"Not long after three P. M., our whole line began to give way. Our brigade, however, had no orders to retreat, and continued to hold its ground for some time, when, finding ourselves almost surrounded by the enemy, we at last fell back, slowly, under a very severe fire. The Iron Brigade had fallen back some time before ours, and had formed a new line on the crest of the next ridge, midway between the Seminary and the front. Here we again halted, and withstood the enemy's attacks for some time; but the line giving way on all sides, and finding ourselves again becoming surrounded, we were compelled again to fall back.

On our retreat, we found one of our batteries on which the enemy was directing a heavy fire, and which they were preparing to assault. Here the remainder of our men again rallied in an orchard, and succeeded in repelling a desperate rebel charge on the battery. We held this position, though the rest of the line had given way, until the guns of the battery were limbered up, horses hitched, and the commanding officers said they were ready to move to a place of safety. An aid rode up soon after, with orders for us to retreat through the town to the new line formed on the south side. This we proceeded to do; but our retreat had been so long delayed, that many of our men were captured in the streets of Gettysburg, the enemy having closed in both on our right and left.

"" Up to this time," says Major Chamberlin, " our colors were safe. The Color Sergeant had been killed in the orchard, and all the color guard had been killed or wounded, except one, some of them receiving three or four balls. The colors were held by Corporal Gutelius, of company D, who carried them to the town, and insisted on keeping them, although he was slightly wounded. Stopping a moment to rest, the rebels were on him, and he was shot dead with the colors clasped in his arms. This is the same flag which was presented to Jefferson Davis, with a flourish of trumpets, at the request of a North Carolina Lieutenant, who, it was alleged, with a handful of sharp-shooters, scattered a Pennsylvania regiment, and captured their colors; but in doing so, was himself mortally wounded. The flag was found with Jefferson Davis' effects, when he was overhauled in Georgia, in the spring of 1865. "This flag was held by the Secretary of War, until October 25th, 1869, when it was transmitted to the Adjutant General of this State, with a letter, in which he says:
" I am directed by the President to send herewith, the flag of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, said to have been captured at Gettysburg, and re-captured in the baggage of Jeff. Davis."
It is now deposited with the other tattered ensigns of the State, in the Capitol at Harrisburg."