Hide Article Text (OCR)
FLAG HAS QUITE A HISTORY starry Banner Owned by Col. William J. Fife. CARRIED TO PHILIPPINES WITH HIM NOW GRACES HIS GENERAL MER CHANDISE STORE AT LOS VEGAS, TEXAS. Quite a number of young men of Walla Walla who served in the First Washington regiment during the Spanish-American war will remember Colonel W. J. Fife, who commanded the troops at Angel Island, and will recall the many incidents that sur rounded a flag that the officer had in his possession while in the army. The Las Vegas, Texas, News has the fol lowing to say relative to the flag, which will no doubt be read with great in terest by many of the young veterans who were in Company I that went from Walla Walla: “In the rear end of Fife’s store and over the door is an American flag fas tened in such a manner as though it looked as if it was floating to the breeze. Before the war broke out with Spain, Colonel W. J. Fife went to Fort Wrangle, Alaska, during the gold rush, and he took the flag and floated it over his place of business, and when word came that war was de clared he took his flag and returned home at Tacoma and took it on his United States transport Senator to San Francisco. “For a time he was quartered with his command at the Fontana ware house near Fort Black Point, on San Francisco bay, and the flag floated from the staff on the building. Ten he was assigned to the command of Angle Island, in the bay, and there he floated his flag. Then he was assigned to command the fifth expedition for the Philippines, with two United States transports, the “Valencia,” just lost on the north Pacific coast, and on this transport his flag floated to the breeze and his other transport was the Sen ator, and in all he had 1,300 men. “At Honolulu, Hawaii, he stayed five days and gave the men a good rest, and the flag was seen there. After the expedition arrived in the Philippines the flag floated from his different headquarters at Paco, Santa Anna, Pasig and Guadaloupe ridge, and hun dreds of the brave boys who saw the emblem float in those islands 8,050 miles away have answered the last roll call, and as taps sounded the last notes for the honored dead it has play ed the part, resting on the coffin of the hero and nation, mourning the honored dead. It heard the scream of shot and shell. It speaks and it breathes a sacred inspiration.”
Newspaper Details
Walla Walla Evening Statesman
Walla Walla, Washington, US
Mon, Mar 05, 1906
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Kellan R.
USA 18 Feb 2026
Other Publications Near Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla Union Bulletin
Walla Walla Washington Statesman
Walla Walla Statesman
Walla Walla Evening Statesman
