He Died Cheering the Flag by Annie Wittenmyer
John B. Marsh, forced into the Rebel army, is recaptured while trying to reach Union forces and condemned to die. He asks fellow prisoner A. M. Shipman to tell his family he dies defending his country, then faces execution cheering the old flag and Union.
By Annie Wittenmyer · First published 1895 · Genre: Civil War Literature, Historical Narrative, War Literature · 319 words
First lines
A. M. Shipman, an Ohio volunteer, who was confined for eight months as a hostage, was in Vicksburg jail during the siege, and was released when Pemberton surrendered.
For a time he had a fellow-prisoner named John B. Marsh, who had been forced into the Rebel army. Marsh made an attempt to join the Union forces, but was recaptured, and condemned to be shot. Just before his execution he managed to get the following note into Mr. Shipman's hands: --
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Genres
- Civil War Literature — The work is set during the American Civil War, specifically around the Siege of Vicksburg, and centers on Union loyalty, Confederate imprisonment, and wartime execution.
- Historical Narrative — It recounts a purported historical incident involving named soldiers, imprisonment, military coercion, and the surrender of Confederate General Pemberton.
- War Literature — Military conflict, captivity, divided allegiances, execution, sacrifice, and patriotic death are the work's central concerns.
- Patriotic Literature — The narrative strongly celebrates devotion to the United States, the Union, and the national flag, culminating in Marsh's final cheers.
Tags
American Civil War · Union loyalty · Confederate army · Vicksburg jail · Siege of Vicksburg · Mississippi · 1863 · war captivity · hostages · forced enlistment · attempted escape · military execution
What this Textopian page supports
He Died Cheering the Flag is listed on Textopian as a historical account by Annie Wittenmyer, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Historical account
- Author: Annie Wittenmyer
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Civil War Literature, Historical Narrative, War Literature, Patriotic Literature, Biographical Sketch
- Length: 319 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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