22

Tennessee Gallantry.

On the departure of the first Tennessee Regiment for Mexico, the young ladies of the senior class of the Nashville Female Academy, presented to the regiment a flag which their fair hands had embroidered. The gallant Tennesseans swore never to dishonor it, and nobly did they keep their pledge. They returned with ranks thinned by disease and battle but with unstained honor and have returned the flag covered with glory, to the hands that gave it. Miss Mary E. Foster was appointed by her classmates to receive the banner and we find one of our Tennessee exchanges, the name of which has escaped us, the following lines, written by one of the volunteers.

We've borne the noble gift afar,
And proudly have we stood,
Beneath its folds, on many a field,
Where blood like water flowed;
And dying eyes have on been turned
To where it floated past,
The gallant forms upon the earth,
Like leaves, were failing fast.

We bring it back, unstained and pure;
And glory still will be
With that bright banner, while the tale,
Is told of Monterey;
And gentle eyes will drop a tear,
To all who proudly fell,
Yielding their hearts-blood for the pledge
Of those they loved so well.