Minnesota retains captured flag

[Robert Braun]

Interestingly enough, this report id from a copyrighted story in the London Telegraph newspaper.

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Uncivil war over Confederate flag
By Sam Leith in New York
(Filed: 19/06/2002)


The American Civil war may have ended nearly a century and a half ago, but one of its last battles is still being fought - over a tattered, bullet-riddled and bloodstained Confederate flag captured at the Battle of Gettysburg.

The marching flag, emblazoned with the name of the 28th Virginia Infantry, was captured in 1863 by Marshall Sherman, a private in the Minnesota First Volunteer Regiment.

Now Minnesota is defying a demand from the government that, all being fair in love and war, it should be returned to Virginia.

Last week Brig-Gen John Brown, head of the US army's Centre of Military History in Washington, said the flag - at present held by the Minnesota Historical Society - belongs to the federal government and should be put on display in a new army museum in Virginia.

"We believe the status of the flag is loaned," he said in a letter to the members of the Virginia Congress. "By law, the proper custodian of the flag is the War Department - now the United States army. We intend that the flag be returned."

A spokesman for the Minnesota Historical Society said this week: "We do not consider Gen Brown's opinion a legal ruling. We do not anticipate following his suggestion that we turn over the flag to the army museum proposed in Virginia."

Last year a request for the flag to be given back was rejected by a vote of a Minnesota Senate committee.

Jesse Ventura, the forthright former wrestler who is governor of Minnesota, has robust views on the matter. When the Virginia Senate pleaded for the flag's return two years ago, he said: "Why? I mean, we won."

Mr Ventura announced yesterday that he would not be seeking a second term in office.

This week it was reported that the governor's 22-year-old son, Tyrel, had held drunken parties at his father's official residence.

[Mark Reitz]

This is off issue, but the thing I found most intriguing about the article is the very last line. While the topic of the story is the repatriation of a ACW battle flag, you get the abrupt change of pace in the last line, which reads:

This week it was reported that the governor's 22-year-old son, Tyrel, had held drunken parties at his father's official residence.

Where did that come from? Do you think the reporter is bringing any bias to the story?

Mark Reitz.

[Tad Salyards]

The democrats in particular have behaved in an absolutely shameful manner with Jessie...the what-not surrounding the "drunken parties" at the governor's mansion was their latest attempt at mud throwing in preperation for the upcoming election. It very well could have been the straw that broke the camel's back...Jessie having recently announced not seeking a second term.

I'm no Jessie fan myself, but one thing that I will miss about the guy is his honesty. Did he lack tact? Absolutely. Was he ever anything but completely honest with the public? I don't think so...and that, my friends, is a rarity in moderm political discourse.

As for the issue surrounding the battle flag, there is no way in God's green earth that Minnesota will allow it to be taken from us. It was fairly fought for and captured from tyrants. It's ours.

-Tad

[John Christiansen]

I always thought Jessie was a straight-shooter, but he lacked leadership. And he was too focused on his media celebrity. I'd like to see him stick around as a commentator, maybe run for the legislature or House.

As for the flag, does the Army have a policy of returning war prizes of other conflicts to countries that we once defeated but are now on good terms with? Are we going to ship back the U-boat in Chicago to Germany? Return some Jpanese banners and samurai swords? I once heard that the Brits still send us a bill for the tea in the Boston Tea Party, and that we still refuse to pay it. How is the flag any different? I'm tired of glossing over our past to create a national identity of feeling good about it all. American history is very ugly at times, and should remain so.

[Bill Zuelsdorff]

While guarding a flag was probably the greatest honor in the Civil War for a soldier (and probably the quickest way to get yourself killed), capturing one was also a great achievement for a soldier. I understand why the people of Virginia would like the flag back, but as was stated in the previous post, where do we draw the line? Who else do we give war "trophies' back to? This flag was captured with honor (I presume) during battle. I doubt if the winner of this year's World Cup will give back the trophy because the team they beat really would like to have it.

My other question is why now? Why after almost 140 years do they want it back? And what about all the other flags sitting out there in possess of the "enemy". Will this then open the door to everyone one getting their flags and other battle trophies back?

[Bill Zuelsdorff]

Just another thought on this as it has really set me off, but what a dishonor we serve to the men of the 1st Minnesota if this flag is given back. They put their lives on the line to protect their country and earned the right of possession of this war trophy. What a slap in the face it would be tothem and the great state they represented to turn over this flag. This flag belongs to the people of Minnesota. It was won by the blood spilt by their sons.

[Robert Braun]

Wisconsin made a decision to voluntarily return many captured Confederate battle flags to their respective states during World War II.

Among these flag was the color of the 8th Mississippi Cavalry/19th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion stolen by the battalion of the 14th Wisconsin after the battle of Burrow's Shop (Camargo Cross Roads) July 13, 1864. Many historians and not a few veterans agreed that the flag was rightfully the trophy of the Thirthy-third Wisconsin.

According to the Wisconsin Magazine of History, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 388-389, the flag was returned to the State of Mississippi in 1943, as a gesture of good-will for the "speed and vigor with which the South has sprung to the defense of the United States in both World Wars." The flag was delivered to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Mississippi. That same year, the flag was reportedly turned over by the Department of Archives and History to the University Museums.

My commentary is not intended at all to draw a parallel with the current situation in Minnesota. Only to show that there was at one time, precident to return colors rightfully captured in battle to their former "owners." In fact, I strongly suspect Wisconsin retained several captured colors...among them the flag captured by the Wisconsin First at Perryville.