History of the Seventh Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry During the Civil War 
by Henry I. Smith; 1903, p. 289:

A WAR STORY

The generations which have come up since the rebellion will
never realize what the vicissitudes of the civil war brought about in the
division of not only a people which it caused, but which also extended
to families and even to the separation of brothers, and in some
cases to a final farewell forever for husbands and wives; nor will
history ever record all the sacrificies some made for loyalty; actual
occurences read like romances.  Colonel Brutton and Captain Smith
both members of the Loyal Legion, met in town a short time ago, and 
the Colonel related some of his personal experience.

He stated he was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, and when the 
war broke out he was the happy possessor of a loving wife and two 
interesting children and was a lieutenant of the Lexington Rifles, a local 
crack company of which the famous General Morgan was the captain.

Early in 1861, the citizens arranged to present the company with
a flag, a large gathering of the people of the town and country, with
distinguished citizens from abroad were in attendance.  Lieut. Brutton 
was selected to receive the colors in behalf of the company and respond 
in a speech of thanks.  The first flag presented was the state colors with 
the Kentucky coat of arms as the emblem, which was appropriately received 
by Lieutenant Brutton with thanks.  The next offered, instead of being the 
stars and stripes, was the stars and bars, or the rebel flag.  Lieutenant Brutton 
was much amazed at being offered it and very properly refused to accept it in 
behalf of the company.  He was hissed by the crowd and asked to resign from 
the company, which he promptly did and his resignation was a promptly 
accepted there and then.  It is needless to say that a young man who dared to 
express his loyal convictions before a vast crowd who sentiments were the 
opposite, had the stuff in him for a brave soldier, and as it was not safe for 
anyone holding his views to stay there, he, as soon as possible came north to 
Cincinnati and tendered his services on the side of the Union, was accepted, 
and assigned to the Sixth Ohio Infantry.  And he went to the front to wage war 
against his kinsmen, neighbors and friends, winning honors and promotion 
for bravery and duty until he was comander of his regiment.

Years rolled on, and his wife's people were all Confederates and her sympathies 
were with the south; feeling ran so high that she renounced her husband, applied 
for and was granted a divorce on the grounds of desertion.  At the battle of 
Chickamauga he was severly wounded and sent to Cincinnatti hospital.  While 
there convalenscent, General Morgan made his daring and reckless raid north into 
Ohio and Indiana, and Colonel Brutton being sufficiently recovered to ride, was 
invited to join the command in pursuit of Morgan and his band of fearless riders, 
which he did.  He assisted in Morgan's capture and had the saisfaction (being 
among those to whom General Morgan surrender) of capturing the identical flag 
from his old company that he refused to accept in 1861; and when he exhibited 
it in triumph to General Morgan, then a prisoner of war, the general remarked that 
he seemed more anxious to take the flag than he did when offered it at Lexington 
before the war.

Colonel Brutton is now a resident of Minnesota, and still has the flag which he prizes 
as a trophy and rare relic of the war.  He never returned to Kentucky or his first love, 
but married again and has a happy, interesting family and is a prosperous and 
respected citizen of our adjoining state.

After the war, he was commissioned an officer in the regular army and with others 
sent to Europe where he was for three years in the government service and upon 
his return to the United States, he resigned and engaged in civil pursuits. He is an 
entertaining, intelligent gent, hospitable southern gentleman of the old school, but 
loyal to the core; and is reaping the reward of his loyalty by a generous pension 
awarded him by a grateful government for his cripped condition caused by 
honorable wounds while in defense of his country, as well as having the satisfaction 
of knowing that time has vindicated that he chose right. - Globe Gazette.