Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 36.djvu/27

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The Last Charge.
13

From the Danville, Va., Bee, April 20, 1907.

THE LAST CHARGE


Of the 14th Virginia Cavalry at Appomattox C. H., Va.,
April 9, 1865, and its Battle Flag.


Interesting Incidents of the Retreat.


[Captain Bouldin is a well-known member of the Virginia Bar, and has contributed to past volumes of this serial.  – Ed.]

In his address to the veterans and "daughters" here Thursday night. Captain Morton, their Inspector General, referred to the battle flag of the 14th Virginia Cavalry, which is among those returned by the Government. Yankee Sgt., J. Donalson, Company L., 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry, who had turned over the old war worn banner to the United States Government, claimed that he captured it on the 9th of April at Appomattox and pinned a paper on the flag to that effect, which was found by Captain Morton, when he took the flags out of their care for exhibition in the Capitol. The interesting local feature about the flag is that it was Captain E. E. Bouldin's regimental flag, and he says it was not captured, but picked up after the color-bearer, James Wilson, was killed and the regiment left the field. There was no capture at all. This statement was vouched for by two letters produced by Captain Morton, one to him by Sgt., J. Scott Moore, of Lexington, Va., and the other by W. L. Moffett, of Augusta County, Va., in a very interesting letter to Captain Bouldin, which was referred to by the speaker and is reproduced here:

Steels' Tavern, Augusta Co., Va.
April 6th, 1899.

Captain E. E. Bouldin,
Co. B., 14th Va. Cavalry.

Dear Sir, – I note your letter in the Rockridge News of recent date, asking members of the 14th Va. Cavalry, to write