First
Secession
In Ansonville, North Carolina, on
the morning of the second of February.
1861, the citizens of the village be¬
held a flag, whose folds were flapping
in the wind blowing from the South¬
east betokening rain and brewing up
foul, disagreeable weather, fore¬
shadowing dark impending war clouds.
On and before February 1st. seven
States had passed ordinances of seces¬
sion from the Union, and withdrawn
their Congressional delegations from
Washington. South Carolina led on De¬
cember 20. 1860*. Mississippi followed
January 7. 1861: Florida, Janu¬
ary 10, 1861; Alabama. January 11,
1861; Georgia. January 19, 1861;
Louisiana, January* 26, 1861; Texas.
February 1, 1861.
February 1st the electric telegraph
flashed over the land that Texas had
joined her Southern sisters, which
so enthused Adolphus A. Waddell.
John B. Waddell. W. A. Threadgill
and Jas. M. Wright that they deter¬
mined to become more active in the
cause of secession. The young men
of the village were very desirous to
have North Carolina follow the seven
States, and during the night of Feb¬
ruary 1st prepared a flag which they
hoped would prove an incentive and
aid in determining the State of North
Carolina to secede from the Union.
Having no bunting, they made the flag
of calico, with two large stars at the
head marked S. C. and Miss., abbrevi¬
ations for South Carolina and Missis¬
sippi. the first two States severing their
relations with Washington. Front these
stars led stripes of alternating red.
white and blue: and in the lower cor¬
ner at the tail end was another star of
like proportions half turned down
marked N. C.. representing North
Carolina faint and drooping, hanging
r head in dishonor, shame and dis-
acc. In large letters at the top of the
•lag was the word "Secession.” Under¬
neath was this motto; "Resistance to
Oppression is in Obedience to God."
THE STATE, FEBRUARY 7. 1959
kl
Flag
This flag was fashioned in the Gar¬
rett store after business hours. On the
opposite side of the street was the
wooden framework of an unfinished
store. The flag, size 6x9 feet was
attached to a pole and securely
fastened to the studding and rafters
forming the comb of this building.
On the morning of the 2nd of Febru¬
ary the citizens of the village look
notice of this Secession flag which had
been given to the breeze during the
dark hours of the night. Almost unani¬
mous was the sentiment of opposi¬
tion. Indignation prevailed and talk of
cutting it down freely indulged, the
makers not daring to disclose them¬
selves. Two or three ratified the
act and commended the unknown
makers, and as the day wore on a few
were converted, declaring themselves,
and were added to the number of Se¬
cessionists. Among these was Prof. Gil¬
liam. a teacher in the college, from
the State of Virginia. Hmboldened by
these accessions, the makers of the
flag openly avowed their sentiments
A little-known anecdote
of pre-war controversy
in Anson County.
«!/
GENERAL W. A. SMITH
«1Ы»
arllclf ori*lna!l> appeared la ihe *‘.V. C.
Booklet** of April,
1*17.»
and their handiwork in fashioning the
flag.
Misses Kate Smith and Winnie Wat¬
kins made four rosettes of silk and
pinned them on the lapels of the
makers of the flag, which, said one
of them, "made us very proud, and
we walked the streets as vain as strut¬
ting peacocks.”
During the night of the 2nd. Col.
John J. Colson and Washington
Threadgill climbed to the comb of the
storehouse frame, cut the fastenings,
and the flag fell to the sidewalk. In
descending. Colonel Colson's foot
slipped and he fell 10 to 15 feet, with
only a slight sprain, landing on his
feet. Dr. William A. Ingram, in his
office near by. heard the noise and
came out to ascertain the cause. Col¬
son. pointing to the flag. said. "We
cut down that d . d Secession flag."
Doctor Ingram replied. "You did right.
It ought not to have been made and
put up to insult the intelligence of the
community. I’ll never tell who did it."
He respected his word. This flag was
never more seen.
The morning of the 3rd dawned
fair. Balmy breezes from the South
stirred the hot blood of the young
Secessionists of both genders to indig¬
nation and contempt of the dastardly
act. on finding the flag of their pride
torn down and destroyed under the
cover of darkness. Undismayed, bunt¬
ing was procured, taken to the resi¬
dence of Mrs. Garrett, an enthusiast
in the cause of secession. She. assisted
by the young ladies of the village,
made a larger flag, similar in design,
and with like stars and same motto.
This flag was unfurled in the after¬
noon at the same place. Seemingly the
destruction of the flag added to the
number of Secessionists, for believing
in a square deal the people condemned
the dastardly act of tearing it down
under the cover of darkness. A few
walked underneath its folds with hats
off. others and far the greater num¬
ber. would not pass underneath or even
allow its shadows to fall on them.
News of the first Secession flag
raised and destroyed, and the making
of another, larger and of finer ma¬
terial having been made and given to
the breeze, was circulated in the coun¬
try. A large number of citizens as¬
sembled in the village the afternoon of
the 3d of February, many, very many,
approving the destruction of the first
flag, taking this one down and tearing
"the damn Secession rag to pieces."
One of the makers of the original
i s
