Shawn,

Below is a thread from the Georgia page about General Paul Jones Semmes being carried from the field wounded on a captured flag July 2nd at Gettsyburg. So far it is looking like it is false but as you will read below it may be possible that the flag was not a national flag but a state flag (Pennsylvania)?
I just can't help but wonder if Mr. Peter McGlashan's 1899 address might be true and not just an old man spinning tall tails. Anyway, does this tie in at all with your captured flags and if so would the size of the captured flag work to use as a litter to carry a man on?

Thanks,
Gary D. Bray

The Thread,

Question,

Hello All,

Does anyone know if the story is true that General Paul J. Semmes wounded July 2nd at Gettysburg was carried off the field by his men on a captured U.S. flag?

Thanks,
Gary D. Bray

Answer,

Re: General Paul J. Semmes

Posted By: Andrew Johnson
Date: Thursday, 5 April 2007, at 8:01 a.m.

In Response To: General Paul J. Semmes (Gary D. Bray)

The following is from The Atlanta Constitution, 20 January 1890, p 5, "Paul Jones Semmes"

"Here in an old scrap-book is a yellow and worn piece of paper - the copy of a letter from Major S. P. Hamilton, of Cabell's division of artillery, Longstreet's corps...It is dated...July 26, 1863...addressed to P. W. Alexander, and forwarded with his correspondance to the Savannah Republican...Major Hamilton says: "I was standing at the gun...when I observed a wounded man being borne from the field in a blanket. By the number of attendants I soom perceived that it was an officer of rank, and in a moment afterwards recognized that officer as General Semmes..."

The article clearly indicates that Hamilton spoke with Semmes for a few moments - long enough he would have seen a flag, if that was part of the General's litter - before Semmes was removed further to the rear, where his brigade surgeon got to work. Based on this article, I think the flag as litter is post war embellishment.

The surgeon is identified in the article as Dr Todd, supposedly a brother in law of President Lincoln. I can't vouch for the Todd connection, but George Rogers Clark Todd, b. July 1825, was one of several of Mary Todd Lincoln's immediate family members serving in the Confederate army, and he served as a surgeon. [Todd info: reference "Donna McCreary as Mary Lincoln/Todd Family Genealogy Information", http://members.aol.com/beaufait/biography/geneology.htm]

Reply,

Re: General Paul J. Semmes

Posted By: Gary D. Bray
Date: Friday, 6 April 2007, at 11:50 a.m.

In Response To: Re: General Paul J. Semmes (Andrew Johnson)

Andrew,

Thanks for your responce to my question. I still don't know if Major Hamilton was close enough to speak to General Semmes because I would think he could not leave his gun during the battle to do that. Major Hamilton did say that he saw an officer borne from the field in a blanket and reconized him as General Semmes...I wonder if the blanket was a state flag and not the national colors ?????

Thank you for the Surgeon's name. I am trying to find out just what happened at the time General Semmes was wounded and what happened up to the time he died on the 10th of July.

Again, thank you for your help,

Gary D. Bray

Answer,

Re: General Paul J. Semmes

Posted By: Andrew Johnson
Date: Friday, 6 April 2007, at 2:00 p.m.

In Response To: Re: General Paul J. Semmes (Gary D. Bray)

The quote indicates that Maj. Hamilton was at one of his guns when BGen Semmes was taken past them on his way to the rear. I didn't type the full transcription, but the article makes it clear that Hamilton and Semmes spoke for a few moments. With the roar of artillery in the immediate locale and Semmes' condition, this would have necessitated the two officers being within a few feet of each other. It is possible that a Pennsylvania or Massachussetts state flag could be mistaken for a dark blue blanket, but it might also be worth asking our flag experts if a regimental flag would be large enough to serve as a litter, or if it would even support a man.

The quoted letter was dated 26 July 63 - when does the flag story first appear? You may have a primary source reference to this event, in which case I apologize in advance for the rest of this response. Unfortunately there are lots of entertaining tales that emerged post war from veterans that were completely false. Two quick examples:

Brig. Gen. Robert Toombs reportedly found and tended a mortally wounded Fletcher Webster on Chinn Ridge as he rode to rejoin his brigade (it was at Savage's Station, if the teller really stretched the truth, ala Augustus Dickert); copies of the tale seem to have started appearing in the 1890's and spread like weeds. None of my several primary sources support this tale, and based on those sources, I don't think Toombs rode over Chinn Ridge until the battle was over, and Toombs and his men knew their way around the area, having had winter camp nearby. But if you do any kind of historic newspaper work, 1890's on, I bet you'll find this story.

A letter with an unflattering description of Henry Benning at Chickamauga, attributed to Longstreet, appeared in a Philadelphia newspaper in 1875. The letter was reprinted in most major newspapers, in Dortch-Longstreet's book, and other places, including at least one of the modern campaign studies on the battle. Longstreet's description is an entertaining read, but does not dovetail with my primary sources. The letter was angrily rebutted by one of Benning's Colonels, but he was, after all, just a Colonel, and I don't think his letter got reprinted anywhere.

I think we need to be careful with the more colorful, loosely atributed tales that came out of the post war era. I consider them questionable (at best) and would not use them until/unless they make sense with respect to the primary sources.

Another answer to my question,

Re: General Paul J. Semmes

Posted By: Jim Parrish
Date: Friday, 6 April 2007, at 8:11 a.m.

In Response To: Re: General Paul J. Semmes (Andrew Johnson)

I tend to agree with Andrew, although the reference to the captured flag probably came from a May 1899 address delivered to the Savannah Veterans Association Camp by 50th Georgia commander, Peter McGlashan. The 50th Georgia was one of four Georgia regiments in Semmes' Brigade. McGlashan was temporary 50th Ga commander at the battle and stated in his address to the veterans, "General Semmes fell shot through the thigh and was sent to the rear on a captured Pennsylvania flag." McGlashan would have been in the heat of the action and could have seen the fallen general taken from the field. There were Pennsylvania units engaged with Semmes and Kershaw at the time.

In my research of the 50th Georgia, I have not found any other reference to Semmes being carried to the rear on a captured flag. His courier, William Ross Stillwell of the 53rd Georgia, mentioned in a letter that he helped carry the general off the field. No mention of a flag was made in the letter. No mention was made of the captured flag by Major S.P. Hamilton in his letter to correspondent Peter W. Alexander. Hamilton states that Semmes was "borne from the field in a blanket."

It is possible that McGlashan was correct. I have nothing to prove otherwise. But I have nothing to verify the statement. Without further support one way or the other, we are left to imagine. It certainly sounds more dramatic to be carried from the field on a captured enemy flag.

If anyone can verify the flag story, please let me know. It will be great for the book.

My reply

Re: General Paul J. Semmes

Posted By: Gary D. Bray
Date: Friday, 6 April 2007, at 12:19 p.m.

In Response To: Re: General Paul J. Semmes (Jim Parrish)

Jim,

Thank you, now I know where the flag story came from and I know that it came from someone that was in General Semmes's Brigade. I think someone on the Flags board said that the 62nd PA. did loose a flag in the Wheat Field and it may have been the State Flag. If it was a State flag then could it look like a blanket from a distance? Also, I think the 4th Michigan and 11th U.S. lost flags at the Wheat Field.

Thank you sir!

Gary D. Bray