The memoir of James Eldred Phillips at the Virginia Historical Society is rich in stories of battles in which he fought and personalities with whom he served. Phillips was a member of Company G ("Richmond Grays") in the 12th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He writes that on 5 May 1864, his regiment directed their fire onto Federal colors and managed to secure a tassel, although the flag itself and its bearer escaped. A few days later, on 12 May, Phillips noted that his regiment's color bearer, W. E. Mayo, was mortally wounded by a shot through his breast. It appears that on the same day, a shell from Pegram's artillery ("friendly fire") cut down the whole color guard, killing two of its members; one of these was a man named Harrison. Phillips mentions, without elaborating, that Allen McGee was in charge of the colors. When the guard went down, Phillips said he picked up the colors and afterwards gave them to Sergeant W. C. Smith of Company B, who carried them for nearly three months. During this period Smith never received a scratch, despite many holes being shot through the flag and the staff being cut in three places, once just above Smith's hand. In later years, according to Phillips, Smith was a Colonel leading the 1st Tennessee Regiment in the U.S. Army when killed at Manila - presumably in the Spanish-American War.