Cultural Exhibits

The negroes naturally considered the soldiers their friends and Captain Crossman and the men under his command received many favors from the colored people. Among frequent visitors to the soldiers’ headquarters at the courthouse was a negro Baptist minister, the name of whom Captain Crossman has forgotten. The colored preacher was profuse in his kindness to the Union soldiers and as a tribute to them had his wife make the American flag which Captain Crossman exhibited at the Herald office yesterday.

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Mr. Crossman very interestingly described the excitement occasioned in Spartanburg when it was announced that the Union soldiers were to carry the flag on a short march to a picnic ground where the negroes of the vicinity were to serve a chicken dinner to the solider boys. The town councilmen told Captain Crossman that there would be trouble if the flag was carried by a negro but Captain Crossman informed the South Carolinians that the American flag was safe to be carried anywhere in the United States and this seemed to suffice, although a large number of whites gathered around the courthouse on the day of the parade and dinner, but no demonstration was made.