The flag or colors of the 53rd Illinois with the blood of Sergeant George Poundstone still visible in the bottom right.
The restored Civil War flag hangs on display at the Streator Public Library, Streator, Illinois,
where it is on permanent loan from the Illinois State Military Museum. – Photo courtesy of David Reed
At around 9AM on the morning of Sunday, July 12, 1863, the incessant heat radiated down from the Jackson, Mississippi sun onto the men of the 53rd Illinois. It blazed directly into Lieutenant Mark Bassett’s face and the faces of his men as they tried to shield their eyes and get a look east towards the earthworks. It was then that things all went south for Bassett and Company.
Battle accompanied by music
A short distance from where they were lined up, there was suddenly heard the sounds of a piano eerily playing a popular 19th Century song called “You Shan’t Have Any of My Peanuts”. No one was singing, but the tune was known to all, and it was likely that some of the men had the lyrics rattling around in their heads as the tune repeated itself, like the 1863 version of ninety-nine bottles of beer:
The man who has plenty of good peanuts.
The man who has plenty of good peanuts.
And giveth his neighbor none.
He shan’t have any of my peanuts.
When his peanuts are gone.
When his peanuts are gone.
When his peanuts are gone.
He shan’t have any of my peanuts.
When his peanuts are gone.
Tinkling the ivories
Nearby stood the recently burned-out shell of a mansion, wisps of smoke still coming from the ruins. The mansion had been in the way, destroyed by the Confederates to improve their field of fire from atop the earthworks. The Cooper family, who were loyal Confederate citizens, agreed to the burning of their home for the cause, but had asked the soldiers to help remove whatever belongings they could salvage before their home was torched.
One of the items that was saved was a Chickering “square” parlor piano, manufactured by Yankees in Boston in 1840. The piano was hoisted over the earthworks of the Washington Artillery Battery where it took position near the 5th Company known as Slocomb’s Louisiana Battery1Woodrick, Jim; The Civil War Siege of Jackson, Mississippi; Charleston, SC, The History Press, 2016, p69. Private Andy G. Swain, the 5th’s bugler was the soldier tinkling the ivories22/19/1915; Shreveport Journal; Page 1
53rd Illinois’s commanding officer mortally wounded
Then at around 10AM, the Rebels began firing down on the exposed Yankees. The 53rd Illinois’ commanding officer, Colonel Earl was killed instantly near the rebel breast-works, pierced with four canister shot3Among the dead was Col. Seth C. Earl, the regimental commander. History of La Salle County (Chicago, 1886), I: 313.
Sergeant George Poundstone
Photographer Unknown
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
Protecting the flag
Soon after Colonel Earl fell, the 53rd’s colors were captured, saturated with the blood of the color bearer, a native of Farm Ridge Township in LaSalle County, Illinois, Sergeant George Poundstone4Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois; Vol. III; Springfield, Illinois, 1901. p654. Initially he was shot through the thigh. His first thoughts after the shock of the injury was to try and protect the flag from capture. While lying in the field of battle, Poundstone removed the red, white and blue from its “pike” or flagstaff and stuffed the 35-star flag of the United States of America into his jacket.
He then was hit by additional shots to his eye and chest and went down in the futile charge of the earthworks, like so many other men in the regiment. He would lay on the battlefield, his blood saturating the flag, for what was to be hours. Still alive though mortally wounded, Poundstone would be captured by Confederates. He was transferred back to Vicksburg, where he died eleven days later on July 23rd. The flag clutched under his coat and protected with his body survives today.
Mark Bassett becomes a POW
Little did Mark Bassett know, this would be the last battle of the Civil War he would take part in. He had served for 557 days since he left Ottawa, Illinois. His fighting days were over.
The Chickering “square” parlor piano also survives to this day. In New Orleans.
Excerpted from Captured Freedom – #nonfictionbooks #CapturedFreedom #CivilWar #book #history #SteveProcko #MarkBassett #GeorgePounstone #53rdIllinois
- 1Woodrick, Jim; The Civil War Siege of Jackson, Mississippi; Charleston, SC, The History Press, 2016, p69.
- 22/19/1915; Shreveport Journal; Page 1
- 3Among the dead was Col. Seth C. Earl, the regimental commander. History of La Salle County (Chicago, 1886), I: 313.
- 4Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois; Vol. III; Springfield, Illinois, 1901. p654.
