University of Virginia Library

THE COLORED TROOPS,

as usual, were in front, then came the Franc-Tireurs, lastly, the
patriots.

My uncle, Consider Perkins, occupied posts of danger—hitching
posts—with the patriots. They boldly sang, “Rally Round
the Flag, Boys,” and then returned to Moon's several times to
rally around it. My uncle said he loved to “shout the battle cry
of freedom,” but he was of actual service in the battle only as
far as the moral influence of his name went. He always defended
the flanks of the army.