The Regimental Colors

1904

At the bombardment of Fredericksburg, Virginia, during the Civil War, a Confederate soldier was taking sight for a shot at an enemy across the street. Just as his fingers trembled on the trigger a little three-year-old, fair-haired baby girl toddled out of an alley, accompanied by a big Newfoundland dog, and gave chase to a shell that was rolling lazily along the pavement. Major Stiles tells the story in "Four Years Under Marse Robert":

Burke's hand dropped from the trigger. There was the baby, amid the torrent of shot and shell, and on came the enemy. A moment, and he had grounded his gun, dashed out into the storm, swept his right arm round the child, gained cover again, and with the baby clasped to his breast and the musket trailed in his left hand, was trotting after the boys up to Marye's Heights.

Behind that historic stone wall all those hours and days of terror that baby was tenderly cared for. They scoured the countryside for milk, and conjured up their best skill to prepare dainty viands for her little ladyship.

When the struggle was over and the enemy had withdrawn, the Twenty-first Mississippi, having held the post of danger in the rear, was assigned to the place of honor in the van, and led the column. There was a long halt, the brigade and regimental staff hurrying to and fro. The regimental colors could not be found.

Buck Denman stood about the middle of the regiment, baby in arms. Suddenly he sprang to the front, swung her aloft above his head, her little garments fluttering like the folds of a banner, and shouted, "Forward, Twenty-first, here are your colors!" And without further order off started the brigade toward the town. Buck himself describes the last scene in the drama:

"I was holding the baby high, adjutant, with both arms, when above all the racket I heard a woman's scream. The next thing I knew I was covered with calico, and the woman fainted on my breast. I caught her before she fell, and laying her down gently, put the baby in her arms."