post No. 451, Columbus, Ohio.
Music.
Band.
Work of
Committee............................... Col. W. L. Curry,
Chairman
Committee for Removal and Casing of Flags in Rotunda.
Song.
Republican
Glee Club- Star Spangled Banner.
Address.....................................Governor
Frank B. Willis
Song.
Democratic
Glee Club - Columbia, Gem of the Ocean.
Music by
Veteran Drum Corps.
Address..............................Ex-Governor
James E. Campbell
Music.
Band.
The flags are
all marked by bronze shields with the number
of regiment
and arm of service engraved, and shields securely
attached to
the flag staffs. The flags were removed from the
relic room
and placed in the cases by a detail of veterans each
day as the
cases were erected.
There are
eleven cases and the total number of flags en-
cased is 455.
M exican W ar
......................................... 4
Civil W ar ............................................. 421
Spanish-American
War ................................ 23
State and
miscellaneous flags and markers ............... 7
455
Miscellaneous
flags and markers not in cases ............
19
474
A list of
flags in the cases with number of regiment, bat-
tery or other
organization, and arm of service is herewith
attached.
230 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
There are 19 miscellaneous flags for
which there is not room
in the cases and a balance of $1,099 of the
appropriation in
the Treasury.
The Committee earnestly recommends that
a sufficient
amount be appropriated by the
Legislature for the purpose of
purchasing another case in which to
deposit the remaining flags,
and for a number of other flags of
regiments missing which
we are making an effort to locate.
The duties of the Committee appointed by
you to carry
out the provisions of the law now
drawing to a close, we take
this opportunity to thank you for the
honor conferred by the
appointment with assurance that we have
gladly devoted our
time to this patriotic work.
These battle flags were borne to victory
by the soldiers of
Ohio on many hard contested fields of
battle and we herewith
submit some interesting historical data
relating to their services.
In the war with Mexico, 1846, 101,282 American soldiers
were enlisted and the losses in killed
and wounded were 5,294.
Of this army Ohio furnished 5,536
soldiers who participated in
the battles of Monterey, Palo Alto,
Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo,
Vera Cruz, Chapultepec, Cherubusco,
Molino del Rey and other
battle fields of that war, and the
losses by death in Ohio organ-
izations were 603.
While the losses were not great as
compared with other
wars, yet with this small loss in men
and comparatively small
financial expense, a vast territory was
acquired and the mineral
wealth of Nevada and Utah, the cotton
fields of Texas and the
gold mines of California, were opened up
to the United States,
1,000,000
square miles sweeping from the Gulf to the Pacific
Ocean, which their valor won, and from
which a million people
can now look out upon the Orient.
These veterans were the actors in a
great world drama,
two of whom, Col. John Conwell and
Captain John A. Fisher,
were present the day of the Parade, with
well earned titles of
service in two wars. Grizzled veterans
with halting steps but
hearts pulsing with patriotism as they
go back in memory three-
score and ten years when the regiments
in which they served
stormed the bristling forts of the
Mexican army.
Battle Flags of Ohio. 231
Of the 2,778,304 enlistments of
soldiers who fought for
the preservation of the Union during the
Civil War, Ohio fur-
nished 313,180 soldiers, and of that
number 35,475 were killed
or died of wounds or disease.
The 5th and 27th regiments of colored
troops recruited in
Ohio both have records for long and
honorable service and losses
by death in these two regiments were
430.
In addition to these two full regiments,
a large number of
colored soldiers were recruited in Ohio
for the regular army.
In all upward of 5,000 colored troops,
were furnished by the
State and all have records for bravery
on the battle fields of
the Civil War in which they can take a
just pride.
OHIO IN THE NAVY DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
The roster of Ohio in the navy contains
5,400 names, of
which 125 were officers of the regular
service; 576 officers of
the volunteer service; 375 firemen; 250
boys of the first, second
and third class; 2,000 seamen; 830
ordinary seamen and 1,150
landsmen.
While the majority of the men, whose
names are borne on
this roster, served in the Mississippi
Squadron, yet it is shown
that some of them served on the Atlantic
Seacoast on war ves-
sels that participated in some of the
great naval battles of the
war. Some of them served under Commodore
Foote at Ft.
Henry and at Ft. Donelson on the
Carondelet, the Louisville,
Conestoga and other gunboats where the
navy played such an
important part in those sanguinary
battles. Some of them were
with grand old Farragut, when lashed to
the mast of his flagship,
he raged and fought with a valor not
second to Paul Jones.
These brave men of our navy are entitled
to their full meed
of praise awarded to other arms of the
service.
SPANISH WAR.
Ohio furnished ten regiments of
infantry, one regiment of
cavalry, one regiment of artillery, one
battalion colored troops,
a detachment of Second U. S. Engineers;
Volunteer U. S. Hos-
pital Corps, U. S. Signal Corps and one
battalion U. S. Volun-
teers immunes. The total enlistments in
the volunteer service
232 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
wag 15,354, with many others in the
regular army, and the losses
by death in the Volunteer Army was 453.
Of our soldiers who
attained high rank, General J. Warren
Keifer, who had a long
and distinguished service during the
Civil War, was appointed
a Major General and George A. Garretson
a Brigadier General
in the Spanish War. Many Ohio soldiers
served in the Philip-
pine Islands in U. S. Volunteers
organizations that crushed the
insurrection.
It matters not in what war our boys
fought. They all fought
under the same flag and are entitled to
the same meed of praise
and honor. The soldiers of the war with
Spain were of the
same blood as the soldiers of the Civil
War and some of them
were your sons. They had the example of
your heroic deeds
to inspire them, they were proud of your
services and gloried
in the victories you had won.
Could we look into the future with
prophetic eye, we would
see the heroes of the Revolution, the
War of 1812, the War
with Mexico, the soldiers of the Civil
War, who saved the Union,
and the young soldiers of the
Spanish-American War, all cross-
ing swords in the morning sunlight under
the flag which has given
us all the hope of the present and
promise of the future.
During the Civil War Ohio furnished a
larger number of
distinguished generals than any other
state in the Union. The
total number of generals furnished by
Ohio during the war was
227, divided
by rank as follows: Major Generals 20; Brevet
Major Generals 27; Brigadier Generals 30;
Brevet Brigadier
Generals 150.
In this number were some whose military
fame was known
and praised throughout the whole of the
civilized world, and
it may be well doubted if there was an
officer of any of the
European countries that stood as high as
a military leader as
did General Grant at the close of the
War; and it is a fact and
rather remarkable that the only officers
that have ever attained
the rank of general, excepting
Washington, were Grant, Sher-
man and Sheridan, all Ohio soldiers.
Grant was commissioned
Lieutenant General, March 2,
1864, when he was promoted to
general and was succeeded by William T.
Sherman, who became
a General in full March 4, 1869, upon
Grant's election to the
Battle Flags of Ohio. 233
presidency. Phillip H. Sheridan was
promoted to Lieutenant
General and held that rank until June 1,
1888, when he was
promoted to full General. He died August
5, 1888. The act
promoting Sheridan to the rank of
General provided that the
rank would end with the life of General
Sheridan.
Under command of these great generals,
the soldiers of Ohio
in the Civil War fought on all of the great battle fields for the
preservation of the Union from the
firing of the first gun at
Ft. Sumter to Appomattox. They were at
Gettysburg, Chick-
amauga, Antietam, Vicksburg, Stone
River, The Wilderness,
Mission Ridge, Seven Pines, Lookout
Mountain, Petersburg, and
Nashville. The One Hundred Days under
fire from Chattanooga
to Atlanta, they marched with Sherman to the sea and some
of them were at Appomattox when the last
gun of the great
war was fired.
TOTAL ENLISTMENTS AND LOSSES.
The number of Ohio soldiers serving in
the three wars were
333,828, and adding those of service in
the Navy in the Civil
War a total of 339,228. There were
hundreds of enlistments in
the regular army of Ohio soldiers, in
organizations of distin-
guished service of which the state has
no record.
In the three wars 36,531 Ohio soldiers
fell under these flags
and every soldier who fell was both a
hero and a martyr. The
soldiers of America who have fallen
while fighting in defense
of these flags have left us a glorious
heritage, a flag respected
and honored, on land and sea by ever
nation of the world.
Then let us pledge anew our devotion to
the flag handed down
to us by the heroes of '76 and preserved
by the soldiers of all
our wars. Let the young men and boys of
today swear eternal
allegiance to the old flag handed down
to them without a stain
upon its folds.
We should always be glad to say of
America, "This is my
country; I am an American citizen,"
and we should look upon
the Stars and Stripes as the dearest
flag that floats and be ever
ready to endure hardships, make
sacrifices, and if need be, die
for our country, for the noblest act of man is to love his country
better than himself or kindred.
234 Ohio Arch. and
Hist. Society Publications. As the old veterans looked on these battle flags,
April 27, 1916, torn
with shot and shell, and blackened by the smoke of battle, what memories came to them crowding thick and
fast of the days they were in camp, of the many weary nights
they marched or when they were on the battle line. Proud
memories of the days they marched away to the wild music of
the war drums, cheered by the plaudits of patriotic citizens
and sweet farewells of fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters.
Sad mem- ories of comrades who came not back. Tender memories
of comradeship and of the comrades who fell on the
field, whose eyes looked for the last time on the folds of the
flag for which he gave his young life. Proud memories of the final
victories of our armies and the righteous cause for which they
fought. Thankful and immortal memories and honors that will
cling around these faded banners baptized with the blood of
half a million patriotic soldiers. The flower of the army
that saved the Union. Their
tents pitched in the eternal bivouac beyond the stars, where they shall sleep forever in that
silence that shall be broken, only by the reveille of life immortal. These precious emblems are now transferred through
you as Governor, to the care of the Government of the
State of Ohio; folded with a benediction from the veterans of
three wars to be guarded carefully until the last
"tattoo" is beaten and the bugle shall sound "taps" and light
out forever at the grave of the last surviving veteran. BATTLE FLAGS IN ROTUNDA OF STATE HOUSE. CIVIL WAR. |
1st Regt., O. V. I......... 2 2nd Regt., O. V. I........ 3 3rd Regt., O. V. I......... 1 4th Regt., O. V. I......... 2 5th Regt., O. V. V. I ..... 3 6th Regt., O. V. I......... 2 7th Regt., O. V. I......... 2 8th Regt., O. V. I......... 2 9th Regt., O. V. I......... 1 10th Regt., O. V. I........ 4 11th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 |
12th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 2 13th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 2 14th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 3 15th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 4 16th Regt., O. V. I........ 3 17th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 3 18th Regt., O. V. V. I.... . 4 19th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 20th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 4 21st Regt., O. V. V. I .... 4 22nd Regt., O. V. I........ 2 |
Battle Flags of Ohio. 235 |
23rd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 24th Regt., O. V. I........ 2 25th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 26th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 27th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 28th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 29th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 1 30th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 31st Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 32nd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 33rd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 34th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 35th Regt., O. V. I........ 1 36th Retg., O. V. V. I .... 3 37th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 1 38th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 1 39th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 40th Regt., O. V. I........ 3 41st Regt., O. V. V. I.... 6 42nd Regt., O. V. I....... 2 43rd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 44th Regt., O. V. I........ 2 45th Regt., O. V. I........ 5 46th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 4 47th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 4 48th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 2 49th Regt., O. V. V. I .... 3 50th Regt., O. V. I........ 1 51st Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 52nd Regt., O. V. I........ 2 53rd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 54th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 1 55th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 56th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 57th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 58th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 59th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 60th Regt., O. V. I........ 4 61st Regt., O. V. I........ 3 62nd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 63rd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 64th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 65th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 66th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 67th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 |
68th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 69th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 70th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 71st Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 72nd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 1 73rd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 74th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 75th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 76th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 77th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 78th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 79th Regt., O. V. I........ 2 80th Regt., O. V. V. I.... 3 81st Regt., O. V. V. I.... 4 82nd Regt., O. V. V. I.... 2 83rd Regt., O. V. I........ 2 84th Regt., O. V. I........ 1 85th Regt., O. V. I........ 1 86th Regt., O. V. I........ 2 87th
Regt. ............... 1 88th Regt., O. V. I........ 3 89th Regt., O. V. I........ 2 90th Regt., O. V. I........ 1 91st Regt., O. V. I........ 2 92nd Regt. O. V. I........ 2 93d
Regt., O. V. I....... 2 94th Regt., O. V. I....... 4 95th Regt., O. V. I....... 4 96th Regt., O. V. I....... 4 97th Regt. O. V. I........ 2 98th Regt. O. V. I. ...... 2 99th Regt. O. V. I........ 2 100th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 101st Regt., O. V. I....... 1 102nd Regt., O. V. I...... 1 103rd Regt., O. V. I....... 1 104th Regt., O. V. I...... 1 105th Regt., O. V. I...... 2 106th Regt. O. V. I...... 2 107th Regt., O. V. I....... 3 108th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 109th Regt .............. 1 110th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 111th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 112th Regt., O. V. I...... 1 |
236 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. |
113th Regt., O. V. I....... 4 114th Regt., O. V. I....... 3 115th O. V. I............. 2 116th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 117th Regt
................ Missing 118th O.
V. I............. 3 119th Regt. .............. 1 120th Regt., O. V......... 2 121st Regt., O. V. I........ 4 122nd Regt., O. V. I...... 3 123rd Regt., O. V. I....... 1 124th Regt., O. V. I....... 1 125th Regt., O. V. I...... 3 126th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 127th O. V. I.............. 1 128th Regt., O. V. I...... 2 129th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 130th Regt .............. Missing 131st Regt .............. 1 132nd Regt. ............. Missing 133rd Regt., O. V. I....... 1 134th Regt. .............. Missing 135th Regt. .............. Missing 136th Regt. ............... Missing 137th Regt. ............... Missing 138th Regt. ............... Missing 139th Regt. ............... Missing 140th Regt. .............. Missing 141st Regt ............. Missing 142nd Regt . ............. 1 143rd Regt. .............. Missing 144th Regt. ...............Missing 145th Regt .............. Missing 146th Regt...................Missing 147th Regt. .............. Missing 148th Regt ............... Missing 149th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 150th Regt.
............... Missing 151st Regt. .............. M issing 152nd Regt .............. Missing 153rd Regt. .............. Missing 154th Regt. ............... Missing 155 Regt., O. V. I. ....... 1 156th Regt., O. V. I........ Missing |
157th Regt.
.............. 1 158th Regt. .............. Missing 159th Regt. .............. Missing 160th Regt. ............... Missing 161st Regt ............... Missing 162nd Regt. .............. Missing 163rd Regt., O. V. I...... 2 164th Regt. ............... Missing 165th Regt. .............. Missing 166th Regt .............. Missing 167th Regt. ............... Missing 168th Regt. .............. Missing 169th Regt. ............... Missing 170th Regt. .............. Missing 171st Regt. ............... Missing 173rd Regt., O. V. I. ..... 1 174th Regt. O. V. I........ 3 175th Regt., O. V. I........ 3 176th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 177th Regt., O. V. I....... 1 178th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 179th Regt., O. V. I...... 3 180th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 181st Regt., O. V. I. ..... 1 182nd Regt., O. V. I. .... 2 183rd Regt., O. V. I...... 2 184th Regt., O. V. I...... 2 185th Regt., O. V. I...... 1 186th Regt. O. V. I...... 3 187th Regt. ............... Missing 188th Regt., O. V. I....... 3 189th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 190th Regt., O. V. I....... 1 191st Regt., O. V. I....... 2 192nd Regt., O. V. I...... 3 193rd Regt., O. V. I....... 2 194th Regt., O. V. I...... 2 195th Regt., O. V. I...... 2 196th Regt., O. V. I....... 3 197th Regt., O. V. I...... 2 198th Regt. O. V. I....... Missing 5th Regt., U. S. C. T..... 2 27th Regt., U. S. C. T.... 3 |
Battle Flags of Ohio. 237 |
CAVALRY. |
1st Regt., O. V. V. C...... 1 2nd Regt. O. V. V. C ..... 1 3rd Regt., O. V. V. C ..... 2 4th Regt., O. V. V. C..... 1 4th Indpt. Co., O. V. V C. 1 5th Regt., O. V. V. C..... 3 6th Regt., O. V. V. C..... 1 7th Regt., O. V. C........ 1 |
8th Regt., O. V. C.........Missing 9th Regt., O. V. C........ 3 10th Regt., O. V. C....... 1 11th Regt. O. V. C. ...... 2 12th Regt., O. V. C....... 3 13th Regt., O. V. C. ..... 3 5th Indpt. Bat., O. V. C... Missing |
ARTILLERY. |
1st Regt. H. Arty., O. V. V .
................... 2 2nd Regt., H. Arty., O. V. V .
................... 2 1st Regt., Bat. A, L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 2 6th Indpt., L. Arty., O. V. V .
................... 1 7th Indpt., L. Arty., O. V. V .
................... 1 1st Regt., Bat. B., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 1st Regt., Bat. C., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 2 1st Regt., Bat. D, L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 2 1st Regt., Bat. G, L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 2 1st Regt.. Bat. H, L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 |
1st Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 9th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 12th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 14th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 15th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V .............. 1 16th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 17th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 1 19th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V. V.............. 2 22nd Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V.V .............. 1 25th Indpt. Bat., L. Arty., O. V . V .............. 1 |
MEXICAN WAR |
3rd Regt., O. V. I....... 1 2nd Regt., O. V. I ....... 1 |
2 Mexican War, number of Regt. not given. |
MISCELLANEOUS FLAGS. 1 Black Brigade, Cincinnati, Ohio. 2 Franklin Co., Ohio Association Union ex-prisoners
of war. Ohio Contingent Flag of the 2nd Kentucky Infantry, U.
S. A. 1 Flag used at funeral of President Garfield. 2 State Fencibles. |
238 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. |
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. INFANTRY. |
1st Regt., O. V. I........ 1 2nd Regt., O. V. I........ 2 3rd Regt., 0. V. I ........ 2 4th Regt. O. V. I. ....... 1 5th Regt., O. V ........ 1 |
6th Regt., O. V. I......... 2 7th Regt., O. V. I........ 3 8th Regt., 0. V. I......... Missing 9th Battalion, O. V. I.... 1 10th Regt., O. V. I....... 2 |
ARTILLERY. |
Bat. A., 1st L. Arty...... 1 Bat. C, 1st L. Arty....... 1 Bat. G, 1st L. Arty....... 1 |
Bat. H, 1st L. Arty....... 2 Troop H, 1st O. V. C..... 1 |
Respectfully submitted, W. L. CURRY, Chairman, Captain First Ohio Cavalry, Civil War. CHARLES HUGHES, First Regiment, U. S. C. T., Civil War. CHARLES R. MILLER, Major, Spanish-American War. Committee. (House Bill No. 422.) AN ACT To provide for printing the report of the commission
which had in charge the placing of the battle flags of Ohio in the
rotunda of the state capitol. WHEREAS, Under the authority conferred upon him by section 15291-1 of General Code, Governor Willis
appointed a commission to provide for placing the battle flags of
Ohio in the rotunda of the state capitol, which commission
completed its work and filed a report with said governor, by
whom the same has been transmitted to the General Assembly, and |
Battle Flags of Ohio. 239
WHEREAS, Out of the sum placed at the
disposal of the
commission there is an unexpended
balance of one thousand and
ninety-nine dollars, which will lapse to
the general revenue fund
of the state, and
WHEREAS, Such report contains historical
matter of very
great value and interest to all Ohio
veterans and to all students
of Ohio history, therefore
Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of the State of Ohio:
That the supervisor of public printing
is hereby authorized
and directed to have printed five
thousand copies of the report
of such commission, together with the
addresses delivered by
Governors James E. Campbell and Frank B.
Willis, on the occa-
sion of the transfer of said battle
flags to their present location
and also tributes from Governor James M.
Cox and former Gov-
ernors Joseph B. Foraker, Myron T.
Herrick and Judson Har-
mon. Such report and other matter shall
be printed and bound
in a style and manner to be selected by
such supervisor and shall
be distributed under the direction of
the adjutant general, as
follows: Twenty-five copies to the
governor, twenty-five to each
of the living ex-governors, ten to each
of the state officers and
the adjutant general, ten each to the
presiding officers, clerks
and members of the Senate and House of
Representatives of
the 81st and 82nd General Assemblies,
two thousand to the
headquarters of the Department of Ohio,
Grand Army of the
Republic for distribution by that
organization, one hundred to
the headquarters of the Department of
Ohio, United Spanish
War Veterans for distribution, ten to
the National Soldiers'
Home at Dayton, ten to the Soldiers'
Home at Sandusky, ten
to the Madison Home, ten to the Ohio
Soldiers' and Sailors'
Orphans' Home, and the balance to the
public libraries of the
state. For the purpose of defraying the
cost and expense of
the printing, binding, publication and
distribution of such report
the said unexpended balance of one thousand
and ninety-nine
dollars is hereby re-appropriated and
made available, and the
auditor of state is hereby authorized to
issue warrants on such
funds for the payment of such expenses
on the presentation
240
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
to him of vouchers approved by the
supervisor of public print-
ing and the adjutant general.
E. J. HOPPLE,
Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
EARL D. BLOOM,
President of the Senate.
Passed March 21, 1917.
Approved March 30, 1917.
JAMES M. Cox, Governor.
Filed in office of Secretary of State,
April 2, 1917.
SPEECH OF GOV. FRANK B. WILLIS.
UPON THE OCCASION OF THE REMOVAL OF THE
BATTLE FLAGS
TO THE ROTUNDA OF THE CAPITOL.
This is an inspiring spectacle. The old
flags have been
placed in safe repose in Ohio's heart.
Here they will be pre-
served to latest time, a memory of the
heroism of a generation
gone, an inspiration to generations yet
unborn. If these historic
banners could speak they would tell of
disappointment and de-
feat and privation, but also of victory.
Yet, interesting as is
the epic of the banners, more thrilling
still is the story of the
heroism of the men that fought beneath
them.
This capitol building has been the
silent witness of many
important events, but through its
portals in recent years has
passed no more impressive pageant than
the veteran defenders
of the union, who have this day carried
again the tattered flags
that they followed over the battle
fields when they were the
"boys in blue." In
affectionate appreciation and memory they
are still the "boys in blue,"
but a little more than half a century
ago, they were indeed "the
boys," the blush of youth on their
cheeks, and in their hearts the
enthusiastic resolution to do, and
if necessary, to die for liberty and
union.
The years through which they served
their country on the
battlefield were momentous ones for the
Republic. The years
that have followed since their battalions
returned under the
eagles of victory and melted without a
murmur into the ranks
Battle Flags of Ohio. 241
of peace, constitute an epoch of
national development unrivaled
in the history of the world. In the
language of one of your
comrades, Benjamin Harrison, president
of the United States,
"The fires of productive industry
were lighted at the pyre of
human slavery." Then followed the
period of material and civil
development that has made our nation the
richest and potentially
the strongest in the world. You went
forward to battle to make
the Union "one and
inseparable." You carried the stars and
stripes through the stress and storm of
conflict and placed them
higher on the battlements of freedom.
Your heroic service in-
spired these younger men, the soldiers
of 1898, to make Cuba
free and today their flags have honored
places side by side with
yours. And the monument to your valor
and patriotism is the
Republic itself, today the foremost
nation of the world, the
harbinger of peace to a continent
engaged in desolating war.
It has been your pride that you gave the
early years of your
lives to make liberty universal on this
continent and to pre-
serve a union that has grown to lead and
bless the world. This
is the service that inspired your youth,
that blesses your declining
years, and enshrines you in the
gratitude of the generations that
follow you.
In the palmy days of the "Eternal
City" to be a Roman was
declared to be greater than to be a
king. As you follow for the
last time these frayed and wasted battle
flags, no words of mine
can tell of the pride that is justly
yours. There must be some-
thing royal and kingly in the thought
that you bore an honored
part in the preservation and advancement
of the Republic in
which all are equal before the law and
in the opportunity to
rise from the humblest station to place
and prestige and power.
We hail you and congratulate you. May
your remaining days be
peaceful and happy. Long live the loyal
soldiers of the civil war,
and the Spanish-American war, long live
the Republic that you
preserved for us, that we love so well
and over it forever
may the flag of freedom and union wave.
Vol. XXVIII-16.
242 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
ADDRESS OP EX-GOVERNOR JAMES E.
CAMPBELL.
All history may be searched in vain for
a spectacle more
pathetic than that of which we are today
the witnesses; no scene
could appeal more deeply to our
sympathies, and none could be
more inspiring. It infinitely refreshes
our patriotism in this day,
when the trimmer and truckler are abroad
in the land, to revive
the glorious memories of a desperate war
fought for a noble
purpose. As we gaze, with moistened
eyes, upon these blood-
stained flags, they not only remind us
of the holy cause which
they typify, but they also remind us
that there are some evils
inexpressibly worse than a just and
honorable war.
"Who has not read, with throbbing
heart, some old chivalric story
Where din of arms and wars alarms
bespoke a people's glory,
And felt, though dark the carnage be,
that war, when right's defender,
Adds another gem to the diadem which
crowns a nation's splendor".
If ever a war "crowned a nation's
splendor," if ever a war
served to make a nation great, and proud
and happy; it was
the one in which these tattered banners
received their baptism
of fire.
Those of us who were living at the
outbreak of that war,
cannot look upon these battle-scarred
flags without recalling
many tragic memories. We can again see
the war clouds low-
ering as, one by one, the southern
states attempted to secede;
we can see, temporarily, the fatal
hopefulness or apparent differ-
ence of the total states-their
inexplicable belief that, in some
fortuitous way, war would be averted.
Then, when the old flag
of Sumter was fired on, we are thrilled
to the very heart by
the spontaneous fury of the entire
North-an instantaneous
uprising of the whole people in which
age, sex, party and, in
fact, everything else was forgotten in
the fierce determination
to avenge that insulted banner. No
tongue could adequately
depict that scene. "Old Glory"
was flung to the breeze from
every hill and housetop, while there
rushed to its defense an
affronted and unconquerable race of
freemen. Again we can
see the stern realities of a long and
bloody war; the land rever-
Battle Flags of Ohio. 243
berating with the "tramp, tramp,
tramp," of the marching thou-
sands (which finally ran up into
millions) as "Father Abraham"
repeated his calls for "three
hundred thousand more"; the num-
bering and renumbering of people (like
Israel of old) as fresh
thousands went forth, undismayed, to
fill the ghastly gaps which
shot and shell had made, while, over
those gallant hosts there
floated these war-worn banners which,
today, are laid away in
their last home-never again to be
proudly borne by the aged
veterans who fought and bled under their
torn and mangled
folds.
Every son and daughter of Ohio will
doubtless listen, with
conscious pride, to a partial recital of
the long list of illustrious
Buckeye soldiers who led their comrades
under these glorious
flags. There was the modest Grant
rising, by sheer merit and
an ever readiness to fight, to the
command of the greatest armies
that the civilized world had ever known;
the incisive Sherman
who, at the outset, saw more clearly
than others the probable
magnitude of the coming struggle; the
dashing Sheridan, the
very embodiment and incarnation of war,
whose ambition at
the start was to rise to the command of
a regiment; the gallant
McPherson, dead on the "Field of
Fame;" those numerous
"Fighting McCooks," so many of
whom shed their last blood in
their country's cause; those future
presidents, Hayes, Garfield,
Harrison and McKinley; those future
Governors, Anderson,
Jacob D. Cox, Noyes, Young, Foraker and
Harris; these two
conspicuously gallant generals, comrades
in war but not in peace,
Keifer and Sherwood; McDowell the
unfortunate but not culpa-
ble commander at Bull Run; Rosecranz,
the brave but mistaken
commander at Chickamauga; Hazen, always
in the thickest of
the fight; Crook, the hero of the
Shenandoah Valley; Robert C.
Schenck and Durbin Ward with their
broken shoulders; Gilmore,
the greatest engineer; Custer, the
tawny-haired lion of battle;
George W. Morgan, the Mexican War
veteran; Lytle, the poetic,
and Lorain Andrews, the scholarly;
Steedman, the "beau
Sabruer;" Lowe, the first Ohio
colonel to fall; Vanderveer, the
right hand of "Old Pap Thomas"
on that long night, succeeded
by a happier day, when he deservedly
earned his well-known
soubriquet of "The Rock of
Chickamauga;" and those brave
244
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
men of this city, Beatty, Mitchell,
Carrington, Walcutt, McMil-
len and Hamilton. This list might be
continued almost indefi-
nitely, but we must pass on.
It would require a most eloquent orator,
with a copious
vocabulary, to portray the graphic
scenes of march and battle
over which these dear old flags have
floated-sometimes in exul-
tant triumph but often in gloomy defeat.
They were at the
early battles in Virginia, beginning in
the western part of the
state and ending ingloriously at Bull
Run, during which time the
Union forces learned in bitterness the
lesson of a lack of due
preparation for war-a lesson so costly
as to make it seem
incredible that it all must be learned
over again, and that too
at a time when the world is being
deluged in blood. These flags
were at Fort Donelson where Grant first
showed the bull-dog
qualities which were the basis of his
later and greater victories;
and they were with him at Shiloh and its
"slaughter pen" when
he was alleged to have used a brand of
whiskey which Lincoln
was so anxious to get hold of in order
that he might issue it
as rations to some of the other generals
who were not so anxious
to fight. These flags were in that
dreadful Chickahominy cam-
paign, including the bloody Seven Days'
Battle; and at Antietam
where McClellan redeemed his reputation
for willingness to
fight, but lost it again by failing to
pursue and destroy the enemy.
They waved over the many deadly charges
through the icy river
at Fredericksburg where Burnside made
the same awful
mistake that Grant did at Cold Harbor
and Lee did at Gettys-
burg, when he ordered direct assaults in
front against an im-
pregnable position. They were floating
in pride at Stone River
on those bitter wintry days of desperate
strife; and they wit-
nessed the disastrous and unnecessary
defeat at Chancellorsville,
where Hooker was outgeneraled and
Stonewall Jackson was
killed. They followed Grant through the
campaign which ended
in the weary siege of Vicksburg and its
grand surrender a day
after the ending of the decisive battle
at Gettysburg-the only
one fought on northern soil and the
greatest battle of the war.
These tattered flags were all over the
bloody field of Chick-
amauga, a battle in which more than
one-third of the army came
from our grand old state; and they
followed up that engagement
Battle Flags of Ohio. 245
by fluttering gaily above the clouds in
the unique and spectacular
victory of Mission Ridge. They were with
the gallant Shaw,
first commander of a colored regiment,
as his young life ebbed
out in the fierce charge at Fort Wagner.
These same old flags
floated in every one of those great
battles between Grant and
Lee in 1864 when they fought
continuously for the whole sum-
mer, and where Grant lost in thirty days
more men than Lee's
entire army. They were in the desperate
assault on the "Bloody
Angle" at Petersburg; and they were
at Cedar Creek "with
Sheridan twenty miles away" at the
beginning, but whose won-
derful ride to the field, and the
resultant victory snatched from
defeat by his inspiring presence, have
been embalmed in
Buchanan Reed's stirring poem of
"Sheridan's Ride." They
floated over Sherman's army in his
triumphant Atlanta campaign
against that master of Fabian
strategy-Joseph E. Johnston;
and they were with that same army in its
semi-bellicose picnic
known as "Sherman's March to the
Sea" celebrated in that good
old song "Marching through
Georgia." Those old flags were
with Thomas in the marvelously perfect
battles of Nashville and
Franklin. They followed the fortunes of
the Mississippi Squad-
ron as step by step it fought its way
down the Father of Waters
and up its tributaries including the
unparalleled feats of engi-
neering during Bank's expedition on Red
River; and they were
within supporting distance where
Farragut lashed himself to
the mast and "damned" the
torpedoes in Mobile Bay. At the
last they were with Grant when he
finally throttled Lee and
ended the war in the historic surrender
at Appomattox-ever
memorable for the unstinted magnanimity
of the victor and the
impressive dignity of the vanquished.
And what of the brave boys from Ohio who
fell in battle
under these precious flags-whose
promising young lives were
offered up as a "costly sacrifice
on the altar of liberty"? Where
are they? Everywhere-in the mountain
gorges of the Blue
Ridge; on the fertile plains of the
Cotton Belt; under the deadly
swamps of the Carolinas; amidst the
dense thickets of the Wil-
derness; strewing the almost continuous
battlefields of northern
Virginia; scattered over the "dark
and bloody ground" of Ken-
tucky and her sister state of Tennessee,
and far beyond the
246 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Mississippi. Their bones are heaped in
trenches where the leaden
hail fell thickest, and bleach unfound
in prison pens where
ghastly famine stalked. The turbulent
waves of the Atlantic
and the tepid waters of the Gulf flow
over the iron ships in
which they are forever coffined. They
are the "Unknown Dead"
-peace to their ashes! These war-wasted
flags are their most
glorious memorial-these flags that are
"While for their precious honor, red
for the rose of youth
Lost in the heat of battle, lost for the
sake of truth;
Blue for the skies above them when, in
the long ago,
They, in a loyal spirit fought with a
gallant foe".
TRIBUTE BY GOVERNOR JAMES M. COX.
It was a beautiful thought that inspired
the preservation and
display of these battle-scarred
standards of three wars. They
occupy a sacred place in the affections
of all Ohioans, and it
is indeed fitting that they are now
enshrined beneath the dome
of our state capitol, where they may be
at once an inspiration
and a beautiful memory.
It is appropriate for us to pause, in
the midst of our par-
ticipation in the present gigantic
military conflict, that we may
reflect upon the achievements of those
whose valor and patriot-
ism are commemorated by these
battle-flags.
I congratulate the Commission upon its
diligence in collect-
ing 455 of these flags and thus
affording the opportunity to
have with us for all time these eloquent
witnesses of our fathers'
and forefathers' achievements.
JAMES M. Cox.
TRIBUTE OF EX-GOV. JUDSON HARMON.
The placing in the rotunda of the
Capitol of the battle flags
of the Ohio Regiments in the Civil War
was approved while I
had charge of them. I am glad the plan
has since been carried
out.
Battle Flags of Ohio. 247
Those who lived in the four years of
that war need no re-
minder of the valor and devotion of the
men who bore and
defended those banners. But it is well
to vivify, by the sight
of these emblems with their blood stains
and bullet rents, the
heroic story which comes to younger
citizens only as a tale
that is told. Just now the Nation needs
again the service on the
battle field of her young men and that
of her women and older
men behind the lines. But the patriotic
spirit which calls forth
personal sacrifice for the common
welfare is a constant need
in peace as well as in war, in order
that the institutions which
secure our liberty and rights may
prosper and endure. In times
of peace this spirit is apt to become
sluggish with many, and
recalling to them the sacrifices others
have made revives and
stimulates it. The sacrifices for the
public welfare which are
made by citizens in times of peace are
not so vivid and often
do not seem so real as the loss of life
or limb or health or vigor
by those who don the battle garb at the
country's call, but they
are needed oftener because peace is the
normal condition of our
Republic, which makes war only as the
last resort.
Never before in the World's history was
there such an
army as that whose banners are now put
before the eyes of the
public. It sprang from the people and in
the hour of victory
went quietly back whence it came.
Untrained, and unlearned in
the art of war though it was in the
beginning, it displayed the
genius of the American people by
important contributions to that
art, both on land and sea, in arms,
armament, tactics and strategy.
And its members proved again that the
morale and efficiency of
an organization in war, as in peace,
depend chiefly on the char-
acter of the individuals who compose it.
The veterans of that war who still
survive are the best
reminders of the heroism which saved the
Union and baptized
it in blood to newness of life. But soon
these will join their
comrades in the bivouac of the dead.
Only the flags they bore
will remain to reach, through the most
vivid of the senses, the
heart and soul of later generations,
keeping patriotism alive and
awake not as a sentiment only but as a
fruitful source of un-
selfish service and devotion to State
and Nation whose need of
248 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
such service varies but never ceases.
And it must come from
its citizens themselves if our Republic
is to live.
Sincerely yours,
JUDSON HARMON.
TRIBUTE OF EX-GOV. J. B. FORAKER.
APRIL II, 1917,
DEAR MR. LIGGITT:
I have your letter of April 9th,
and sincerely thank you
for the privilege you give me of saying
something about the
Battle Flags, to be incorporated in the
Memorial Book you are
intending to publish.
If I were in better health I would no
doubt take advantage
of the opportunity thus afforded me to
say something at this
time; but under all the circumstances I
think it would be better
to let the record stand just as it was
made at the time.
I received an invitation to attend sent
by Comrade W. S.
Matthews, to which I replied as follows:
"W. S. MATTHEWS, Esq., "APRIL 15, 1916.
Columbus, Ohio.
"DEAR SIR AND COMRADE:
"I have your letter of April 13th
inviting me to attend and
participate in the ceremonial exercises
to be held at Columbus,
April 27th, in connection with the
removal of the Union Battle
flags from their wooden cases and their
present location to the
steel cases in the rotunda of the
Capitol, in accordance with the
provisions therefor heretofore made.
"It is with great regret I find
myself unable to accept your
kind invitation. The occasion will be
one I know that will im-
press sentiments of patriotism upon all
who are present, and
because of its unique character one that
will be long remembered
and celebrated in the history of our
State.
"Sincerely wishing you a successful
and enjoyable occasion,
I remain
"Very truly your, etc.
J. B. FORAKER."
Battle Flags of Ohio. 249
If you will incorporate this letter I
will be much obliged.
It will explain why I was not there, and
will also show that I
appreciated the patriotic and
significant character of the oc-
casion.
Trusting that this will meet with your
approval, and again
thanking you for the kindness you have
shown me in this matter,
which I assure you is highly
appreciated, I remain
Very truly your, etc.
(Signed) J. B. FORAKER.
HON. D. A. LIGGITT,
Rushsylvania, Ohio.
TRIBUTE OF EX-GOV. MYRON T. HERRICK.
Grant, the two Shermans, Sheridan,
Garfield, Thomas,
Hayes, Harrison, McKinley, Foraker,
Edwin M. Stanton, Sal-
mon P. Chase-what a host of brilliant
soldiers and statesmen
Ohio gave to the nation for the winning
of the Civil War and
for the work of reconstruction and civil
administration in the
years that followed. Men born in Ohio
occupied the White
House for half of the last fifty years
during which the United
States grew out of its provincial
isolation into a world power.
Their policies set the standards to
which nations conformed;
they determined the course of national
and international history.
Officers are an index of the type of men
that they command.
These courageous and skilful leaders of
the armies were not
more devoted to the noble cause for
which they fought or more
arduous to advance it than the legions
of men from this state
who served in the ranks or in minor
posts during the Civil War.
Almost 350,000 they were in number, and
25,000 of them gave
their lives while thousands more came
back to bear through life
the scars of battle and the impairments
of exposure and disease.
To the valiant officers of Ohio who
filled high places to the
honor of their State and Nation; to
those who went and did not
return but "gave the last full
measure of devotion" that the
Union might live, and live free from the
shame of slavery; to
those who served until peace was won and
then came back to live
250 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
out their years of useful activity in
civil life, Ohio gives grateful
tribute.
The Civil War, like all the wars in
which the American
nation has been engaged, was a war for
ideals. Not conquest or
revenge, not indemnities or markets, but
the ending of human
slavery and the integrity of the state
were the principles vin-
dicated. As all Americans, north and
south, now agree, it was
the eternal right against the eternal
wrong. All honor to those
men, officers, privates, civilians, who
had the vision to see these
issues clearly and to fight the war
through without compromise
to the complete victory of the right and
to a peace that has en-
dured and will endure because it was
founded in justice and
honor.
Once more after many years the country
is at war in defense
of great principles, for the vindication
of truth and justice and
fair dealing between nations and to
secure for peoples every-
where in large countries and small that
freedom of thought and
action which America has long enjoyed,
for which America
stands sponsor to the world. In
Voltaire's time the cause of
liberty stirred the multitudes. Why is
liberty so rare? was asked.
"Because it is the most valuable
possession," Voltaire answered.
Since then that "most valuable
possession" had spread through-
out the world until August, 1914, when
the vast armies of Ger-
many marched out to narrow and restrict
and destroy it every-
where. Through the terrible years that
ensued Germany's ruth-
less invasion of neighboring countries,
her disregard of treaties,
her enslavement of helpless civilians,
have shown that we must
fight again for liberty.
The war in Europe is entering on its
decisive stage. Re-
membering with what bravery and
endurance the men of '61
fought for and achieved the victory of
the right, so may the
Americans of this day and generation,
north and south, east and
west alike, take fresh inspiration to
carry this war on through
whatever sacrifice and hardship it may
bring to final victory
and a peace that will endure because
founded in the right.
MYRON T. HERRICK.
Cleveland, March 4th, 1918.
OHIO BATTLE FLAGS.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
APPOINTED TO PROVIDE FOR PLACING THE
FLAGS IN THE
ROTUNDA OF THE
STATE CAPITOL.
(House Bill No. 247.)
AN ACT
To provide for the display of the battle
flags now in the possession of
the state in the rotunda of the state
house.
WHEREAS, There are now in the relic room
of the state,
the battle flags carried by the sons of
Ohio from 1861 to 1865,
which flags are the most precious
possessions of the state, and
WHEREAS, Their present location is inconvenient and they
are poorly displayed and they are not
well protected from the
ravages of time, and
WHEREAS, They should be placed in a more
public place
where their lessons of patriotism may be
better impressed on
the people of Ohio, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of the State of Ohio:
SECTION I. There is hereby appropriated
from any funds
now in the state treasury and not
otherwise appropriated, a sum
not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars
to be used for purchasing
and installing hermetically sealed wall
cases with glass fronts,
around the rotunda and corridors of the
state house, in which
all the battle flags carried by Ohio
soldiers during the Civil and
Spanish American wars shall be
displayed. Said cases shall be
of architectural design to harmonize
with the design of that part
of the building in which the cases are
to be located. Said cases
shall be purchased and installed by a
committee consisting of
the governor, the auditor of state and
the adjutant general. The
flags shall be placed under the
direction of the foregoing com-
mittee acting in conjunction with a
committee of two veterans
of the Civil War and one veteran of the
Spanish American war
to be appointed by the governor. Said
funds shall be paid out
Vol. XXVIII-15. (225)