Friday, July 10, 2015

Colonel Charles Russell Lowell to Josephine Shaw Lowell, September 12, 1864

Ripon, Sept. 12, 1864.

I'm expecting to start a new colour for the Brigade this afternoon. The old one, — red, white, and blue, with cross sabres in the white, — is entirely worn out. I shall run up, for the present, a white triangle with dark blue border, and cross sabres in the middle, — this is furnished by Government; but in a week or so I expect from Baltimore a new one of the old pattern. My colour for the old Brigade (3d) was the L Company, Second Massachusetts guidon, red and white silk, with a wreath and a star with L in the centre, — very ambitious forsooth, but the prettiest colour in the army. The others are all of bunting, except General Sheridan's, and perhaps others I have not seen. You’ll wonder at me, being willing to carry anything so “gaudy,” but my well-known modesty enabled me to do it.

SOURCE: Edward Waldo Emerson, Life and Letters of Charles Russell Lowell, p. 346

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