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Re: Flag of the 53rd VA, 3 July 1863

Could "Blackwell" actually have been Blackburn? A manuscript by Benjamin Lyons Farinholt of Company E, 53rd Virginia can be found at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond. Farinholt writes: "Armistead came up to color sergeant Leonidas Blackburn ... from Hanover County ... and asked him if he was going to plant those colors on the enemy's works. "General, I'm going to do my duty." ... He had not gone 50 yards further when he was struck by a piece of shell which cut off the end of the flag staff and went directly through him ... colors did not remain on the the ground for a second ... they were seized by one of the color guard."

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Flag of the 53rd VA, 3 July 1863
Re: Flag of the 53rd VA, 3 July 1863
Re: Flag of the 53rd VA, 3 July 1863
Re: Flag of the 53rd VA, 3 July 1863
Re: Flag of the 53rd VA, 3 July 1863