Between the Lines: Secret Service Stories Told Fifty Years After

by Henry Bascom Smith

He said he would rather receive the punishment than to allow the friend who gave him the pass to be punished.

I am, Colonel,
Very respy. your obdt. servt,
H. B. Smith,
Lt. & Chief.

The Ishmael Day incident was quite as romantic, or dramatic, as the "Barbara Freitchie" episode, but it was never dwelt upon, however, by the poets, nor can it be demolished as a myth. Ishmael Day, single handed and alone, defended his little miniature flag against the Confederate hosts. The incident rang over the country through the press.

My uncle, Zoeth Smith, a patriot indeed, wrote me to get Ishmael's picture, which I did. Recently, in looking over my papers, I found Uncle Zoe's letter and sent it to his sons, Truman and Addison, to show them the manner of man their father was when loyalty was needed.

ISHMAEL DAY

The following appeared in the newspapers:

"We had the pleasure this morning of an interview with Mr. Ishmael Day who yesterday morning shot down one of Harry Gilmor's men whilst in the act of taking down the flag over his gate in Harford County. He gives the following correct statement: 'On Sunday night he had heard that a party of Rebels were encamped in the vicinity, but did not give credence to the report. Early on Monday morning one of his negroes reported to him that they were coming down the road. He immediately hoisted his flag over the gate, and shortly after, two armed men came riding along the road and one seeing the flag burst out with a loud laugh, one of them advancing and seizing the halliards.

The old gentleman, who is nearly seventy-three years of age, ran back into the house, threatening to shoot them if they did not desist. They paid no attention to him, but the halliards being twisted they had some difficulty in getting it down. By this time he had reached his second story, where his guns were, and raising the window fired a load from his duck gun just as the miscreant had succeeded in getting hold of the flag, and he fell back on the road seriously, and he thinks, mortally wounded, the whole load having entered his breast.