guarded by the rebels. Fortunately the rebels did not suspect what a precious load we carried concealed with us, for if they had our lives would not have been worth much. We put the colors in one of Lieutenant Hartz's trunks, and next day left San Antonio for the North. On the route we guarded the colors with our lives, always fearing that the rebels might find out what we had taken away and come after us; but they did not, and we arrived safe with our colors on the 26th of May, 1861, in Washington City, and turned them over to the regiment.

Under these circumstances I think that I am entitled to the honor of receiving a medal, as I believe that Congress intended to award them to enlisted men who have done acts similar to mine. I therefore very respectfully request that I may receive one, believing that I have performed one of the highest duties of a soldier, having saved the colors of my regiment, and it will always be a happy day for me if I can see my regiment marching with their colors flying, and can say, "That color I have carried on my body, and have rescued it from the hands of the rebels."

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN C. HESSE,

Formerly Corporal, Company A, Eighth U. S. Infantry,

Now Clerk, Adjutant-General's Office.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.

[Indorsement.]

WASHINGTON, D. C., September 6, 1864.

I indorse the within statement as true.

EDWARD L. HARTZ,

Late Captain, U. S. Army.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, September 10, 1864.

SIR: The Secretary of War directs that you cause a medal of honor to be engraved for Corporal John C. Hesse, Company A, Eighth United States Infantry, for good conduct in saving the colors of his regiment from capture by the rebels in Texas in 1861.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Mr. JOHN POSTS,

Chief Clerk, War Department.

No. 15. Reports of Bvt. Lieutenant I. V. D. Reeve, Eighth U. S. Infantry, of the surrender of his command at San Lucas Spring, Tex.

CAMP NEAR SAN ANTONIO, TEX., May 12, 1861.

SIR: I take the earliest opportunity possible to inform you that the six companies of the Eighth Infantry under my command, while marching for the coast under the agreement made between General Twiggs (late of the U. S. Army) and the State of Texas, to the effect that the