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."