I’m no liberal. I voted to remove the image in the OP because it’s not the correct image. This is:
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CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE:
- FIRST NATIONAL FLAGS FOR THE CONFEDERATE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
- DEVELOPMENT OF THE BATTLE FLAG
- THE PROTOTYPES
- THE SILK ISSUES
- THE COTTON ISSUE
- FIRST BUNTING ISSUE
- SECOND BUNTING ISSUE
- THIRD BUNTING ISSUE
- THE SECOND NATIONAL FLAG AS A FIELD AND BATTLE FLAG
IN THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA - FOURTH BUNTING ISSUE
- FIFTH BUNTING ISSUE
- SIXTH BUNTING ISSUE
- SEVENTH BUNTING ISSUE
- THE THIRD NATIONAL FLAG AS A FIELD AND BATTLE FLAG
IN THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
FIRST NATIONAL FLAGS FOR THE
CONFEDERATE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Following the adoption of the Stars and Bars as the national flag of the Confederate States, many military units on both regimental and company levels, quickly adopted it for use as a battle flag. Using this pattern the earliest battles of the war, like Rich Mountain, Bethel, Scary Creek, Phillipi and finally First Manassas would be fought. Confederate troops, in many cases, also still used state flags as well as their special company level colors.
In the early months of the War, the Confederate War Department relied exclusively on the patriotic effusion of the ladies of the South for the unit colors of the units that assembled in Richmond during the Spring and Summer of 1861. The results were mixed. Many individual companies received splendid flags from the communities from which they were raised, but the regiments into which they were assembled did not necessarily share in this enthusiasm. In such cases, one of the company flags would be chosen to serve as the regimental flag. The result was anything but uniformity in the colors carried by the armies that coalesced in the Shenandoah Valley and around Centreville in June.
To remedy this inadequacy, General Beauregard caused a number of Confederate first national flags to be made from the bunting that had been seized at the former Gosport U.S. Navy Yard near Portsmouth, Virginia. This bunting was placed in the hands of Richmond military goods dealer, George Ruskell. From this bunting Ruskell assembled at least 43 flags, for which he was paid $11.50 each. Deliveries began on 18 July 1861 and continued until 7 August. Only 13 flags, however, had been delivered to Major J.B. McClelland at Richmond by the battle of 1st Manassas (Bull Run), and none of these may have been distributed to the Army at Centreville before the battle.
Judging from the $12.00 price that Ruskell later received for a bunting Confederate first national that was 6 feet long on the fly, it is thought that the 43 flags that he delivered in July and August were 4 feet on their hoist by 6 feet on their fly with eleven white, 5-pointed stars arranged in a circle or ellipse. According to one account, these flags were later turned in so that their bunting could be recycled into other flags.
Howard Michael Madaus
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BATTLE FLAG
The smoke of battle often obscuring the field made identification between friend and foe very difficult. In some cases the Stars and Bars so resembled the U.S. flag that troops fired on friendly units killing and wounding fellow soldiers.
As a result, Confederate army and corps level officers all over the South began thinking about creating distinctive battle flags that were completely different from those of the Union Army, which would help make unit identification a lot easier. The first of these – and the most famous – was created in September, 1861 in Virginia.
Gathering at the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac (later renamed the Army of Northern Virginia) were generals Joseph Johnston, G.T. Beauregard, Gustavus Smith and Congressman William Porcher Miles, then an aide on Beauregard’s staff. The conversations turned around the idea of creating a special “battle flag”, to be used, in the words of Gen. Beauregard, “only in battle” for their army. Miles offered the design with the St. Andrews cross he had submitted for consideration as a national flag. The competition was a design from Louisiana with a St. George’s cross (horizontal/vertical). With the number of states that had seceded now reaching eleven (and with Confederate recognition of Missouri as well), 12 stars were now available for use on a flag. Thus, it looked a lot better than it had in February when only seven stars were added. Miles’ design was adopted by the council.
Gen. Beauregard first suggested the colors be a blue field with a red cross, but Miles countered that this was contrary to the laws of heraldry. Gen. Johnston suggested that it be made in a square shape to save materials as well as ease manufacture, and this was accepted. The flag was supposed to come in three sizes – 48 inches square for infantry units, 36 inches square for artillery units and 30 inches square for cavalry – but as the war progressed this was not always followed.
THE PROTOTYPES
Prototype Battle Flag madeby Hetty Cary
for General Joseph E. Johnston
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 27 January 2000
On 21 October 1861, General Beauregard informed General Johnston that he found the design pattern for the new battle flag acceptable. Even before this approval, a number of ladies in Richmond had known of the design and were preparing examples of the new battle flag. Three young ladies of Richmond and Baltimore, sisters Jennie and Hetty Cary and their cousin Constance Cary, then living in Richmond, in particular had chosen to make battle flags for presentation to three of the most prominent general officers then at Centreville. The flags were individually sent to these officers over a period of at least a month in late autumn, 1861. Hetty Cary sent the flag she had made to General Joseph E. Johnston at an undetermined date. Constance Cary sent her flag to General Earl Van Dorn on 10 November 1861, and he acknowledged its receipt on the 12th, later noting that his staff celebrated the occasion with dramatic, if unofficial cermonies. Jennie Cary’s flag was not ready for another month, and on 12 December 1861 she finally sent it to General Beauregard, who acknowledged its receipt on the 15th.
All three flags were made with fields of a thin scarlet silk, doubled and underlined. Each side was traversed by a dark blue silk St. Andrew’s cross bearing twelve gold painted stars and was edged with white silk. The exterior edges of the flags were finished with a heavy gold fringe. These same flags resembled the first type silk battle flags that were distributed to the Confederate Army of the Potomac on 28 November 1861.
Howard M. Madaus
THE SILK ISSUES
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Silk Issue (First Type, First Variation), 1861
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 09 February 2000
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Silk Issue (Second Type), 1861
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 27 January 2000
from a sketch by Howard M. Madaus
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Silk Issue (First Type, Second Variation), 1861
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 10 February 2000
from a sketch by Howard M. Madaus
Links: Photos and images of ANV silk battle flags
Based either on the original water color drawing or a flag made from it, a number of battle flags sufficient to supply the Army of the Potomac were then ordered. Army Quartermaster Colin M. Selph bought the entire silk supply of Richmond for making the flags (and the only red-like colors available in bulk were either pink or rose, hence these flags being of lighter shades). The flag making was contracted to some Richmond sewing circles.
There were two basic design types made. The first type had gold stars painted on the cross, and a white hoist sleeve for the flag pole. There are two variantions of the first type: one having gold or yellow fringe on the three external edges of the flag; and the other having a white border in lieu of fringe.
The second type differed from the first in that the second type had white silk stars sewn to the blue saltire. Rather than fringe or a white border, the external edges of the second type were bound with yellow silk to form a 2″ wide border. It had a blue hoist sleeve for the flag pole.
Although the intent had been stated to have flags issued in different size for infantry, artillery and cavalry, no such size distinction was made in these silk flags. All of these flags are essentially 48″ square. There is, however, one flag of the second type used by the 6th Virginia Cavalry which has a pole sleeve of yellow (the cavalry branch colour).
Starting in late November, 1861, the new battle flags were then presented to the Confederate units at Centreville and into December for other units in nearby parts of Northern Virginia. The flags were presented to each regiment by Gens. Beauregard and Johnston, as well as other army officers, in elaborate parade ground affairs. The Richmond Whig newspaper article of December 2, 1861, tells of the presentation at Centreville on November 28:
“The exercises were opened by Adjutant General Jordan, who, in a brief but eloquent address, charged the men to preserve from dishonor the flags committed to their keeping. The officers then dismounted and the colonels of the different regiments coming forward to the center, Gen. Beauregard, in a few remarks, presented each with a banner, and was eloquently responded to. The regiments then came to ‘present’, and received their flags with deafening cheers.”
So was issued the first of the battle flags for what would become the famous Army of Northern Virginia. Despite the creation of this (and other) battle flags, the First National flag would not fall from use in battle. Examples of it being used for the rest of the war by Confederate units, including Lee’s army, are numerous.
Greg Biggs and Devereaux Cannon
Based on research by Howard Madaus, Devereaux Cannon, Ken Legendre, Alan Summrall, Richard Rollins, Greg Biggs, and a host of other flag enthusiasts.
THE COTTON ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Cotton Issue, 1862
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 27 January 2000
from a sketch by Howard M. Madaus
By the Spring of 1862, the battle flag of the Confederate Army of the Potomac was neither widely distributed to the forces in Virginia nor was it the only battle flag in use. In November and December of 1861, the silk battle flags made in Richmond had only been distributed to the units of the four divisions of the Army at Centreville and to a few outlying brigades. In April of 1862, while these forces were shifting to Virginia’s peninsula between the York and James Rivers, General Magruder had caused another design to be instituted in his Army of the Peninsula which was completely different from the Army of the Potomac design. Moreover, as other Confederate units arrived in the vicinity of Richmond to reinforce these two armies, the Confederate Quartermaster’s Department found it necessary to seek additional battle flags for units that had never yet received either of the distinctive battle flags. As the silk supply in Richmond had been exhausted by Captain Selph’s efforts the previous winter, the department turned to another dress material– a wool-cotton blend used in less formal, daily clothing. Like the silk issues of 1861, these flags appear to have been made by ladies’ sewing circles. The resulting flags were about 42″ square; their scarlet fields were crossed by a poorly dyed blue cotton St. Andrew’s cross without the usual white edging. The cross bore still only 12 white stars, despite the Confederate recognition of Kentucky as its thirteenth state in December of 1861. All four edges of the flag were bound with a narrow orange cotton border. The distribution of these “cotton” substitutes was very limited, with only three forces currently known to have received them: Hood’s Brigade of Whiting’s Division, Elzey’s Brigade from the Shenandoah Valley, and Stuart’s Maryland Line. The manufacture of further flags of this pattern was precluded by the establishment of a “flag department” at the Richmond Clothing Depot that began in May making and distributing quality battle flags made of bunting.
These limited replacement flags were first issued starting in April, 1862 and continuing into May. Lieutenant James Lemon, of the 18th Georgia Infantry (who received their flag on or about May 7th) wrote upon his unit receiving their cotton flag, “It is a beautiful crimson flag with blue bars and 12 stars.”
Greg Biggs and Howard M. Madaus
FIRST BUNTING ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
First Bunting Issue, 1862
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 02 February 2000
Links: Photos and images of ANV 1st bunting issue battle flags
By the Spring of 1862, the battle flag of the Confederate Army of the Potomac was neither widely distributed to the forces in Virginia nor was it the only battle flag in use. In November and December of 1861, the silk battle flags made in Richmond had only been distributed to the units of the four divisions of the Army at Centreville and to a few outlying brigades. In April of 1862, while these forces were shifting to Virginia’s peninsula between the York and James Rivers, General Magruder had caused another design to be instituted in his Army of the Peninsula which was completely different from the Army of the Potomac design. Moreover, as other Confederate units arrived in the vicinity of Richmond to reinforce these two armies, the Confederate Quartermaster’s Department found it necessary to seek additional battle flags for units that had never yet received either of the distinctive battle flags. As the silk supply in Richmond had been exhausted by Captain Selph’s efforts the previous winter, the department turned to another dress material– a wool-cotton blend used in less formal, daily clothing. Like the silk issues of 1861, these flags appear to have been made by ladies’ sewing circles. The resulting flags were about 42″ square; their scarlet fields were crossed by a poorly dyed blue cotton St. Andrew’s cross without the usual white edging. The cross bore still only 12 white stars, despite the Confederate recognition of Kentucky as its thirteenth state in December of 1861. All four edges of the flag were bound with a narrow orange cotton border. The distribution of these “cotton” substitutes was very limited, with only three forces currently known to have received them: Hood’s Brigade of Whiting’s Division, Elzey’s Brigade from the Shenandoah Valley, and Stuart’s Maryland Line. The manufacture of further flags of this pattern was precluded by the establishment of a “flag department” at the Richmond Clothing Depot that began in May making and distributing quality battle flags made of bunting.
These limited replacement flags were first issued starting in April, 1862 and continuing into May. Lieutenant James Lemon, of the 18th Georgia Infantry (who received their flag on or about May 7th) wrote upon his unit receiving their cotton flag, “It is a beautiful crimson flag with blue bars and 12 stars.”
Greg Biggs and Howard M. Madaus
SECOND BUNTING ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Second Bunting Issue, 1862
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 27 January 2000
Links: Photos and images of ANV 2d bunting issue battle flags
In June, the Richmond Depot made another wool issue for the army. Running short of blue bunting, the width of the cross was narrowed to only 5 inches and the white stars were enlarged to 3½ inches. These were still bordered in orange wool.
While most of these flags were made in the 48″ infantry size, 3 foot square size artillery battery flags do survive as variants of the 2nd bunting Richmond Depot pattern. However, despite this issue, most of the surviving battle flags of batteries and artillery battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia are in fact infantry size (4 foot square).
Flags of the 2nd bunting pattern were first issued to D.H. Hill’s Division. Later they replaced most of the Army of the Peninsula battle flags. Those flags had been devised by General Magruder in April of 1862 and some were still in service as late as September of 1862. New units assigned to General Longstreet’s “Right Wing” were also furnished the new battle flag as well.
Production records for the depot in the National Archives show that only some 100 of the first two wool bunting flags were ever made.
Greg Biggs and Howard M. Madaus
Based on research by Howard Madaus, Devereaux Cannon, Ken Legendre, Alan Summrall, Richard Rollins, Greg Biggs, and a host of other flag enthusiasts.
THIRD BUNTING ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Third Bunting Issue, 1862-1864
By Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. 27 January 2000
Links: Photos and images of ANV 3d bunting issue battle flags
Beginning in July, 1862, the Richmond Depot started making the largest of the ANV flag issues in terms of number of flags made. The orange bunting for the borders having run out, the borders for the remaining wool bunting flags would now be white. This version of the flag was the same in terms of dimensions as the previous Second Bunting.
In June of 1862, the Longstreet’s “Right Wing” authorized that battle honors be permitted for the units that had served honorably at Seven Pines. These honors were printed on cotton strips that could be sewn to the flags. For those units who had served at Williamsburg on 5-6 May, strips of printed cotton bearing that name were also distributed to Longstreet’s Division and Early’s Brigade of D.H. Hill’s Division. These honors had primarily been attached to the silk issue and first and second bunting issue battle flags.
Beginning in the Autumn of 1862, the new third type 3rd bunting issue battle flags were distributed by the quartermaster’s department. Orders were issued in Hood’s Division for the decoration of his units’ flags during the Summer of 1862, and the flags were painted with honors in gold or white paint at division headquarters. Later in 1862 other 3rd bunting issue battle flags were similarly decorated with honors with white paint on the quadrants of the red field. Branch’s North Carolina Brigade received their marked colors in December of 1862. Kershaw’s South Carolina Brigade received similarly marked battle flags in 1863.
By 1863 the supply of battle flags on hand at the Richmond Clothing Depot was sufficient to permit the re-equipping of entire divisions with new 3rd bunting issue battle flags. Although Pickett’s Division would receive their new flags only marked with white painted unit designations on their red quadrants, most of the divisional issues had their battle honors painted in dark blue lettering in chronological order on their red quadrants, starting with the top, then the staff, then the fly, and finally the lower quadrant. A unit abbreviation was added in yellow paint to the blue cross, surrounding the center star. Four divisions received flags so marked: D.H. Hill’s Division in April of 1863, A.P. Hill’s Light Division in June of 1863, Edward Johnson’s “Stonewall” Division in September of 1863, and Heth’s Division in the same month. The honors were painted on the last two issues by Richmond artist, Lewis Montague.
As with the 2d bunting issue, artillery battery flags (3 foot square size) do survive as variants of the 3rd bunting Richmond Depot pattern. Moreover, it is known that four battery flags were delivered to the Washington Artillery on 2 December 1862 that conform to the artillery size, i.e. they are basically 36″ square. However, despite this issue, most of the surviving battle flags of batteries and artillery battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia are in fact infantry size (4 foot square). A group from the 2nd Corps artillery were decorated with battle honors.
While a few artillery size battle flags survive conforming to both the 2nd and the 3rd bunting patterns, NO cavalry flags agreeing with the proposed 2.5 foot square dimensions survive for either the silk issues or the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd bunting issues of battle flags from the Richmond Depot. To the contrary, the cavalry flags that do survive, including one silk battle flag from the issue of 13 December 1861 (6th Virginia Cavalry- with a YELLOW pole sleeve), one orange bordered 2nd issue bunting battle flag (7th Virginia Cavalry), and a host of cavalry battle flags conforming to the 3rd bunting issue are all basically 48″ square. There have been several suggestions proposed to explain this inconsistency between the proposed policy and the actual practice. Upon reflection, the 2.5 foot square flags may have been determined to be too small. (And, indeed, at least three cavalry flags do survive that are essentially 42″ square.) A more likely alternative suggests that the requisitioning officers simply asked for a “battle flag” without specifying size, and the supply officers simply furnished what was on hand — an infantry battle flag.
Greg Biggs and Howard M. Madaus
Based on research by Howard Madaus, Devereaux Cannon, Ken Legendre, Alan Summrall, Richard Rollins, Greg Biggs, and a host of other flag enthusiasts.
THE SECOND NATIONAL FLAG
AS A FIELD AND BATTLE FLAG
IN THE
ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Second National Pattern Regimental Flag
Richmond Clothing Depot, 1863-1865
by Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. , 18 March 2000
During the Autumn of 1863, the Richmond Clothing Depot began the manufacture of Confederate 2nd national flags. One of the four sizes produced was intended for field use. This flag measured 4 feet on its hoist by 6 feet on its fly. The white field was made of bunting as was the 2.5 feet square red canton. A 3″ to 3 1/2″ wide dark blue St. Andrew’s cross traversed the canton bearing thirteen white, 5-pointed stars, each 3″ in diameter. A white cotton 3/8″ edging bordered both the sides and ends of the cross. A 2″ wide white canvas heading with three button hole eylets for ties finished the staff edge.
Flags of this type saw limited service in the Army of Northern Virginia from late 1863 through the end of the War. About half the surviving examples of this type of flag were carried as regimental colors; one-quarter are identified as brigade or division headquarters flags, and the rest lack specific identification.
The Staunton Clothing Depot made a variation of this flag for both a headquarters flag and a unit color. The size was basically the same but the width of the St. Andrew’s crosses were 4″ to 5″ in width and the stars were accordingly larger. The edging of the cross only flanked the sides of the cross and did not extend around its ends. Finally, the white fields of the 2nd national field flags made at the Staunton Depot were made from a white cotton flannel rather than bunting.
Howard Michael Madaus
FOURTH BUNTING ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Fourth Bunting Issue, 1864
By Wayne J. Lovett
The Richmond Clothing Depot continued to manufacture and distribute its third bunting pattern battle flags until the Spring of 1864. While the reason for the change in pattern that took place in April of 1864 has yet to be documented, it is thought to have related to the arrival of four boxes of bunting imported from England. This shipment had left Bermuda on 29 March 1864 aboard the Index and had arrived at Wilmington on 9 April. At any rate, by May the Richmond Clothing Depot was issuing a new pattern (the fourth in bunting) battle flag.
The new fourth pattern Richmond Depot battle flag was larger than any of its three bunting predecessors or the silk issues that had preceeded them, both in overall size and in its internal dimensions. Overall, the new flags were generally closer to 51″ square rather than 48″ square of the predecessors. Their St. Andrew’s crosses were usually between 6½” and 7½” wide and were flanked on each side with 5/8″ wide white cotton tape. These crosses bore thirteen, white, 5-pointed stars, set at 8″ intervals on the arms of the cross and measuring between 5″ and 5½” in diameter. As with the third bunting issue, the three exterior edges of the flag were finished with white bunting that was folded over the raw edges to produce a border that was 1½” to 1 3/4″ wide. The leading or staff edge continued to be finished with a white cotton canvas heading, 2″ wide, pierced with three button hole eyelets for ties.
Surprisingly, the first of the new fourth bunting pattern Richmond Depot battle flags were issued, not to units of the Army of Northern Virginia, but to Ector’s Texas Brigade then serving in the western theater. Colonel Young, then in Richmond, brought the new battle flags for the brigade back with him. After this preliminary issue, the new size battle flags were issued as replacement flags for units whose flags were lost or worn out during the months from May through August of 1864. There is strong evidence to suggest that Major-General Field’s Division of Longstreet’s Corps may have received a full set of the new battle flags as well.
The fourth pattern Richmond Depot battle flags appear to have been made in one size only, with at least two cavalry regiments receiving these relatively large size flags. Except for two North Carolina units whose flags were marked with unit abbreviations and battle honors in the style of the divisional issues of 1863, the flags left the Richmond Clothing Depot without honors or unit abbreviations. A few regiments in the field applied unit abbreviations after receipt of the flags, but for the most part the flags were left without decoration.
While the fourth pattern bunting Richmond Depot battle flag was not the most prominent used in the War, through the selective examination of the War Department’s flag collection in 1903, Dr. Samuel Lewis, chairman of the United Confederate Veterans flag committee, chose its dimensions to publish in the UCV’s 1907 guide to the flags of the Confederacy.
Howard M. Madaus
FIFTH BUNTING ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Fifth Bunting Issue, 1864
By Wayne J. Lovett
In either September or early October, 1864, Mr. Daniel Morrison, clerk in charge of the flag manufacturing branch of the Richmond Clothing Depot, again altered the pattern of the battle flag being prepared by the depot. The changes instituted at this time would, for the most part, affect the subsequent patterns produced to the end of the War.
The new pattern reduced the overall size and the internal dimensions of the battle flag. This fifth bunting pattern combined the dimensions of the two preceeding issues, with the result that it was made slightly rectangular, usually 48″ to 49″ on the staff by 50″ to 51″ on the fly. More significantly the width of the cross was diminished to 5″ to 5½” in width. Accordingly the star diameter was also reduced to 4½” to 5″ in diameter. Instead of either the 6″ spacing of the third pattern or 8″ spacing of the fourth, the stars were set on the arms of the cross at 9″ intervals. Other characteristics remained the same.
An offshoot of the fifth pattern was made at the Staunton Clothing Depot for those units of the Wharton’s Division Army of the Valley that had lost their flags at Winchester in mid-September. These were very similar to the fifth Richmond Depot pattern but bore 4″ diameter stars on 4½” wide crosses and were finished with a white flannel border instead of white bunting.
The fifth bunting pattern of the Richmond Clothing Depot was only briefly issued and only as a replacement flag. As a general rule it was issued unmarked; however, at least two units of Clingman’s Brigade who lost their colors at Fort Harrison received replacements that bore battle honors and unit abbreviations like the 1863 divisional issues. No flags other than infantry size are known to have been made.
Howard M. Madaus
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Sixth Bunting Issue, 1864
By Wayne J. Lovett
Links: Photos and images of ANV 6th bunting issue battle flags
When Gordon’s Corps returned from the Shenandoah Valley in December of 1864, many of its units were without battle flags or carrying flags that were sadly worn out by two years of hard service. The battle of Cedar Creek had been particularly devastating to the units of the Corps. To provide replacements, the Richmond Clothing Depot produced a new subvariant of its bunting battle flag — the sixth pattern change since 1862.
Although their configuration was now closer to the square types of the earlier issues, the most prominent change was the reverting to the 8″ star spacing on the arms of the cross that had typified the fourth pattern. The cross remained at 5″ in width with 4½” diameter stars, but the width of the white edging diminished slightly to the old ½” standard used in 1862 and 1863. White bunting borders remained on three sides, while the fourth (staff) edge was finished with a white canvas heading pierced with three button hole eyelets.
As with the fifth bunting type, only one size (4 feet square) appears to have been made of this pattern. Although Cox’s North Carolina brigade received a set of the new flags with painted battle honors and unit abbreviations applied in the manner of the 1863 divisional issues, most of the flags were issued devoid of markings. At least two units applied unit abbreviations to their flags after issue by inking an abbreviation on the center star. This sixth bunting type was superseded in early 1865 by the seventh and final type.
Howard M. Madaus
SEVENTH BUNTING ISSUE
Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag
Seventh Bunting Issue, 1864
By Wayne J. Lovett
Links: Photos and images of ANV 7th bunting issue battle flags
Because the earliest example of the seventh bunting pattern battle flag from the Richmond Clothing Depot was captured at Waynesboro, Virginia on 2 March 1865, the revised pattern is thought to have originated in January or February of 1865. Essentially, the seventh pattern differed in only one respect from its predecessor. Its 4½” diameter stars were spaced at 7″ intervals rather than 8″ intervals on its 5″ wide bunting St. Andrew’s Cross. The same basically 48″ square size was issued to infantry, cavalry, and artillery.
The seventh bunting pattern battle flags were issued from the Richmond Clothing Depot devoid of decoration. A few units applied battle honors and unit abbreviations in the field. (At least two units decorated the stars with honors; another applied strips of cotton with the honors and yet another decorated its quadrants with painted honors.) Although near the end of the Confederacy, a surprisingly large number of the seventh type bunting issue battle flags were evidently made, as many examples survive.
Howard M. Madaus
THE THIRD NATIONAL FLAG
AS A FIELD AND BATTLE FLAG
IN THE
ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Third National Pattern Regimental Flag
Richmond Clothing Depot, 1865
by Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. , 18 March 2000
In 1865, with the adoption of the third and final national flag of the Confederate States of America, the Richmond Clothing Depot produced flags of the new pattern in both garrison and field sizes. The flags produced where identical to the second national flag patterns made by that depot, the only difference being that the white field was reduced and a bar of red bunting was added to the fly.
Due to the short period of time between the adoption of this flag and the end of the war, very few were produced.
Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr.
Links: Photos and images of Richmond Clothing Depot Third National Flags
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