WAKEFIELD — A Civil War era American flag, picked up at the retreat from the second Battle of Bull Run will be exhibited at the Wakefield History Museum in a new exhibit opening on May 31.
The flag, which has long been a part of the Historical Society’s collection was never before exhibited. Its condition is poor and shows many attempts to hand-sew and mend it over the years, but even in its fragile state, it is a priceless exhibit of the town of South Reading’s (now Wakefield’s) participation in the Civil War.
The flag was picked up by Samuel Leeman Walton who was a member of the 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry known locally as the “Boston Volunteers.” The 11th mustered into service on June 13, 1861 left the state for Washington, DC where it was located near the White House on the Treasury Grounds. It was one of three Massachusetts regiments during the First Bull Run battle on July 21, 1861. Here it lost many men: 21 were either killed or mortally wounded. In August it became part of Hooker’s Brigade and camped near the Potomac, assisted in building forts. In the spring it participated in the siege of Yorktown, the battle of Williamsburg and the battle of Fair Oaks. It was heavily engaged at Catlett’s Station and later Manassas where it lost 28 officers and men. After the Second Bull Run campaign was ended, the regiment encamped near Alexandria and saw much active fighting after that including at Spottsylvania.
The soldier who found our flag Samuel Leeman Walton had been recruited at 179 Court St., Boston and enlisted for three years at the age of 19 as a private on June 13, 1861. Back home, he was the son of Amos and Susan and had been working as a shoemaker at the start of the war. He was wounded on May 5, 1862 while engaged in battle in Williamsburg, VA. He was wounded a second time on August 29, 1862 while engaged in battle at 2nd Bull Run, VA. He was given a disability discharge in Washington, D.C. on March 11, 1863 as a result of those wounds. Despite the discharge, he reenlisted for three years on July 29, 1864 into the 13th Veteran Reserve Corps Co. “G” in Boston until November 17, 1865. Historical Society sources say that Samuel picked up the flag during the hectic retreat and treasured it throughout his lifetime. He died in 1916 and the flag was donated to the Wakefield Historical Society where it will now be exhibited for the first time!
This relic of the Battle of Bull Run can serve as a special reminder of the following South Reading Soldiers who perished either at Bull Run in battle or succumbed to wounds sustained: Consider Edmunds, 22 year old shoemaker; Clifford Fowle, 33 year old cutlery salesman; George I Locke, 25 year old shoemaker; Robert Frank Snow, 18 year old clerk; Sgt. John Cowdry, 42 years old; James Hobbits, 22 year old Irish immigrant; and Corporal Warren Aborn, wounded and captured at Bull Run died in Libby Prison.
The Historical Society’s new exhibit will only be a very small part of the overall ceremonies of Rededication Day, the day on which the newly restored Soldiers and Sailors Monument will receive a gala rededication. From noon to 5 p.m. the town will host an interactive day of exhibits, ceremonies, music and re-enactors on the Upper Common and the newly restored First Baptist Church. A special shuttle will take visitors from the Common to the Wakefield History Museum and the Col. James Hartshorne House which will both be open from 12 to 2:30. For more details, visit wakefield.ma.us/Monument.