ress in March, 1861, the Confederate flag was made so akin and so
similar to that of the nation, as to cause confusion; so in 1863 the stars
and bars was supplanted by a flag with a white field, having the battle
flag (a red field charged with a blue saltier, on which were thirteen
stars) for a union. This, having been mistaken for a flag of truce, was
altered by covering the outer half of the field beyond the union with a
vertical red bar. This was the last flag of the Confederacy.

Richmond will testify that the soldiers of Massachusetts were worthy of
the honor of raising the first United States flag over her Capitol--the
Capitol of the Confederacy--and also to the unvarying courtesy of Major
Stevens, and the fidelity with which he kept his trust.

[Illustration: Capt. A. F. Ray]

The Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry

In the Closing Scenes of the War for the Maintenance of the Union, From
Richmond to Appomattox.

BY
WM. B. ARNOLD,
Formerly Company H 4th Massachusetts Cavalry.

During the winter and spring of 1864 and 1865 squadrons E and H of the 4th
Massachusetts cavalry were encamped near the headquarters of General
Weitzel commanding the Twenty-fifth Army Corps, then a part of the Army of
the James. Our command was detached from our regiment and doing duty as
orderlies and couriers at Division and Brigade headquarters and Artillery
Brigade headquarters, as well as performing Provost duty at corps
headquarters.

Our command numbered about eighty men in charge of Captain A. F. Ray of
Company H, 4th Massachusetts cavalry. He was an officer of unusual
ability. The Army of the James held possession north of the James, their
lines extending from Deep Bottom, a few miles below Dutch Gap to Fort
Harrison and around to the New Market road.

Our position was made very strong and withstood the attack of the
Confederates several times after it was taken from them in Sept. 1864.
Their defenses in our front were equally strong. In addition they had
several iron clads in the James River to assist in the defense of
Richmond. Our gunboats were down the river, none of them, up to this time,
having ventured above the Dutch Gap canal.

The afternoon and evening of April second, 1865 indicated that something
unusual was likely to occur. The Artillery firing in the direction of
Petersburg in the evening, and during the night of the second was heavy
and continuous, and in the night the sky was lighted up tow