Athens Weekly Review
Feb. 6, 1903
Dallas News.
Athens, Texas, Jan. 16--Your correspondent learned incidentally that Rev. E. W. H. Parker, a Baptist minister now living in Athens, was the color - bearer of a Texas regiment during the Civil War and that he had still in his possession the flag which he then carried. I asked the privilege of seeing and inspecting the flag which was kindly granted, and this blood - stained, battle - marked memento of that great fratricidal strife is now in my possession temporarily. It is tattered and torn, but shows superior handy work and this it was made of the finest material. Thirteen stars are set in two blue bars which cross at right angles on a red or pink square as background at top (part of the page is missing) The rest of the flag is white or cream silk. It is about seven feet long. It has bullet holes in it and has blood stains on it which were splattered on it when six men were killed near it by an exploding shell.
Mr. Parker was asked its history, whereupon he handed me the following sketch:
The 17th Texas Volunteer Cavalry, Confederate Army was organized early in 1862 and ordered to Corinth, Miss. In the meantime a Federal army was invading Arkansas from Missouri. Our orders were changed to meet it. We met the advance of said army and turned it back. By the middle of July 1862 our horses were run down and we were dismounted the 16th of July. Our first hard - fought battle was on the 11th day of January 1863, beginning on the 10th. In this battle we were surrendered, nine Texas regiments in all surrendering at the time. Enough of us escaped after the surrender to make eight companies. In the early part of spring we reorganized with the title of "The 17th Texas Consolidated Regiment," James R. Taylor was made colonel. We lost our flag in the engagement of Jan. 11, 1863, (Arkansas post) and this flag was made and presented to our regiment by a Miss Watson, two miles west from Shreveport in July 6, 1863. Its first engagement was Vidalia, La., in February 1865. The next at Harrisburg, La, in the same month. The next Mansfield, La., April 8, 1864. The next Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864. Next Marksville, La., May 16, 1864; next Yellow Bayou, La., May 18, 1864, which was our last regular engagement. The undersigned received the flag from the hands of Miss Watson and was Regimental Ensign to the close of the war. E. W. H. Parker.
Transcribed by Bunny Shumate Freeman Click to see Bunny's obit Feb. 8, 2002
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