TEXT: mmD
  MILITARY
  MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES
  258
  FLAGS OF THE
  AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
  2: U ION
  PIIIIJI)
  I'"~yrc] IER
  RIC:I'" SC~OLLI~S
  
  FLAGS AND STANDARDS2
  INTRODUCTION
  The typical flag
  presentation ceremony ofa
  national colour, here to a
  Kentucky regiment at
  Canlp Bruce, near
  Cynthiana, Kentucky.
  The regimental or battery set of colours was more
  than simply a unit designation, issued for the ease ofa
  commander in identifying his units in the field. It was
  the very symbol of the regiment; it was its heart, the
  thing that drew its members together. As such it was
  fiercely defended in action, where it flew in the centre
  ofthe line, drawing enemy fire upon its carriers.
  Each regiment received its colours in one of its
  first formal ceremonies, which itself was almost an
  initiation into the world of the soldier. On
  12
  ovember
  1861 Pennsylvania's governor Andrew
  Curtin, accompanied by staffmembers, took the train
  from his capital city of Harrisburg to the county seat
  of Chester County to present a set of colours to the
  newly formed 97th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
  Regiment. Arriving
  hortly after noon, the state
  officials were met by the entire regiment, which then
  escorted them to the city's court house. Following a
  speech introducing the governor and his return
  speech to local CItiZenS, the officials had dinner.
  Then, about three, they all met at the 97th' trairung
  camp located on the county fair grounds.
  There, according to the regiment's historian:
  'The Regiment was formed in column by division
  closed in mass in front of the stand, on the north side
  of the Fair buildings. The people had crowded
  around the reserved space with such eagerness as to
  render it difficult for the guard to clear sufficient
  room for the reception committee and those who
  were to take part in the proceedings.
  'When all had been arranged, the Governor came
  forward, uncovered, holding the staff upon which
  waved the beautiful stars and stripes ofthe flag he was
  about to entrust to the keeping of the regiment, as its
  banner, around which to rally when led forth into the
  performance of whatever duty an imperiled country
  might demand, and, in these words consigned them
  ...
  - 3
  }\
  
  This nationaI colour ofthe
  2d Battalion, 18th US
  Infantry RegiHJent has its
  stars arranged in the
  canton in the manner of
  flags made by Evans and
  HassaJI, Philadelphia.
  (West Point Museum
  CoJIection)
  to the Regiment....' Curtin spoke at great length,
  ending with this peroration:
  'It is the flag of your fathers and your country. It
  will be your to bear it in the thickest of the fight and
  to defend it to the last.
  pon its return, it will have
  inscribed upon it the record of those battles through
  which you have carried it, and will become a part of
  the archives ofPennsylvania; and there it will remain,
  through all coming time, a witness to your children
  and your children's children of the valor of their
  fathers. With a full confidence that in your hands this
  banner will never be disgraced, I entrust it to your
  care and for the last time bid you farewell.'
  In camp, the regimental colours flew over the unit
  headquarters as a guide
  post to members and
  outsiders alike. In combat, it was drawn into the very
  centre of action where, in obedience to millions of
  words like those spoken by Governor Curtin at
  thousands of presentations, it was fiercely defended.
  Take, for example, the 38th Pennsylvania Volunteer
  Infantry Regiment at
  ntietam. There the regiment
  4
  was one of dozens
  which stormed
  Confederate
  positions in the now famous Cornfield. According to
  the 1865 History ofthe Pennyslvania Reserve Corps, 'A
  most singular fatality fell upon the color bearers of
  this regiment. Sergeant Henry W. Blanchard, who
  had carried the regimental colors through all the
  storms of battle in which the regiment fought, was a
  most remarkable man. Born in Massachusetts in
  1832, he was about thirty years old. He had the most
  complete control of his feelings; in the fiercest hours
  of battle, was always perfectly calm, never shouted,
  cheered or became enthusiastic, but steadily bore up
  his flag. At the battle of
  ew Market cross roads,
  when every color-bearer in the division was either
  killed or wounded, Sergeant Blanchard received a
  wound in the arm, he retired a few minutes to have
  his wound bandaged and then returned to his place.
  At Antietam he was so severely wounded that the flag
  fell from his hands, and he was unable to raise it;
  Walter Beatty, a private, seized the banner to bear it
  aloft, and almost immediately fell dead, pierced by
  
  rebel bullets; another private, Robert Lemmon took
  the flag from the hands of his fallen comrade, a
  companion calling out to him, "don't touch it, Bob,
  or they'll kill you," the brave boy, however, bore up
  the banner, and in less than a minute lay dead on the
  ground; the colors were then taken by Edward
  Doran, a little Irishman, who lying upon his back,
  held up the flag till the end of the battle, and for his
  gallantry was made a non-commissioned officer on
  the field.'
  Few things were more disgraceful than losing
  one's colours in battle, and extreme sacrifices were
  often made to save them. For example, the 1st
  Delaware Infantry Regiment were also at Antietam
  where they were stopped by overwhelming enemy
  fire, suffering heavy losses. They were driven back,
  caught between fire from enemy troops in their front
  and from reinforcements who confused them for
  Confederates in the fog ofbattle. Despite tremendous
  fire, according to the regiment's historian: 'On the
  ground, a few yards in advance, where the line was
  first arrested, lay a large number ofour men, killed or
  wounded, and among them lay the colors of the
  regiment, one of which was held by Lieutenant-
  Colonel
  Hopkinson,
  who
  was
  wounded.
  Major
  Smyth, Captain Rickards, Lieutenants Postles, Tan-
  ner, and
  icholls, Sergeants Dunn and McAllister,
  with several other non-commissioncd officers, rallied
  a large number of the men for the purpose of
  returning to the original line, recovering the colors,
  and holding the position, if possible.
  'They sallied gallantly to the front under a
  terrible tornado of shot, and held the position for a
  considerable time. . . . When the regiment retired
  from the field both colors were brought with it, one
  by Lieutenant C. B.
  Tanner and
  the other
  by
  Sergeant Allen Tatem, one of the color-guard.'
  The generally accepted jargon for the clements of
  flags and their components is used throughout this
  book. The cantol1 is the square or rectangle placed at
  the top of the flag next to the pole or staff. A border is
  the flag's edging, when rendered in a colour different
  Howard Michael Madaus,
  carried at the 125th
  one ofAmerica's leading
  anniversary recreation of
  uperrson 0,,;/ \Var flags,
  the battle ofFirst Bull
  holds an authentically
  Run. He wears an
  rrconstructcd national
  authentically
  colourofthc 2d Wisconsin
  reconstructed 1861
  Voluntccr Infantry
  lVisconsin uniform.
  Regiment, which he
  from that of the field. The main part of the flag is the
  field. The hoist is the side of the flag next to the staff,
  while thefly is the opposite side ofthe flag. The flag is
  shown with the hoist on the left and the fly on the
  right; this is the obverse or front of the flag; The side
  seen when the hoist is on the right and the fly on the
  left is the reverse, or rear. When speaking ofmeasure-
  ments, however, flag dimensions are often referred to
  as being, for example, six feet on the hoist (i.e., along
  the staff), by five on the fly (i.e., parallel to the
  ground). The staff itself is the stave; the metal object
  on top ofthe stave, usually a spearhead, an axehead or
  an eagle, is thefil/ia/. The metal cap at the bottom of
  the stave is the ferrI/Ie. Many flags have cords and
  tassels hanging from the finial; collectively, these are
  simply referred to as cords.
  5
  
  REGULATION
  FLAGS
  Capitol; Preservation Commillee Flag SympOS;tWl,
  /987, Harrisburg, '987
  Phillips, Stanley S., Civil Wa.r Corps Badges and
  Ollrer Relaled Awards, Badges, Meda./s of lire
  Period, Lanham, Maryland, 1982
  Sauers, Richard A., Advallce Tire Colors!, Harris-
  burg, 1987
  Todd, Frederick P., A1I1eriwII Mililary Eqllippage,
  Vol II, Providence, Rhode Island, 1977
  org:Jnization. Nonetheless,
  it sholVs the eagle /inial
  which often topped the
  national colour, and the
  tassels. (David
  Scheinmann Collection)
  The natiomJI colour
  behind chis c'lpmin
  appears CO be thJJtofthe
  Governor's Foot Guard, a
  uniformed butstrictly
  social Connecticut
  The Army of the United States basically had two
  colours per dismounted regiment, which were issued
  according to army-wide regulations issued 10 August
  1861. From the Revised Regula/iolls for /lre Army of
  Ilze Ulli/ed S""es, /861:
  '1436. The garrison flag is the national flag. It is made
  of bunting, thirty-six feet fly, the twenty feet hoist, in
  thirteen horizontal stripes of equal breadth, alter-
  nately red and white, beginning with the red. In the
  upper quarter,
  next to the staff,
  is the Union,
  composed of a number of white stars, equal to the
  number ofStates, on a blue field, one-third the length
  of the flag, extending to the lower edge of the fourth
  red stripe from the top. The storm flag is twenty feet
  by ten feet; the recruiting flag, nine feet nine inches
  by four feet four inches.
  Colors ofArtillery Regiments
  '1437. Each regiment of Artillery shall have two
  silken colors. The first, or the national color, of stars
  and stripes, as described for the garrison flag. The
  number and name of the regiment to be embroidered
  with gold on the centre stripe. The second, or
  regimental color, to be yellow, of the same dimen-
  "IOIl~
  ;1:-, 11ll:
  l·ir~l, hl'aring in the center two cannon
  lTossing. with the letter.., U.S. above, and the number
  Ill' regimellt helll\\"; frin!!c, yellow. Each color to be six
  fecI six inchcs til. and six feet deep on the pike. The
  •
  Select Bibliography
  Beale, James, Tire Ba.ule Flags of lire Army of lire
  POlomac 01 Ceuysbllrg, Penlla, Jllly lSI, 2d (53d,
  /863, Philadelphia, 1885
  Billings, John D., Hardlack mltl Coffee, Glendale,
  New York, '970
  Official, A/las 10 accompa.IlY lire Opicial Records . ..,
  Washington, DC, ,89'-1895
  Madaus, H. Michael, 'McClellan's System of Desig-
  nating Flags, Spring-Fall, 1862'; Milila.ry Collec-
  lor (5 His/oriall, Washington, DC, Spring 1965,
  Ppl-13
  Madaus, Howard M., 'The Conservation of Civil
  War Flags: The Military Historian's Perspec-
  tive';
  Papers
  presented
  at
  the
  Penl1sylvania
  '.
  A
  ...'~·
  .
  .
  ,
  .'.
  ;
  '"
  6
  
  The national colour is
  carried in action in ,86,.
  Note the cagle and
  streamers.
  pike, including the spear and ferrule, to be nine feet
  ten inches in length. Cords and tassels, red and yellow
  silk intermixed.
  Colors oflnfantry Rcgimcnts
  '1438. Each regiment of Infantry shall have two
  silken colors. The first, or the national color, of stars
  and stripes, as described for the garrison flag; the
  number and name of the regiment to be embroidered
  with silver on the center stripe. The second, or
  regimental color, to be blue, with the arms of the
  United States embroidered in silk on the center. The
  name of the regiment in a scroll, underneath the
  eagle. The size of each color to be six feet six inches
  fly, and six feet deep on the pike. The length of the
  pike, including the spear and ferrule, to be nine feet
  ten inches. The fringe yellow; cord and tassels, blue
  and white silk intermixed.
  Camp Colors
  '1439. The camp colors are of bunting, eighteen
  inches square; white for infantry, and red for artil-
  lery, with the number of the regiment on them. The
  pole eight feet long.'
  Each foot regiment was to have two camp colours,
  carried on the extreme right and left of the regiment
  by sergeants serving as general guides. In fact many
  of the actual colours violated regulations by having
  unique insignia on them. The 72nd Pennsylvania
  Volunteer Infantry, for example, had plain dark blue
  camp colours with a golden bee painted on a sky blue
  oval; and the 95th Ohio Volunteer Infantry had
  scarlet silk camp colours with a golden wreath
  surrounding the unit designation, '95 OHIO'.
  General Orders NO.4, 18 January 1862, said that
  'camp colors ... will be made like the United States
  flag, with stars and stripes'. Surviving camp ~olours
  of the 128th
  ew York Infantry were made in this
  style, with the number 128 on a dark blue cloth field,
  sewn onto the colour.
  7
  
  Manufacturers' variations
  The description of the national flag used as a camp
  colour, as well as both a garrison and regimental flag
  in the regulations, was vague in such details as the
  exact arrangement of the stars in the canton. Indeed,
  it did not even spell out if the canton were to be
  square or rectangular. A variety of styles of canton
  shapes and star designs were seen in actual practice,
  varying according to the flags' makers.
  One basic difference between Army national
  colours and flags flown by civilians and non-military
  governmental organizations is that most Army na-
  tional colours used gold stars while most other
  American flags had white stars. Apparently this came
  about when the Army switched to silver embroidery
  for its stars before the war; silver embroidery thread
  tarnished to an unsightly black, so gold was substi-
  tuted for silver-hence the gold stars. Many private
  manufacturers during the war did embroider white
  stars on the cantons of the national colours they
  supplied under state contracts, but Army-issued
  national colours had gold stars, usually painted rather
  than embroidered.
  Army-issued national colours were provided to
  regiments which needed replacement colours or did
  not receive prcM'IHiltion colours from their state
  The star pattern in the
  canton orthis national
  colour ofthe 18th US
  Inf.-mtry Regiment
  matches those made under
  a US Quartermaster
  Department contract by
  Alexander Brandon, issued
  through the New York
  Qu.lrtermaseer Depot in
  1864. (West Poine Museum
  Collections)
  government
  or
  local
  organizations.
  Army-issued
  colours were issued at the Quartermaster Depots in
  Philadelphia, New York, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
  Private contractors between May 1861 and October
  1865 supplied the Philadelphia Depot with 890
  national colours, the New York Depot with 917
  national colours, and the Cincinnati Depot with 500
  national colours.
  National colours provided by the Philadelphia
  Depot apparently had the gold stars in their rectan-
  gular cantons arranged as a vertical double ellipse
  with an additional star in each corner. Some had a
  centre star, while some lacked this final star.
  New York Depot national colours had the gold
  stars in a square canton arranged in five horizontal
  rows. Until 4 July [863, when West Virginia was
  admitted as a new state and a new star was authorized
  for it, these had six stars in the middle row and seven
  stars in each of the two outer rows. After 4 July [863
  each row had seven stars. Although Nevada was
  admitted to the Union on 31 October [864, no star
  was authorized to mark that state until after the war
  was over.
  Apparently national colours supplied by the
  Cincinnati Depot had rectangular cantons with seven
  horizontal rows of gold stars. Each row except the
  bottom one had five stars, with four stars in the
  bottom row until July 1863, when it, too, acquired a
  fifth.
  Most regiments, however, especially early in the
  war, were presented with national colours by some
  local group which had acquired them from private
  contractors. These colours were quite expensive by
  the standards of the day.
  Pennsylvania's state inspector general asked for
  bids for making flags for the Commonwealth's troops
  from three local manufacturers. One, Horstmann,
  asked $160 for a pair of national and regimental
  colours, $35 for a cavalry standard, and $12 for a
  cavalry guidon. Evans & Hassall wanted $135 for a
  pair of national and regimental colours. $35 for a
  cavalry standard, and $22.50 for a cavalry guidon.
  Brewer wanted $1 [0 for the infantry colours, $30 for
  the cavalry standard, and $[ 5 for the guidon. (At this
  time a private soldier's pay was only $[ 3 a month.)
  On 27 November [86[ the adjutant general of
  Kentucky asked for quotes for making flags for the
  state's troops from both a local manufacturer, Hugh
  8
  
  Wilkins of Louisville, Kentucky, and Tiffany & Co.
  of
  ew York City. Wilkins replied: 'I will make
  infantry regimental colors for $125 per set with the
  arms of Kentucky on each side of the standard and
  regular regimental flag stars and stripes with the
  number ofeach regiment in gold on each side and the
  same in the blue flag on a scroll under the coat of
  arms. Cavalry standards done in a like manner for
  45.00 each, guidons for
  10.00 each. Artillery flags
  same as Infantry.'
  Tiffany
  wired:
  'Blue regimentals
  both sides
  100.00 each in three weeks, with case, belt, and
  fringe.
  ational stars and stripes $60.00 each in one
  week.
  Guidons embroidered name and
  number
  $25.00 pair in two weeks.'
  Presentation national colours made by Tiffany
  went mostly to
  ew York and some Connecticut
  units, although some were carried by Michigan units
  and at least one by an Indiana unit. Tiffany colours
  were embroidered with white stars in a square
  canton. Until July 1863 they were set in six horizontal
  rows, the middle two with five stars while the,outer
  two had six stars. Starting in July 1863 the top three
  rows had six stars each; the fourth row had five; and
  the bottom two rows had six. Unit designations on
  Tiffany colours were rendered in script letters.
  Presentation national colours made by another
  ew York maker, Paton & Company, used white silk
  appliqued stars set in five horizontal rows, the middle
  one of which had six stars while the upper and lower
  two had seven stars each, in a square canton. The unit
  designation appeared in script letters.
  Evans & Hassall of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
  arranged the gold stars in the rectangular cantons of
  their national colours as a simple double ellipse of
  stars surrounding a single star in the centre, with one
  gold star at each corner of the canton.
  ew Jersey
  regiments after 1863 received national colours made
  by this company.
  Horstmann Brothers & Co., a general military
  equipment and uniform supplier from Philadelphia,
  also produced presentation national colours for Min-
  nesota troops for a short time starting in late 1862,
  and for West Virginia's troops after that state's
  A private ofthe Veteran
  Reserve Corps, formed
  from men no longer
  capable ofactive field
  service butstill capable of
  serving, holds one ofthe
  Corps' national colours.
  (Ronn Palm ColJection)
  formation. These were made like the Evans & Hassall
  colours with a double ellipse of gold stars in a
  rectangular canton. Both Evans & Hassall and Horst-
  mann also produced national colours for Penn-
  sylvania troops, but these differed in that the state
  seal surrounded by stars was painted in the centre of
  the canton. The first national colours supplied by
  Horstmann to
  ew Jersey used this same design,
  with the
  ew Jersey state seal surrounded by stars in
  their cantons.
  Maryland troops received national colours made
  by Sisco Bros., of Baltimore, with square cantons
  and, after July 1863, five horizontal rows of seven
  gold stars each.
  Hugh Wilkins, Louisville, Kentucky, produced
  national colours for Kentucky troops and, appar-
  ently, units from Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio as well.
  These were unusual in that a light or sky blue was
  used for the square cantons. The gold stars were
  arranged in six horizontal rows, five in the top and
  bottom rows and six in the other rows.
  9
  
  Gilbert Hubbard & Co., Chicago, Illinois, made
  national colours for units from Wisconsin. Its first
  ones had the state seal as well as stars in the
  rectangular cantons. However, replacement colours
  made until July 1863 had gold stars in six horizontal
  rows with six in the top, bottom, and two middle rows
  and five in the second and fifth rows.
  Regimental colours were also issued through the
  three basic quatermaster depots. Between May 1861
  and October 1865 the Philadelphia Depot purchased
  765 regimental colours; the New York Depot, 1,021
  regimental colours; and the Cincinnati Depot, 564
  regimental colours.
  Many of Philadelphia's regimental colours came
  from Horstmann and Evans & Hassall. These colours
  bear the US coat of arms on the eagle's breast over a
  three-piece red scroll painted with a raised centre
  section and under a double curve ofstars: the top row
  had 2 I stars, the bottom row 13 stars.
  ew York's Depot had a variety of suppliers
  including A. Ertle, Paton & Co., and A. Brandon.
  They had a large, but somewhat unrealistic eagle
  under two rows of stars, 18 in the top row and 16 in
  the bottom.
  Cincinnati's Depot had several contractors who
  provided regimental colours of various qualities.
  10
  An ofJicer holds a battle-
  torn national colour
  bearing three battle
  honours for engagements
  in the Army ofthe
  Potomac. Note the
  axehead which tops the
  stave.
  
  John Shilleto of Cincinnati turned out well-painted
  eagles with detailed feathers and realistic heads. His
  first colours had 2 I stars in the top row over 13 stars
  in the bottom, ending at the tail of the motto scroll.
  His post-July 1863 colours had 20 stars over 15 stars
  in two rows which extended below the ends of the
  scroll.
  Another Cincinnati supplier, Longly & Bro.,
  turned out eagles which were poorly painted, with ill-
  defined feathers and a 'black eye' on each eagle's
  head. Until July 1863 the top row of stars on these
  flags had 2 I stars, over 13 stars in the bottom row;
  after that date they bore 21 over 14 stars, the latter
  touching the trails of the motto scroll. The motto
  scrolls from both makers had lower centre sections.
  Hugh Wilkins' regimental colours featured eagles
  with down-turned heads, as well as another design
  which had the eagle perched on a US shield in the
  centre of a circular clouded perch. Both had five-
  piece red motto scrolls.
  Both national and regimental colours, save those
  presented by local groups and locally made, were
  issued without regimental designations in the stripe
  or motto scroll. It was up to each regimental colonel
  to have the regimental designation put on each
  colour.
  *
  *
  *
  To return to the 1861 Army Regulations:
  'Standards and Guidons ofMounted Regiments
  '1440. Each regiment will have a silken standard, and
  each company a silken guidon. The standard to bear
  the arms ofthe United States, embroidered in silk, on
  a blue ground, with the number and name of the
  regiment, in a scroll underneath the eagle. The flag of
  the standard to be two feet five inches wide, and two
  feet three inches on the lance, and to be edged with
  yellow silk fringe.
  '1441. The flag of the guidon is swallow-tailed, three
  feet five inches from the lance to the end of the
  swallow-tail; fifteen inches to the fork of the swallow-
  tail, and two feet three inches on the lance. To be half
  red and halfwhite, dividing at the fork, the red above.
  A colour-sergeantholding
  his battle-torn flag. The
  regiInentis unknown.
  (Ronn Palm Collection)
  On the red, the letters
  .S. in white; and on the
  white, the letter of the company in red. The lance of
  the standards and guidons to be nine feet long,
  including spear and ferrule.'
  Modifications to the 1861 regulations appeared
  soon after they were published. The first changed the
  guidons issued to mounted units.
  ccording to
  General Orders
  0.4, issued 18 January 1862: 'I.
  Under instructions from the Secretary of War, dated
  January 7, 1862, guidons and camp colors for the
  Army will be made like the United States flag, with
  stars and stripes.'
  Mounted units wanted to fly a version of the
  S
  national flag. However, not even the modification of
  January 1862, which gave them a guidon version of
  the US flag, was enough for many such units; instead,
  they often flew the whole US flag. Indeed, a message
  from the commander of the Army of the Ohio, dated
  3 June 1862, to Brigadier General Thomas Critten-
  den noted: 'The general yesterday observed one of
  the batteries in your division carrying a large flag
  II
  
  Ballie honours
  instead ofa guidon, as ordered. The general desires to
  know why the orders on this subject are not carried
  OUL'
  Shortly after the guidon revision order was issued a
  practice that had been standard for many years before
  the war was made official. Regiments and balleries
  were aBowed to indicate their service in battle on
  their colours. As stated in General Orders No. 19,22
  February 1862: 'It has been ordered that there shall
  be inscribed upon the colors or guidons of all
  regiments and balleries in the service of the United
  States the names of the battle in which they have
  borne a meritorious part.' The order went on to say
  that 'It is expected that troops so distinguished will
  regard their colors as representing the honor of their
  corps-to be lost only with their lives-and that
  those not yet entitled to such a distinction will not rest
  satisfied until they have won it by their discipline and
  courage.'
  This privilege was soon abused by a number of
  volunteer units which put the names of ballles in
  which they had played the most minor of parts onto
  their colours. According to John Billings, a veteran of
  the loth Massachusells Artillery, in the Army of the
  Potomac, 'Originally battles were only inscribed on
  flags by authority of the secretary of war, that is, in
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  8th stripe
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  3rd stripe
  Centre of canton
  Top stripe
  5th/7th stripes
  4th/6th stripes
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  7th stripe
  8th stripe
  7th stripe
  9th stripe
  7th stripe
  5th17th stripes
  7th stripe
  Designation
  placement
  7th stripe
  SV (in script)
  ISIBATnPIO EER
  BRIGADE
  2nd MICH. INF.
  zd Wisconsin Infantry
  Volunteers.
  3rd REGt WIS. VETERAN
  INFANTRY.
  7th REGt NEW JERSEY
  VOLUNTEERS.
  13th ILL.
  15th REGt Ky VOLs
  15th REGt WIS. VOLs.
  15th REGt I D. VOLS.
  18th Michigan Infantry.
  19th REGIME T/
  MASSACHUSETTS VOLs
  MASSACHUSETTS
  VOL
  TEERS/2ISt. REGT.
  I FANTRY
  281h REG. PENNa VOL. I
  Fy
  40th REGt N.J. VOLS.
  46th Regt. MASS. MILITIA
  46th REGT. O.V.1.
  46th Ohio V. V. I.
  51st REG'T P.V.V.
  56th Regiment,/
  MASSACHUSETTS VOLs.
  60th REG'T O.V.U.S.A.
  68th REGT. OHIO VET. VOL.
  I
  FA
  TRY
  76th OHIO
  I 54th Reg!.
  1.lhl ...
  \
  l
  1111 »e... ll.!,Il.III11Il ...
  Unit designations on national colours were placed on
  one of the horizontal stripes, often the seventh one
  from the top. However, this system was far from
  universal, as seen by the selection of representative
  national colours which have survived and are listed
  below. \Vhen the stripe is indicated it is counted
  from the top down. \Vhen letters or an abbreviation
  follow the number or capital letters, such as 'zd' or
  'REGt', the small lener was usually raised parallel
  with the top of the larger numbers and one or two
  dots placed under the small letter.
  Unit designation
  the regular army. But the volunteers seemed to be a
  law unto themselves, and, while many flags
  in
  existence today bear names of banles inscribed by
  order of the commanding general, there are some
  with inscriptions of battles which the troops were
  hardly in hearing of.'
  employed. There were no
  clc:Jr nao·onal rcgu/arions
  on the arrangement of
  stars.
  This national colour used
  in Virginia in 1861 displays
  a different star pattern
  from thar usually
  12
  
  ARMY
  HEADQUARTERS
  FLAGS
  the wounded who can walk.' General hospital flags
  were in fact yellow, with a large green Roman letter H
  on the field, and smaller yellow flags with green
  borders were generally used to mark the way from the
  firing line to field hospitals. This was standardized by
  General Orders
  0.9, 4 January 1864, which called
  for a yellow general hospital flag 5 ft. by 9 ft. in size
  with a Roman letter H, 24 inches tall, on its field. Post
  and field hospitals had the same flag although only
  5 ft. by 9 ft. in size. Rectangular guidons 14 inches by
  28 inches edged with one-inch green borders were to
  mark ambulances as well as the route to field
  hospitals.
  o special colours were authorized under the regu-
  lations for army headquarters. Yet there was a
  precedent for having a special flag for marking the
  headquarters of a commanding general; during the
  War for American Independence, George Washing-
  ton's headquarters was marked by an all-blue flag
  bearing 13 five-pointed stars.
  In
  fact,
  the first flag selected
  to mark
  the
  headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, under
  General Orders
  0.102,24 March 1862, was a plain
  national flag. The national flag used by the arm's
  headquarters in 1863, now in the Military Order of
  the Loyal Legion of the US, Philadelphia, had four
  rows of seven stars over a last row of six stars in its
  canton. It was 4 ft. on the hoist by 51 ft. in the fly. It
  bears no unit designation or other distinctive marks.
  Indeed, veteran John Billings later recalled that
  'The stars and stripes were a common flag for army
  headquarters. It was General Meade's headquarter
  till Grant came to the Army of the Potomac, who also
  used it for that purpose.' Therefore, on 2 May 1864
  and reginlental colours.
  The reginJental colour
  tassel hangs over his right
  shoulder. (Ronn PalnJ
  Collection)
  A colour-sergeant ofthe
  141st Pennsylvania
  Volunteer Infantry
  ReginJent sits in front of
  the reginJent's national
  Finally, according to the 1861 regulations: 'The
  ambulance depot, to which the wounded are carried
  or directed for immediate treatment, is generally
  established at the most convenient building nearest
  the field of battle. A red flag marks its place, or the
  way to it, to the conductors of the ambulances and to
  *
  *
  *
  This was not always the fault of the troops who
  carried the colours; it was often unclear what unit was
  authorized what battle honour. Some commanders
  published lists of battle honours that could be placed
  on flags, some simply ordered every unit present at
  any given battle to put the honour on its flag. Even
  some governors issued orders to their state units to
  put specific honours on their battle flags.
  As a result of this confusion, on 7 March 1865 the
  Army of the Potomac issued its General Orders
  o. 10 which listed every volunteer unit in the army
  along with a list of battles that could be placed on its
  colours. However, the Army of the Potomac appears
  to have been the only large organization within the
  Union forces to attempt to standardize battle honours
  and, by the time it did so, many ofits older units had
  already been mustered out, their battle flags now
  hanging in state capital buildings.
  13
  
  the army's final commander, Major-General Georgc
  G. Meade, adoptcd a ncw headquarters flag. Accord-
  ing to an army circular issued at that time, 'Hereafter
  the designating flag for these headquarters will be a
  magenta-colored swallow tailed flag, with an cagle in
  gold, surrounded by a silver wreath for an emblem.'
  Billings said the guidon was actually 'lilac colored'. It
  measured 4 ft. on the hoist by 6 ft. on the fly (sec
  MAA 179, p. 25)·
  The Army ofthe Potomac's Artillery Reserve had
  its own flag, authori2ed in General Orders No.1 19,
  30 April 1862. This was a 5 ft. by 6 Ct. rectangular red
  flag with a white star in its centre. This was changed
  by General Orders No. 53, 12 May 1863, to a red
  swallow-tailed guidon, of the same dimensions as
  other corps flags, with a pair of white crossed cannon
  on its centre. Brigadier-General Henry J. Hunt,
  Army of the Potomac chief of artillery, apparendy
  adopted a blue guidon with a red Roman lener A
  surmounting a pair of white crossed cannon for a
  personal flag in 1864. In October 1864 the Horse
  Artillery Brigade received a blue triangular flag with
  red crossed cannon, and the letters H above the
  cannon and A under them.
  Other Army of the Potomac generals flew their
  This inf.-mtry rcgimcnl:JI
  colour conforms in ovcrall
  design to those known to
  havc becn issued by the
  New York Quarterm:.scer
  Depot, The: re1!imcnt w:u
  received it would h:Jve
  been responsible for
  gctting the number filled
  in properly. (West Point
  l\'luscunl Collectiom.)
  own flags. The flag of the chief of engineers, for
  example, was a blue field, 4 Ct. by 6 ft., with a red
  turreted castle, the symbol of the Corps of Engineers
  (see MAA J79, p. 28).
  The Army of the James was created from the X
  and XVIII Corps in 1864. On 3 Mal' 1864 its
  headquarters adopted a 6 fl.-square flag divided
  horizontally into red and blue halves. A large five-
  pointed star in white was placed in the centre.
  When Major-General Philip Sheridan received
  command of the Army ofthe Shenandoah he appears
  to have used a swallow-tailed cavalry guidon to mark
  his headquarters. The guidon was divided
  into
  horizontal halves, the top white and the bonom red.
  A red five-pointed star was placed on the top half, and
  a similar star in white on the bottom half. The guidon
  measured some 3 ft. on the hoist by 6 ft. on the fly.
  Under General Orders NO.91, Department of
  the Cumberland, the flag for department and army
  headquarters was a national flag 'with a golden eagle
  below the stars, two feet from tip to tip'. The flag's
  size was 5 Ct. by 6 ft. However, according to General
  Orders No. 62,26 April 1864, the headquarters flag
  was to be a 5 fl.-square national colour; it bore the
  gold Roman letters 'D.C.' within the canton and a
  gold eagle clutching a laurel branch in its left claw
  and
  five
  arrows
  in
  its
  right.
  The
  motto
  'E
  PLURIBUS U
  UM' flew from its beak. The eagle
  was paintcd on the field no deeper than the canton.
  The placement of the eagle is slightly different on the
  reverse from the obverse.
  The Department and the Army ofTennessee and
  the Army of the Ohio had very similar headquarters
  flags, both with blue fields and gold fringe, cords and
  tassels. The Army of Tennessee's flag had the corps
  badges of the XV and XVII Corps on a vertical
  background of red, white, and blue. The flag of the
  Army of the Ohio had the corps badges of the X and
  XXIII Corps, suspended from sabres, topped by an
  eagle which looked very much like the colonel's rank
  badge. It would appear that these two headquarters
  flags were adopted aCter they joined the forces under
  Major-General
  William
  T.
  Sherman
  in
  North
  Carolina in the dying days of the war.
  The Military Division of the Mississippi appar-
  ently used a 5 ft.-square plain yellow flag as its
  headquarters flag. In carll' 1865 the badges adopted
  by the corps within the division were painted on it.
  I~
  
  illustrations show that the red half was on the hoist
  side and the blue on the fly); and the fourth division a
  horizontally divided red and blue flag.
  In fact, however, period writers do not mention
  any fourth divisions or their flags in the Army of the
  Potomac for the period. Colonel Charles Wainwright
  jotted this description in his diary only two days after
  the new order setting up the flag system was issued:
  'One of the first (orders) prescribes the powers of
  corps commanders, and also designates flags for each
  headquarters. First Division's [sic] will carry a red
  flag 6 by 5; Second Division's blue; Third Division's
  red and blue vertical. Ours being the Second will
  have a blue flag.'
  The brigades within each division were marked
  by different flags, each the same size as the division
  headquarters flag. Within each first division, the first
  brigade had a red and white flag in vertical stripes; the
  second, vertical white, red, and white stripes; and the
  third, vertical red, white, and red stripes.
  THEARMYOF
  THEPOTOMAC
  As the Union's field armies grew in size, various of
  their commanders attempted to make units easy to
  identify in the field through systems of unique flags
  carried by each formation and unit. The Army of the
  Potomac's General Orders
  o. 102 was issued 24
  March
  1862,
  under
  Major-General
  George
  B.
  McClellan's direction, and gave the
  nion Army its
  first
  comprehensive
  army-wide
  flag
  designating
  system.
  According to the sections which provided in-
  structions on flags, the army's general headquarters
  would be marked by a plain national flag. Corps
  headquarters would have a national flag with a small
  square flag, of a different colour or set of colours, on
  the same staff under the national flag. The I Corps
  flag was to be red; II Corps, blue; III Corps, blue and
  red in vertical halves; and IV Corps, blue and red in
  horizontal halves.
  All divisions had the same size flags, 6 ft. long and
  5ft. wide. The first division of an army corps had a
  red flag; the second division blue; the third division a
  vertically divided red and blue flag (contemporary
  The colour guard ofthe
  36th Massachusetts
  Volunteer Infantry
  Regiment hold their weI/-
  worn colours in this
  picture dating fron] late in
  the war. The two general
  guides hold their camp
  colours on either end ofthe
  line; these would have
  flown at either flank ofthe
  regiment to mark its
  position. (US Army
  Military History Institute)
  A
  ..,
  15
  
  Within each corps' second division, the first
  brigade had a vertical striped blue and white flag; the
  second brigade had vertical white, blue, and white
  stripes; the third, vertical blue, white, and blue
  stripe.
  The same sized flags were used by brigade
  headquarters in each corps' third division. The first
  brigade had vertical red, white, and blue stripes; the
  second, vertical red, blue, and white stripes; and the
  third, vertical white, red, and blue stripes.
  Among corps with a fourth division, the first
  brigade had horizontal. red, white, and blue stripes;
  the second, horizontal red, blue, and white stripes;
  and the third, horizontal white, red, and blue stripes.
  Within each brigade, each regiment was to carry
  in addition to its national and regimental colours a
  copy of the brigade headquarters flag with the
  numbers I, 2, 3 or 4 on it, according to the unit's
  ranking on the brigade table of organization. White
  numbers were used on coloured bars and coloured
  numbers (which often appear to have been red) on
  white bars. Actual regimental flags measure between
  A pair ofregimental
  colours in action, 27June
  1862, during the Peninsular
  Campaign. The national
  colour is topped with an
  eagle while the regimental
  colour has a spike finial.
  They are both carried in
  the front and centre ofthe
  regimental front.
  54 and 56 inches on the hoist and between 70 and 72
  inches on the fly.
  Artillery batteries were to carry the colours of the
  division to which they belonged as well as a right-
  angled triangular flag 6 ft. long and 3 ft. wide at the
  staff. Cavalry units were to have the same as the
  artillery, although their flag was to be swallow-tailed.
  Engineer units had a white disc ofa diameter equal to
  one third of its width on the flag of the division to
  which the unit was assigned.
  The Regular Brigade had a white star on a red
  flag, the regimental number being in the middle of
  the
  star.
  This
  was
  changed
  by General
  Order
  o. 119, 30 April 1862, to a 'blue flag with a white
  star in the center'. In fact, an original flag carried in
  the brigade is at the Chapel of St. Cornelius the
  Centurion, Ft. Jay,
  ew York. It is only 18 inches
  long on the hoist and 3 ft. on the fly, with a white star
  within an oval green laurel wreath. This flag, carried
  during the Peninsular Campaign, became the head-
  quarters flag of the 2d Division, Provisional V Corps,
  in May 1862 when the brigade was made part of that
  corps.
  Hospitals were distinguished by a yellow flag. As
  described above, hospital flags were also marked with
  a Roman letter H in green, and small rectangular
  guidon
  of yellow edged with green were used to
  16
  
  mark the way from the front line to the field hospitals.
  Subsistence depots were designated by a green flag.
  These flags were attached to a portable staff 14
  feet long, in two joints, and were supposed to be
  habitually displayed in front of the headquarters
  which they designated. On the march they were to be
  carried near the unit commander.
  These orders were modified by General Orders
  No. 110,26 March 1862:
  'Third Army Corps: National flag with a small
  square red and blue (instead of blue and red) flag,
  vertical, beneath.
  'Fourth Army Corps:
  ational flag with a small
  square red and blue (instead of blue and red) flag,
  horizontal, beneath.'
  They were further modified in General Orders
  1 o. 119, 30 April 1862, which gave the cavalry
  reserve headquarters a yellow flag 6 ft. long and 5 ft.
  wide, with two blue stripes 6 inches in width, crossing
  The regimental colour of
  the lsi Veteran Reserve
  Corps Regiment conforms
  in design to those made by
  Langly &: Bros. under
  Quartermaster
  Department contract
  through the Gncinna r;
  DePOl. The 18th Vetcran
  The regimental colour
  bearers for the I I I th
  Pennsylvania Volunt'ccr
  Infantry Regiment. At the
  cndofthc war it was quite
  popular for units to h:lve
  their colours photographed
  ResCT\'C Corps Regiment
  regimentalc%ur,
  however, was made by
  Horstmann Bros. for the
  Philadelphia Depot and
  differs slightly in design.
  (lVest Point Museum
  Collections)
  so that members could
  keep the JJuages as
  mementoes oftheir
  service. Note the
  spearpoint finial on the
  regimental c%ur. (Ronn
  I~alm Collection)
  diagonally. The reserve's first brigade had a yellow
  flag the same size, with one blue star in the centre,
  while the second brigade had the same flag with two
  blue stars in the centre. The artillery reserve head-
  quarters received a similar sized red flag with a white
  star in the centre, while the brigade of regular
  infantry received a blue flag of the same size with a
  white star in the centre.
  An additional flag was made regulation by Gen-
  eral Orders
  0.152, 9 August 1862: 'The main
  (ordnance) depot for the army will be designated by a
  crimson flag, marked "Ordnance Depot, U.S.A.'"
  Although the system was all-inclusive, there is
  some question as to what degree it was actually
  practised. Regiments tended to get transferred be-
  tween brigades quite often, meaning that they had to
  change flags just as often. Moreover, there was bound
  to be less loyalty to such an arbitrary and abstract flag
  than to the elaborate regimental and national colours
  which were distinguished with the unit's actual
  designation. Even so, there are a number ofsurviving
  examples of regimental designating flags, so many
  must have seen actual usc.
  On 25
  ovember 1862, after the V Corps was
  added to the Army of the Potomac, Brigadier-
  General Daniel Butterfield of that corps wrote to
  army headquarters: 'In the order designating flags for
  17
  
  Army Corps (orders 102 and 110, Headquarters,
  Army of the POlOmac, March 1862) no flag has been
  designated for the Fifth Corps.
  'I would respectfully request that a flag be
  designated as shown in the following sketch. For the
  Fifth Army Corps, viz: Red with a Greek Cross in the
  center, under the national flag as per General Orders
  o. 102,
  Army of the
  POlOmac,
  and
  that
  the
  Quartermaster's Department be directed 10 furnish
  the same.'
  Butterfield's sketch did not in fact show a Greek
  cross, but a cross balanic, which is a form of Greek
  cross save that each arm ends in a trefoil bud.
  On 7 February 1863, according
  10 General
  Orders No. 10, the corps headquarters flags were
  changed 10 blue swallow-tailed guidons 6 ft. on the fly
  by 2 ft. on the hoist, each with a white cross bearing
  the corps number in red Roman numerals in the
  centre of the cross. According 10 the order, the cross
  was to be a 'Maltese cross" but actual examples show
  it 10 have been the cross bOlolli, that Butterfield, who
  designed the corps badges later used in the Army of
  the POlOmac, earlier suggested for the V Corps.
  When Major-General Joseph Hooker took over
  the demoralized Army ofthe POlOmac after the defeat
  at Fredericksburg and its 'mud march', he began to
  reSlOre the army's morale. In part he did this through
  A pre-186] regimental
  colour ror the 5th US
  Artillery Regiment, with
  the design smaller in the
  I
  field than arrer 1863. (lVest
  Point Museum
  Collections)
  a system of badges unique to each division of each
  corps, worn on the soldier's hat or coat breast. These
  unique badges were adapted 10 a revised system of
  identification flags carried by divisions and brigades
  which was made official by General Orders
  10 . 53,
  dated 12May 1863.
  The cavalry corps headquarters was now 10 carry
  a flag of the same size and shape as had been used by
  infantry corps, but all in yellow with white crossed
  sabres on its centre. The artillery reserve headquar-
  ters flag was 10 be the same, but in red with white
  crossed cannon in its centre.
  Each division headquarters was 10 fly a different
  style flag. Each corps' first division was to have a
  white rectangular flag with a red corps badge in its
  centre; the second division had a blue flag with a
  white corps badge; the third, a white flag with a blue
  corps badge.
  The VI Corps' 'light division' had a white
  rectangular flag, with a green Greek cross in its
  centre.
  The brigades in each corps' first division had a
  white triangular flag with a red corps badge in the
  centre. The first brigade simply carried this colour;
  the second brigade had an additional 6-inch-wide
  blue stripe next to the staff; the third, a 4t-inch blue
  border all around the flag. According to Billings,
  'Whenever there was a fourth brigade, it was desig-
  nated by a triangular block of color in each corner of
  the flag.'
  The brigades ofeach corps' second division had a
  blue triangular flag with a white corps badge in the
  centre. The individual brigade flags used the same
  system as in the first division, the stripes and borders
  being red instead of blue.
  The brigades of each corps' third division had a
  white triangular flag with a blue corps badge in the
  centre. Individual brigade flags used the same system
  as the first division, the stripe and borders being red.
  Although not mentioned in the initial order, soon
  after it was issued corps artillery headquarters adop-
  ted a red brigade flag with the corps badge in white in
  its centre. The corps quartermaster's headquarters
  had a blue swallow-tailed guidon the same size as the
  brigade flags with diagonal white stripes parallel with
  the swallow tails and ending at the lOp and bottom of
  the flag at the staff.
  This system of flags to designate specific head-
  18
  
  quarters in the Army ofthe Potomac continued in use
  through the army's existence.
  Corps Badges of the
  Army of the Potomac, 1863
  Corps
  Badge
  I
  A sphere
  II
  A trefoil
  III
  A lozenge
  V
  A Maltese cross
  VI
  A (Greek) cross
  IX'
  A shield with a figure 9 in the centre,
  crossed with a fouled anchor and
  cannon
  X'
  A four-bastioned fort
  XXI'
  A crescent, points up
  XII'
  A five-pointed star
  ('Served with the Army of the Potomac at one time
  or another but was not always a member of that
  army.)
  The IX Corps adopted a fairly complicated badge
  which did not lend itself to the simple outline style of
  badge used by the other corps. It involved a cannon
  crossing a fouled anchor on a shield. Therefore, when
  the IX Corps adopted its flags to conform with the
  Army of the Potomac system on
  I August 1864, it
  called for flags that were slightly more elaborate than
  those used by the other corps. The headquarters'
  blue swallow-tailed guidon had a white shield with a
  red
  cannon
  crossing a
  blue anchor.
  The
  first
  division's blue shield had a blue cannon crossing a
  white anchor; the second division's white shield had a
  red cannon crossing a blue anchor; and the third
  division's blue shield had a white cannon crossing a
  red anchor.
  Towards the end of the war, casualties forced
  units to be merged, even at corps level. On 26
  ovember 1864 the merger of troops of the remain-
  der of I Corps into Third Division, V Corps resulted
  in General Orders No. 10 which read in part, 'The
  Division flag will be the flag now authorized, with a
  circular belt surrounding the corps, insignia and of
  the same color.'
  On 25
  1arch 1864 the First Division, III Corps
  became the Third Division, II Corps, and the Second
  Division, III Corps became the Fourth Division, 1I
  Corps. However, Major-General A. A. Humphries,
  last commander of 1I Corps, later wrote, 'No power
  on earth could consolidate or fuse the Third with the
  Second, and the authorities were at length compelled
  to let the Old Third wear their Old Third insignia.
  The
  men
  would
  not
  discard
  the
  Lozenge
  or
  Diamond, and Molt's division headquarters flag,
  The Old Third, bore a white Trefoil on a blue
  Diamond or Lozenge on its swallow-tail.' •
  A post-war Quartermaster
  Department illustration of
  the regulation artillery
  rcgim(.~ntaJcolour.
  The rcgimcnl'a/ colour of
  the lsI US Artillery
  Regiment firs the style of
  colours made in 1863 and
  aftcrwl,rds. (lVest Point
  iHuscum Collections)
  19
  
  The standard ofthe 2d US
  Cavalry Regiment. (West
  Point Museum
  Collections)
  The Army of the James
  The Army of the James was created on 2 April 1864
  under Major-General Benjamin F. Butler with the
  purpose of attacking Richmond from the South. It
  was created with the X and XVIII Corps, which were
  discontinued on 3 December 1864 when the XXIV
  and XXV Corps replaced them.
  On 3 May 1864 Army headquarters set up a fairly
  simple system of flag identification through division
  level. Headquarters used a 6 ft.-square flag divided
  horizontally red over blue; a large white five-pointed
  star was placed centrally on the field. The two colours
  in the field represented the two corps under its
  command.
  According to an order sent to the X Corps
  commander on 3 May 1864 from the headquarters of
  the Department of Virginia and North Carolina: 'By
  direction of the commanding general of the depart-
  ment, I have the honor to submit the following
  explanation of the battle-flags to be used by the
  troops ofthis command during the coming campaign:
  The flag carried by department headquarters will be
  6 feet square, two horizontal bars, upper bar red,
  lower bar blue, with a white star in the center; the flag
  carried by the headquarters Eighteenth Army Corps
  will be 6 feet square, blood red, with number "18" in
  the center; First Division flag, same size, blood red,
  with a single white star in the center; Second Division
  20
  flag, same size and color, with two white stars in the
  center; Third Division flag, same size and color, with
  three white stars in the center. The flag carried by the
  Tenth Army Corps will be 6 feet square, dark blue,
  with the number
  U IO" in the center; First Division
  flag, same size and color, with a single white star in
  the center; Second Division flag, same size and color,
  with two white stars in the center; Third Division,
  same size and color, with three white stars in the
  center. Brigade colors will be furnished as soon as
  practicable.'
  This system was abandoned when the XXIV and
  XXV Corps replaced the original corps in the Army.
  Both of these corps used Army of the Potomac-style
  headquarters flags: dark blue swallow-tailed guidons,
  with a white corps badge and the corps number in red
  Roman numerals. The XXIV Corps badge was a
  heart, while that of the XXV Corps was a square.
  Their division flags were the same as in the Army of
  the Potomac at that time: white for the first and third
  divisions, and dark blue for the second division. The
  corps badge was placed on the field ofeach, red in the
  first division, white in the second division, and blue in
  the third division. Flag sizes in the two corps,
  however, varied. Division flags in the XXI V Corps
  were 4 ft. 6ins. on the hoist by 6 ft. In the XXV Corps
  they were only 2 ft. 7 ins. by 5 ft. 9 in.
  The Department of the Cumberland
  On 19 December 1962 General Orders
  0.41 was
  issued by the headquarters XIV Corps and the
  Department of the Cumberland in
  ashville, Ten-
  nessee, which divided the forces in the department
  into 'the center' or 'wings'. Brigades and divisions
  were assigned into these groups to be numbered from
  right to left, although referred to by commanders'
  names in operational reports.
  The same order indicated a system of flags to
  identify the headquarters ofthese commands:
  'III. Flags will be used to indicate the various
  headquarters, as follows: General headquarters-the
  National flag, 6 feet by 5, with a golden eagle below
  the stars, 2 feet from tip to tip. Right wing-a plain
  light crimson flag. Center-a plain light blue flag.
  Left wing-a plain pink flag. First Division, right
  wing-the flag of the wing, with one white star, ,8
  inches in diameter, the inner point
  I inch from the
  staff. Second Division, right wing-the flag of the
  
  wing, with two white stars, each 18 inches in
  diameter, the inner points I inch from the staff. Third
  Division, right wing-the flag ofthe wing, with three
  white stars, each 18 inches in diameter, set in
  triangular form, the outside star I inch from the outer
  line of flag. The division flags of the center and left
  wing will correspond with the above; that is to say,
  they will be the flags of the center or left wing, as the
  case may be, and with one, two, or three white stars,
  each
  18 inches in diameter, according as they
  represent the First, Second, or Third Divisions. The
  headquarters flags of all brigades will be the flags of
  their divisions, with the number of the brigade in
  black, 8 inches long, in the center ofeach star. That of
  the brigade of regulars, however, will, instead of the
  white star and black number, have simply a golden
  star. The flags ofthe wings will be 6 feet on staff by 4
  feet fly; those of divisions and brigades 5 feet by 3.
  Charging cavalrymen in
  1864 carry regulation
  guidons.
  A regulation cavalry
  guidon carried by an L
  Troop. (West Point
  Museum Col1ections)
  They will all be of a pattern to be furnished to the
  quartermaster's department.
  Artillery reserve-a
  plain red flag, equilateral in shape, each side being 5
  feet. Cavalry reserve-of the same shape as division
  flags, 3 feet fly by 5 on the staff, but of deep orange
  color. Divisions and brigades to be designated as in
  the infantry; that is, the First, Second, and Third
  Divisions by one, two, and three white stars respec-
  21
  
  tively; the First, Second, and Third Brigades by
  black figures in each star. Engineer Corps-a white
  and blue flag, blue uppermost and running horizont-
  ally. Flag 5 feet on stafr by 3 feet fly. Hospitals and
  ambulance depots-a light yellow flag, 3 feet square,
  for the hospitals and for the principal ambulance
  depot on a field of battle; 2 feet square for the lesser
  ones. Subsistence depots or store-houses-a plain
  light green flag, 3 feet square. Quartermaster's depots
  or store houses-same flag, with the letters QM.D.
  in white, I foot long.
  'IV. All of these flags will be attached to a
  portable staff, 14 feet long, made in two joints, and
  will be habitually displayed in front of the tent, or
  from some prominent part of the house or vessel
  occupied by the officer, whose headquarters they are
  intended to designate; and on the march will be
  carried ncar his person.'
  This
  system
  apparently
  failed,
  for
  General
  Orders NO.91, issued by the Department of the
  Cumberland headquarters on 25 April 1863, stated:
  'It having been found that the flags prescribed by
  General Orders, No. 41, from this headquarters,
  December 19, 1862, to designate the headquarters of
  the various brigades, divisions, and corps of this
  army, are not sufficiently marked to be readily
  distinguished from each other, those herein de-
  scribed will be substituted.
  Cellera.1 hetulqlla..rlers The national flag, 6 feet by 5,
  with a golden eagle below the stars, 2 feet from tip to
  tip.
  FOllrleelllh Army Corps A bright blue flag, 6 feet by 4,
  fringed, with black eagle in center, 2 feet from tip to
  tip, with the number "14" in black on shield) which
  shall be white.
  TWeIIlieLh Army Corps A bright red flag, same as that
  for Fourteenth Army Corps, except the number on
  the shield, which shall be that of the corps.
  TWeIIly-jirsl Army Corps A bright red, white, and
  blue flag (horizontal), same as that for Fourteenth
  Corps, except the number on the shield, which shall
  be that of the corps.
  Firsl Division, FOllrteelllh Army Corps The flag of the
  corps, except the cagle and fringe, with one black star,
  18 inches in diameter, point 2 inches from staff.
  Second Division, FOnrleelllh Army Corps The flag of
  the corps, except eagle and fringe, with two black
  stars, each 18 inches in diameter, inner point 2 inches
  from staff.
  Third Division, Fourleellih Army Corps The flag of
  the corps, except eagle and fringe, with three black
  stars, each 18 inches in diameter, set equally along
  staff, the inner point being 2 inches from staff.
  FOllrlh Division, Fonrleelllh Army Corps The flag of
  the corps, except eagle and fringe, with four black
  stars, each 18 inches in diameter, three of them along
  22
  This reguJ:Jrion ca valry
  guidon was carried by the
  Cleveland Guards,
  officially known ~JS L
  Troop, 1St Rhode Island
  Cavalry Regiment. (North
  Carolina Museum of
  History)
  
  Thc 1864 headquarters flag
  ofI.he Dcpartment ofthc
  Cumberland measures 4
  by41 fro The painred eagle
  isgold, as arc the letters
  'D.C '(Wesr Point
  Museum Co//ccrions)
  staffas before, the other set equally on the flag.
  Fifth Division, Fonrteenth Army Corps The flag of the
  corps, except eagle and fringe, with five black stars,
  each 18 inches in diameter, three of them along the
  staff, the other two equally distributed on flag.
  The division jlags of Ihe Twell/ielh and Twell/y-jirsl
  Army Corps will correspond with the above, that is,
  the corps flags (without eagle and fringe), with one,
  two, three, &c., stars, according as they represent the
  first, second, third, &c., divisions.
  The headqnarlersjlags ofallbrigades will be the flags of
  their divisions, with the number of the brigade in
  white, 8 inches long, in center of each star.
  The Reglliar brigade will have the corps and division
  flag, but the stars shall bc golden instead of black.
  Arlillery reserve Two bright red flags, each 4 fect by 2,
  one above the other.
  Baueries Each battery shall have a small flag, corps
  colors, and arrangement (but t foot 6 inches on staff,
  by 2 feet fly), with the letters and numbers of the
  battery inscribed thereon in black, 4 inches long,
  thu
  I uB, First Ohio."
  Cavalry headqllarters A bright red, white, and blue
  flag, 6 feet by 4, colors running vertically, red
  outermost.
  First Cavalry Division A bright red, white, and blue
  flag, 6 feet by 4, like last, with one star, ,8 inches in
  diameter, black, the point 2 inches from staff.
  Second Cavalry Division Same as last, except two
  black stars, each 18 inches in diameter.
  'As
  for
  infantry,
  the
  headquarters
  flags
  of
  brigades will be the flags of divisions, with the
  number of the brigade in black, 8 inches iong.
  Engineer Corps A white and blue flag, blue upper-
  most, and running horizontally, 6 fect by 4.
  Hospitals Imd amblliance depolS A light yellow flag, 3
  fect by 3, for hospitals and thc principal ambulance
  depot on the field of battle, 2 feet square for the lesser
  ones.
  Subsisttllct depols and slorehollses A plain light green
  flag,3 feet square.
  QUlIrlermaster's depots or storehouses Same flag, with
  letters QM.D. in white, I foot long.
  Ordnanct deparlmenl, general headquarlers A bright
  23
  
  green flag, 3 feet square, with two crossed cannon in
  white, set diagonally in a square of 3 feet, with a
  circular ribbon of 6 inches wide and 3 feet greatest
  diameter (or diameter of inner circle 2 feet), with the
  letters "U.S. Ordnance Department," in black, 4
  inches long, on ribbon, and a streamer above flag,
  1
  foot on staff by 4 feet long, crimson color, with words
  "ChiefofOrdnance" in black, 6 inches long.
  Division ordnanu Same flag, with cannon and ribbon,
  but no streamer.'
  The XIX Corps
  The XIX Corps included all the troops stationed in
  the Department of the Gulf between 5 January 1863
  and 20 March .865. On 18 February 1863 Depart-
  ment headquarters issued General Orders No. 17
  which designated unique flags within the Corps:
  'III. The various headquarters of the Depart-
  ment of the Gulf will be designated by small flags or
  guidons, 4 feet square, attached to a lance 12 fcct
  long, made in two joints, as follows:
  WillianJ Mcllvaine, a
  soldier in the Army ofthe
  Potomac, sketched the
  headquarters ofGeneral
  Andrew Hunlphreys, Jd
  Division, V Corps, near
  Falmouth, Virginia on JO
  March ,863. The
  identifying flag made
  regulation by General
  McClellan is on the
  smaller flagpole. It is
  halved red and blue, the
  red towards the hoist and
  the blue towards the fly.
  (National Archives)
  
  I: National Colour, 3d US Inf. Regt.
  2: National Colour, 1st Bn., 11th US Inf. Regt.
  3: Regimental Colour, 6th US Inf. Regt.
  3
  
  1: Regimental Colour: 164th NY Inf. Regt.
  2: Standard, 2d US Cay. Regt.
  3: Regimental Colour, 5th US Arty. Regt.
  4: Regimental Colour, artillery
  B
  2
  3
  4
  
  3
  2
  Designating flags, Army of the Potomac
  1: 1st Bde., 2d Diy. of a Corps
  2: 3d Bde., 1st Diy. of a Corps
  3: 1st Bde., 4th Diy. of a Corps
  4: 11th Penn. Volunteer Inf. Regt.
  c
  
  1: Headquarters, I Corps
  2: 3d Bde., 2d Div., I Corps
  3: Headquarters, n Corps
  4: 3d Div., m Corps
  2
  3
  D
  
  3
  1: 2d Div., V Corps
  2: 1st Div., VI Corps
  3: Headquarters, IX Corps
  4: Headquarters, X Corps
  1
  E
  
  1: Headquarters, XXIV Corps
  2: Headquarters, XXIII Corps
  3: Headquarters, XV Corps
  4: 2d Div., xvm Corps
  2
  4
  F
  
  2
  1: 2d Div., XIX Corps
  2: Headquarters, XX Corps
  3: Headquarters, IV Corps
  4: 3d Div., IV Corps
  3
  4
  G
  
  H
  1: Co., I, 6th Penn. Cavalry
  2: Headquarters, XXI Corps
  3: Headquarters, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac
  2
  
  This e!lJborate flag marks
  the headquarters ofthe 2d
  Brig:Jde, 4th Division, IX
  Corps, and datcs from
  ,86-1. Its stripes arc, from
  hoist, grecn, blue, and red,
  with a red number '2'and a
  while shield. The llnchor i.fi
  blue and the cannon rcd. It
  mcasurcs2/ by 4 ft. (Wcst
  Point t\'/uscunl
  Collections)
  'The headquarters of the
  Nineteenth
  Army
  Corps and the Department ofthe Gulfby a flag, with
  a white four-pointed star in the center; the figure 19,
  in red, in the star.
  IDivision headquarters, red, with a white four-
  pointed star in the center; the number of the division
  in black figures in the star.
  'Brigade headquarters, blue, white and horizontal
  stripes of equal width, the number of the brigade in
  black figures in the white stripes.'
  General Orders No. II, dated
  17 November
  1864, indicated both the corps badge and a unique set
  offlags for the XIX Corps:
  'The flags will be as follows: For the headquartcrs
  ofthe corps, blue swallow-tail, seventy-two inches in
  length by thirty-nine on staff, with white cross
  eighteen inches square. For the headquarters of
  divisions, triangular, sixty-six inches in length by
  forty-four in staff, with cross fiftcen inches square.
  First Division, red, with white cross; Second Divi-
  sion, blue, with white cross; Third Division, white,
  with blue cross. For the headquarters of brigade,
  rectangular, thirty-six inches in length by thirty on
  staff with cross fifteen inches square. First Brigade,
  First Division, blue and white, horizontal (blue
  underneath), red cross; Second Brigade, First Divi-
  sion, blue and red, horizontal (blue underneath), with
  cross; Third Brigade, First Division, red and white,
  horizontal
  (red
  underneath),
  blue
  cross;
  First
  Brigade, Second Division, blue and white, perpen-
  dicular (blue on staff), red cross; Second Brigade,
  Second Division, blue and red, perpendicular (blue
  on staff), white cross; Third Brigade, Second Divi-
  sion, red and white, perpendicular (red on staff), bluc
  cross; Fourth Brigade, Second Division, blue and
  red, perpendicular (rcd on staff), whitc cross; First
  Brigade, Third Division, blue and white, diagonal
  (blue on staff), red cross; Second Brigade, Third
  Division, blue and red, diagonal (blue on staff), white
  cross; Third Brigade, Third Division, red and white,
  diagonal (red on staff), blue cross.'
  The xxm Corps
  The XXIII Corps, created 27 April 1863 from troops
  in Kentucky in the Department of Ohio, also served
  in the Department of North Carolina until disbanded
  I August 1865. Special Field Orders No. 121, 25
  September 1864, stated that:
  'The badge of the Twenty-third Corps is an
  escutcheon in the form of the heraldic shield, all of
  whose proportions are determined by the width, as
  foUows: The sides of the shield are straight from the
  lOp for the distance of one-fourth the width of the
  shield. Each curved sidc is struck with the center at
  the lower point of the straight part of the opposite
  side and with a radius equal 10 the width ...
  'The flags of the corps are as follows: For corps
  headquarters, a blue flag with a shield in the center of
  JJ
  
  the form prescribed; the body of the shield divided
  into three panels, one panel at each principal angle of
  the shield; the upper left-hand panel red, the upper
  right-hand panel white, the lower panel blue, the
  whole surrounded by a gold outline one-twelfth as
  wide as the shield. For headquarters Second Divi-
  sion, the whole of the interior of the shield white,
  otherwise the same as the corps flag. For headquar-
  ters Third Division, the whole of the interior of the
  shield blue, otherwise the same as the corps flag. For
  brigade headquarters, a flag similar to the division
  flag, but with smaller shields along the inner margin
  34
  Although this Army ofthe
  Potomac headquarters flag
  would appear to be that of
  the 2d Division, I Corps,
  with a white disc on a blue
  field, there is no
  explanation for it being in
  the headquarters of
  Brilradier-General Samuel
  W. Cra wford, who
  commanded the 3d
  Division, V Corps when
  this photograph was taken
  in r864. The old I Corps
  merged into the 2d and 4th
  Divisions, V Corps, in
  March r864. (US Army
  Military History Institute)
  corresponding in number to the brigade. The artil-
  lery will wear the badge of the division to which the
  different batteries are respectively attached.'
  According to one of its members, Major-General
  Jacob D. Cox, writing in 1887, the system of corps-
  wide flags lasted throughout the corps' existence.
  'The Corps Headquarters flag was a silk banner of
  dark Army blue color, with gold fringe, and the corps
  badge emblazoned
  in the center. The Division
  Headquarters flags were, 1st Division, Blue silk
  banner, yellow worsted fringe, the shield with the
  same shape as the corps shield in outline & panels, but
  the panels red in the gold outline. 2d Division, Similar
  to the last with all the panels white. 3d Division,
  Similar to last, with all the panels blue. The 3d Div.
  flag shows only the gold frame of the shield, the
  panels being of the same blue silk as the flag.
  'The Brigade Headquarters flags were of blue
  bunting without any fringe. They were of the same
  
  The headquarters
  flagso{che
  II Corps in 186.1.
  (Billings, Hard-
  mck and Coffee)
  CHI E F
  Q'R.MASTER.
  COR F'S H'O Q'R S.
  ARTILLERY
  BRIGADE.
  2NQBRfGAOE.
  IS! BRIGADE:.
  J R'?BRIGADE.
  2N!:'DIV.
  ;) R'" RRIGADE·
  15TDIV.
  )5
  
  blue flag-the stripes to be of width, running
  diagonally from top to bottom-red at top and white
  in center, five feet on the staff and six feet fly. The
  division to be designated by three blue stars thirteen
  inches long on the white field, the inner corner of
  which to be five and one-halfinches from the staff.
  'The brigade flags will be the same as that of the
  division, with the number of the Brigade in white, six
  inches long, in the center of each star. These flags to
  be attached to portable staffs twelve feet long, in two
  joints, and in the field will be displayed at the quarters
  of the officers whose headquarters it is intended to
  designate, and on the march, will be carried near that
  person.'
  style of shield as the division flags, but the shield
  smaller, & instead of being placed in the center of the
  flag, as many shields used indicated the number ofthe
  brigade, and they were placed in the corner of the flag
  where the Union Jack [sic] is in the National flag:
  Shields: 1st Div. Yellow frame, red panels; 2d Div.
  Yellow frame, white panels; 3d Div. Yellow frame,
  blue panels. The yellow frame of the shields on the
  brigade flags was usually made by tenacious yellow
  paint, the panels being of the red, white, or blue
  bunting, inserted in the blue flag.'
  Third Division, Department ofWest Virginia
  According to General Orders
  0.7, issued 23 March
  1864 by the headquarters, Third Division, Depart-
  ment ofWest Virginia: 'I. Hereafter flags will be used
  to designate the different headquarters of this divi-
  sion, as follows.
  'For the division: A three-striped red, white, and
  Major-General Winfield
  Scott Hancock, wearing a
  hat and with one hand on
  the tree, stands in front of
  the headquarters flags of
  the II Corps, the blue
  swallow-tail flag and a
  smaller national colour.
  (US Army Military History
  Institute)
  36
  
  guidons of their own design, although most were
  made in the regulation horizontally halved form, red
  over white, with the division number in the opposite
  colour on each bar. Other unit divided their guidon
  into three triangles-white on the hoist, blue on the
  top, and red on the bottom. A pair of crossed abres
  was applied to the white triangle, while gold
  tar
  were often painted in the other two.
  On I August 1864 a full system of Army of the
  Potomac Cavalry Corps colours was approved. It wa
  very milar to those used by the
  rmy's other corps,
  with crossed sabres substituted for the corps badges,
  CAVALRY FLAGS
  Originally,
  nion forces divided cavalry units up
  among corps,
  which were largely infantry with
  artillery support. However, combat soon taught them
  that cavalry was best used independently; and each
  army soon adopted cavalry corps, marked by their
  own flags.
  According to General Orders
  o. II9, 30 April
  1862, in the Army of the Potomac, the Cavalry
  Reserye headquarters was to have a yellow 'rectan-
  gular flag with a blue St. Andrew's cross; the 1st
  Brigade, a blue star; and the 2d Brigade, two stars.
  General Orders
  TO. 53, 12 May 1863, gave a yellow
  wallow-tailed guidon with white crossed sabres to
  the Cavalry Corps headquarters. Its formations used
  This 186-1 drawing shows
  two III Corps headquarters
  flags, tha t ofthe corps
  headquarters and the
  white flag with either a red
  lozenge for the 1st Division
  or a blue lozenge for the 3d
  Division.
  37
  
  /
  complete with a dark blue swallow-tailed guidon for
  the corps headquarters, white and blue rectangular
  flags for the division headquarters, and pointed
  guidons for brigades.
  On 26 April 1864 General Orders No.62, De-
  partment of the Cumberland, prescribed a system of
  flags for its cavalry corps. The corps headquarters
  had a red, white, and blue flag similar to the French
  tricolour, with a large pair of gold crossed sabres
  Outile honours were ofren
  placed on headquarters
  11:.gs as ,,-ell as unit flags,
  ii/though dJis was not
  strictly according to
  orders. This phol'Ograph of
  lHlIjor-GenemJ Oil vid B.
  Birney, who com.mtJnded
  the 1St Dil'ision, /II Corps
  (bottom, centre. with two
  medals on his chest) shows
  both the corps
  headquarters flag and the
  division hcadqw,rrcTS flag.
  The la Iter htJS batile
  honours, one for
  CJmnc:cllorsvi/lc to the
  right ofehe lozenge,
  p:,inccd on it in scrolls. (US
  Army A1J:Jicary History
  Institute)
  extending over all three bars, and fringed in gold.
  The first and third divisions had white rectangular
  flags, the first with red crossed sabres and a blue
  number I, the third with blue crossed sabres and a
  red number 3. The second division had a blue flag
  with white crossed sabres and a red number
  2.
  Brigades received guidons generally following the
  Army of the Potomac corps flag system.
  General Orders 1 0.3, 24 March 1864, in the
  Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi,
  produced a different system of flags for that corps'
  seven divisions. All ofits formations had swallow-tail
  guidons, that for the headquarters being red with
  yellow crossed sabres, while the divisions had white
  guidons with dark blue crossed sabres and the
  division number in red both above and below the
  sabres.
  38
  
  THE PLATES
  Az:
  ational Colour, Ist Battalion, IIth US
  Infantry Regiment, I863
  This is a Tiffany & Company,
  ew York, presenta-
  tion national colour with typical script-embroidered
  AI: National Colour, 3d US Infantry Regiment,
  I86I
  The national colour carried by the country's oldest
  continuously serving infantry regiment, the 3d, was
  made under federal contract through the Philadel-
  phia Depot. It displays one of three known patterns
  of stars in its canton. The lower star is missing from
  the lower ring in the 34-star variety, while the 35-star
  variety has no central star but has 21 stars in the outer
  rmg.
  NAVAL FLAGS
  Each commissioned ship of the US Navy and US
  Marine Revenue Cutter Service flew several flags. A
  jack, which was simply the dark blue canton with its
  white stars of the
  ational Flag, was flown at the jack
  staff of the vessel's bow. A
  ational Flag was flown
  from different staffs, according to the type of vessel;
  and a commission pennant identified the ship as a
  vessel of war. This was a long narrow flag, of blue
  with a line of white stars at the hoist, and two stripes,
  red above white.
  Captains in command of squadrons, and later
  admirals, were entitled to fly (or 'wear' as it was then
  termed) a plain blue flag with as many white stars as
  there were states. In the case of several squadrons
  merging, the senior officer would use the blue flag
  while the next in rank had a red flag. If there was a
  third captain commanding a squadron in the group,
  he was entitled to fly the same flag in white.
  In February 1865 the admiral's flag was changed
  from square to rectangular.
  A contemporary
  illustration ofthe V Corps
  headquarters flag and one
  ofits division
  headquarters flags. The
  headquarters flag marked
  with the backwards 'C'is
  probably intended to have
  a '6' for the VI Corps.
  39
  
  A3: Regimental Colour, 6th US Infantry
  Regiment, I863
  The 6th Infantry's regimental colour was a Cincin-
  unit designation and battle honours. According to
  tradition, this colour was presented on 22 February
  1862; the battle honour for Gettysburg (1-3 July
  1863) would indicate that this is incorrect. Appar-
  ently the 1rth through 19th US Infantry Regiments,
  which had three battalions, issued regimental colours
  for their fir t two battalions, which usually served
  apart (although probably also to their third bat-
  talions, which served as depots if, as few were, they
  were even organized).
  Brigadier-General Charles
  Griffin (standing with open
  coat and louch hat)
  cormnanded the I
  Division, V Corps, in late
  r86J when this photograph
  was taken. The
  headquarters flag is white
  with a red Maltese cross.
  (US Army Military History
  Institute)
  nati Depot federal contract model, believed made by
  John Shilleto of that city. He received orders for five
  infantry regimental, two artillery regimental and five
  national colours on 3
  ovember 1862. Some varieties
  of these flags have different numbers of stars, yet all
  have an upper arc that overlaps the end of the motto
  scroll.
  BI: Regimental Colour, I64th New York
  Infantry Regiment, I864
  This flag was supplied under a
  ew York Depot
  federal contract. Similar colours display 34 stars;
  these have only 16 stars in the lower arc.
  B2: Standard, 2d US Cavalry Regiment, I86I
  Cavalry standards were smaller than those carried by
  foot regiments for two reasons: there was not as much
  need for unit identification of mounted units on the
  field as for foot units; and, the larger the flag, the more
  difficult it was to carryon the march or in action.
  40
  
  blue and white flag, which measured 5 ft. by 6 ft. This
  actual flag is in the collection of the US Army
  Military Academy Museum, West Point,
  ew York.
  It measures 58 inches at the hoi t by 72 inche in the
  fly.
  C2: Designating flag, 3d Brigade, 1st Division
  ofa Corps, Army ofthe Potomac, 1862
  This is another surviving example ofan 1862
  rmyof
  the Potomac designating flag.
  Thi
  one,
  which
  measures 60 inches by 72 inches, is in the
  ew York
  State Collection.
  C3: Designating flag, 1stBrigade, 4th Division
  ofa Corps; Army ofthe Potomac, 1862
  This designating flag, now in the West Point collec-
  tion, was probably carried in Ord'
  Divi ion of the
  Department of the Rappahannock. It measures 54
  inches by 70 inches.
  B3: Regimental Colour, 5th US Artillery
  Regiment, 1862
  Cord
  and tassels on artillery colours were red and
  yellow intermixed silk, and eros ed cannon replaced
  the national eagle
  hown on infantry colours. The
  colours were also the same size for both infantry and
  artillery regiments.
  B4: Regimental Colour, artillery, 1864
  In 1863 the design on the artillery regimental colour
  \Va enlarged to fill more of the field. This particular
  colour was made under a
  ew York Depot federal
  contract.
  Often
  partially
  decorated
  scrolls
  were
  placed on a colour issued to a regiment, which would
  then be responsible for having the number filled in.
  This wa true of infantry as well as artillery colours.
  CI: Designating flag, 1stBrigade, 2d Division
  ofa Corps; Army ofthe Potomac, 1862
  nder the 1862 system of designating flags issued in
  the Army of the Potomac, each first brigade of a
  econd division, regardless of corps, was to carry this
  This sketch shows the rst
  Division, V Corps
  headquarters flag being
  carried into battle at
  Preble's Farm, Virginia, on
  30 September r864·
  41
  
  y: Designating flag, lIth Pennsylvania
  Volunteer Infantry Regiment, I862
  The colours and number on this flag indicate that the
  unit that carried it was the fourth regiment of the
  third brigade of the second division, of the [II Corps
  of the Army of the Potomac. In this case, the
  regiment was the lIth Pennsylvania, which carried
  this flag in the Second Battle of Manassas.
  This photogmph ofX
  Corps commander kJ,'ljor-
  Gcnertll Alfred H. Terry
  (in the coat with two rows
  ofbutlOns arranged in
  threes) shows the standJlrd
  Army oft.he POfOI11,'C
  corps headquarters fl,'lg
  being used in that corps
  instead ofthe rectangu!:.rr
  blue n~lg bearing a phlin
  number 10 as ordered in
  the Army ofthe]ames.
  (NalioIJ.'ll Archives)
  actually a cross botonic, that is a Greek cross with a
  trefoil bud at the end of each arm.
  D2: 3d Brigade, 2d Division, I Corps, I863
  The Army of the Potomac system of identifying flags
  adopted on 7 February 1863 gave corps headquarters
  a swallow-tailed guidon, with a rectangular flag
  carried by each division headquarters, and this type
  of guidon by each brigade headquarters. The white
  circle is the I Corps badge, which was also worn on
  soldiers' and officers' headgear and, at times, on the
  left breast. On
  I August 1864 the corps badge was
  authorized by General Orders No. 115 to be used on
  all corps flags.
  DI: Headquarters, I Corps, I863
  On 7 February 1863, under General Orders No. 10,
  all corps headquarters in the Army of the Potomac
  were to have blue swallow-tailed guidons with a white
  'Maltese cross' bearing the corps number in red. This
  odd device, which is not a true Maltese cross by any
  means, beeame the standard symbol used. It is
  ~2
  D3: Headquarters, II Corps, I864
  On 1 August 1864, General Orders No. I IS changed
  the II Corps headquarters flag by using the assigned
  Corps badge, a 'trefoil', in place of the 'Maltese
  cross'. The same device appeared on all this corps'
  flags, in red for the first division, white for the second
  division, and blue for the third division. The artillery
  
  £4: Headquarters, X Corps, 1864
  On 3 May 1864 the X Corps adopted square flags for
  its headquarters and division headquarters. While
  the number 10 was used on the corps headquarters
  flags, the divisions had onc, two, and three white stars
  respectively on their blue flags. On 22 May 1864 the
  Corps' commander wrote: 'I have received fouf flags.
  I propose to replace the stars on the division flags by
  the corps badge, which is a square bastioned fort,
  very like a star in effect, I presume there can be no
  objection to this.' There has been no reply found and,
  moreover, photographs show the older flag with
  43
  signifying its service as a landing force along the
  south-eastern coast, on 10 April 1864. The first Corps
  headquarters flag used the Army of the Potomac's
  'Maltese cross' design with a red number 9; it was
  replaced by a national flag with a corps badge in the
  canton, surrounded by an oval of stars, in April 1864.
  This flag was adopted when the Corps was attached
  to the Army of the Potomac in May ,864, although
  one soutce says it was not adopted until , August
  1864. The divisional flags were red (1st Division),
  white (2d Division), blue (3d Division), and green
  (4th Division) with a corps badge of a facing colour.
  Rectangular brigade flags had three vertical stripes
  with a corps badge and brigade number.
  brigade had a red guidon with a white trefoil, while
  the corps chief quartermaster had a dark
  blue
  swallow-tail guidon with a St. Andrew's cross in
  white.
  D4: 3d Division, III Corps, 1864
  Under the system of I August 1864, all 3d Division,
  III Corps flags used a blue corps badge, the lozenge;
  the 1st and 3d Divisions' headquarters had white
  flags (with a red lozenge for the 1st Division), whilst
  the 2d Division headquarters had a blue flag with a
  white lozenge. The brigade guidons matched the
  colours, with the first brigade having plain white, the
  second having a red stripe at the hoist, the third being
  bordered in red, and the fourth
  with red tips.
  Actually III Corps had been merged into II Corps by
  the time these flags were ordered, although many did
  see use until the system was changed by Special
  Orders No. 320, issued 24 November 1864. The flag
  of the 3d Division under those orders, now in the
  New Jersey State Capital, has a white background
  with a blue trefoil within a red lozenge on the field.
  £1: zd Division, V Corps, 1864
  The corps badge of the Army of the Potomac's V
  Corps was the Maltese cross, which appears in white
  on its 2d Division's hcadquarters flag. The V Corps
  reccivcd e1cments of the old I Corps as the V Corps'
  zd and 4th Divisions on 24 March ,864. The old I
  Corps units were allowed to keep their old corps
  badges and unit flags; on II September 1864 all the I
  Corps elements were further reduced to the 3d
  Division, V Corps, complete with their old insignia.
  On 20 December 1864 a circular ordered all men of
  the division to wear a 'White Maltese Cross' on their
  hats and all elements of the old I Corps badges were
  done away with.
  £2: 1st Division, VI Corps, 1864
  Although originally the Greek cross worn by the VI
  Corps was ordered to be worn 'upright', it appeared
  as a St. Andrew's cross on a number of headquarters
  flags carried within the Corps starting in 1864. The
  Greek cross was carried in the 3d Division; the other
  divisions used the St. Andrew's cross.
  £3: Headquarters, IX Corps, 1864
  The IX Corps adopted this unusual corps badge,
  This he....dquarters flllg1in
  blue with a red arrow and
  )'eUo,,", {ringe, measuresJ/·
  by4f {t., and identified the
  1St Division, X1flJ Corps in
  186.;. (West Point NJuseunl
  Collections)
  
  number 10 in use until the corps' demise in Decem-
  ber ,864. Photographs of the recreated corps head-
  quarters, taken after March ,865, show the Army of
  the Potomac's blue swallowtail guidon with white
  'Maltese cross' and red number fO being used.
  FI: Headquarters, XXIV Corps, 1865
  The corps badge of the XXIV Corps, Department of"
  Virginia, created from elements of the old X and
  XVIII Corps, was adopted on
  I March ,865. It
  consisted of the corps number in red within a white
  ++
  +.
  +
  ...... +
  7
  (Left) The flag carried by
  the ChicfQuartermaster,
  XIX Corps, in 1864-65
  rca tured a red cross on a
  white disc on a blue fie/d. It
  measures2/ by31 ft. (West
  Point Museum
  Co//ections)
  (Right) The headquarters
  flag ofBrigadier-General
  Hugh]udson Kilpatrick
  (standing behind seated
  lady), who conlmanded
  cavalry in the Army ofthe
  Cunlberland, had red and
  white stripes, with a white
  disc in the centre around
  an eagle mounted on a
  national colour in natuml
  colours. The word
  'TUEBOR' was painted in
  black. The photograph was
  taken in Stevensburg,
  Virginia, in March 1864
  (US Army AfiJitary History
  Institute)
  There are some flags which
  were dearly made for unit
  identification but whose
  purpose is unknown tod'J)'.
  This flag, ror example, W:IS
  found aIllOng rhe effccts of
  Thonlas Low of
  Tennessee, who served in
  the zd US Tennessee
  Inf..mtry, which was in the
  7th Division in Alabama at
  one point. It appears to be
  some sort ofidentification
  flag for th:1t unit, but no
  orders establishing its
  design ha ve becn found. It
  has a whitc fie/d, with red
  scripes along the fly, and
  blue four-pointed stars, a
  blue cagle, and blue
  number]. (Mike Nliner
  Collection)
  
  heart. The flag measures 36 inches at the hoist by 72
  inches in the fly.
  F2: Headquarters, XXIII Corps, I864
  Special Field Orders
  0.121, dated 25 September
  1864, of the XXIII Corps, Army of the Ohio, read:
  'The flags of this corps are as follows: For corps
  headquarters, a blue flag with a shield in the corner of
  the form prescribed; the body of the shield divided
  into three panels, one panel at each principal angle of
  the shield; the upper left-hand panel red, the upper
  right-hand panel white, the lower panel blue, the
  whole surrounded by a golden outline one-twelfth as
  wide as the shield. For headquarters Second Divi-
  sion, the whole of the interior of the shield white,
  otherwise the same as the corps flag. For headquar-
  ters Third Division, the whole of the interior blue,
  otherwise the same as the corps flag. For brigade
  headquarters, a flag similar to the divi ion flag, but
  with smaller
  hield along the inner margin corres-
  ponding in number to the brigade. The artillery will
  wear the badge of the division to which the different
  batteries are respectively attached.' The 1st Division
  presumably received the same flag with a red shield
  on joining the corps in the spring of 1865.
  F3: Headquarters, XV Corps, I86S
  By General Orders
  0.21, dated 9 April 1865, the
  XV Corps adopted its corps badge of a cartridge box
  under the motto 'FORTY ROD
  DS' as the centre-
  piece of its flags. The rectangular flags carried by
  headquarters and division headquarters were 5 ft. by
  5 ft. 6 ins. The division flags were all red for the 1st
  Division, white for the 2d, blue for the 3d, and yellow
  for the 4th; the corps headquarters flag was quartered
  in the three first division colours. Swallow-tailed
  guidons were carried by brigade headquarters. The e
  measured 4 ft. by 5 ft. 6 ins. and came in appropriate
  division colours with different borders to designate
  the different brigades. The corps badges on surviving
  examples have been painted on the fields.
  45
  
  F4: 2d Division, XVIII Corps, I864
  The XVIII Corps, of the Army of the James, first
  adopted the same type offlags as used in the X Corps,
  with the corps number in white on the headquarters
  flag, and one, two, or three stars, according to the
  division, on each division headquarters flag. Instead
  of the blue fields of the X Corps, the XVIII Corps
  used red. However, on 7 June 1864 a 'cross with
  foliate sides', similar to the 'Maltese cross' used on
  Army of the Potomac corps headquarters flags, was
  adopted as the corps badge. A new corps headquar-
  Major-General DavidM.
  Gregg (seated, wearing a
  slouch hat) commanded
  the zd Division, Cavalry
  Corps, Army ofthe
  Potomac. The red and
  white division
  headquarters flag is tied to
  his tent pole. (US Army
  Military History Institute)
  ters flag using this device appears to have been taken
  into use around July 1864.
  GI: 2d Division, XIX Corps, I864
  On 18 February 1863, XIX Corps, of the Depart-
  ment of the Gulf, issued its General Orders
  o. 17
  which called for a headquarters flag: 'A blue flag with
  a white four-pointed star, in the center; the number
  19, in red, on the star.' Each division flag was 'red,
  with a white four-pointed star, in the center, the
  number of the division in black figures on the star'.
  General Orders
  o. II, 17
  ovember 1864, revised
  the system to use the corps' newly adopted badge, 'a
  fan-leaved cross with octagonal center'. Headquar-
  ters used a blue swallow-tailed guidon with a white
  corps badge, while the guidon used by the zd
  Division reversed the colours.
  46
  
  62: Headquarters, XX Corps, 1864
  Thc XX Corps of thc Army of thc Cumberland was
  formcd on 4 April 1864 from units ofthe XXII Corps
  and the XXI Corps. On 26 April Department of the
  Cumberland General Orders No.62 awarded its
  headquarters a blue swallow-tailed guidon with a
  white 'Tunic cross' and the red number 20. Old
  XXII Corps nags werc used by the division hcad-
  quarters, with a 6 ft. square white nag with a blue star
  in thc 3d Division, and a red field with a green star in
  the 4th Division. Triangular nags, each side being
  6 ft. long, were used by brigade headquarters; thesc
  followed
  thc Army of the Potomac system for
  differentiating brigades.
  G3: Headquarters, IV Corps, Armyofthe
  Cumberland, 1864
  The IV Corps of the Army of the Cumberland was
  different from most corps in that its badge, an
  equilateral triangle, was not uscd in an)' form on the
  corps nags. Instead, corps and division headquarters
  used rcd nags with a blue canton. Headquarters used
  a golden eagle in its canton.
  G4:3d Division, IV Corps, 1864
  Each division of the IV Corps used white stripes to
  makc a design in the blue cantons of thcir otherwise
  red nags. The 1st Division had one stripe running
  diagonally from bottom left to top right; the 2d had a
  white St. Andrew's cross; and
  the
  3d, a white
  51. Andrcw's cross with a vertical stripe through the
  middle. Brigades had swallow-tailed guidons with
  the same canton as their division, but with onc, two,
  or three white stars under the canton according to the
  brigade number.
  \'011..'5 sur 11$ planchcs en cOlllellf
  -\1 Cc dnpeau n:uioml Ciait porte pu k rigimcnl d'inf;lnlCrlc du pars qui :I\-ail
  Stn"j depuis k plus lon~cmps $.Ins inll:l'TlIplion: k JCmc. II pr~lc un de lrois
  unngnncnts connus d'CIOilcs d;ms son anion. A.1. \'oici un drapeau natioml
  ~nlcpnTiff;ln) & Compan) , Sn. York, ~lI\"tt k nonl de ('unite ct Ics hooncurs
  dts bataillcs I) piqlK'~nlb~ ~ ICIlm; manuscnlcs. AJ Ccnaincs uri'llion$ de
  (X dnpe:iu om diflCrcnts nomhft'S d'ctoilcs. rnais ils onl tQUS un arc su~ricur qui
  Ikpauc b fln du lisld de 12 de\ isc.
  Dt c.: dnpc;lu a CIC foorni dans It' cadI"\' d'un rontnl fedcnl a\l'C Ie :'\e.... "or\.;
  DrpOl. Des drepcaux simibires onl 34 cwiles; l"CUX-ei n'onl que 16 cloilcs dans rare
  InlCricur. lJa IA-'S ctendards de ClI\'alerie claient plus pelilS que ks clembrds
  d'infantcrie ar de gnnds dT1lI)l"~U\' ctaient diniciks Ji porler dunnl 1a marehe Olt
  pendanll'aelion, CI il Clail moins nt'Ccssaire d'indenlilier kos unitCs. !lJ I..l'S fanions
  Ill1.ielllla meme laille pour Ics regimenls d'infanlerieet d':millerie, mais les cordons
  t't pompons des fanions de I'arlillcrie ct:l.ient rougl'S et jauncs et un C'.lnnon efOisC
  n:mpl.a~il I'aigk nalional. 1J4 En 186] Ie dcssin sur Ie fanion du rigimenl de
  I'anillcrie a ctc agrandi pour remplir plus de place sur b table ,ratlente. Sotl\cnt des
  l1Slels parlic.'lIemem dCrotis claient places sur Ie fanion,
  Ie Iitimt'nl Ciani
  tc:Spot'IS.Ibk dt' I'appanion du nUmCfO.
  HI: Co. I, 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry (Rush's
  Lancers), 1863
  This regulation cavalry guidon was carricd by thc
  cavalry company that accompanied thc headquarters
  of the Army of the Potomac during the Battle of
  Gettysburg. The battle honour for that engagement
  would thereforc suggcst that it was carried for some
  time at least after July 1863. The cavalryman holding
  thc guidon wears the dress jacket worn by mounted
  troops, trimmed in yellow for cavalry.
  Hz: Headquarters, XXI Corps, 1863
  The oddly-shaped XXI Corps nags were prescribed
  in the Department of the Cumberland's General
  Orders No. 91,25 April 1863. The corps headquar-
  ters nag, which was 6 ft. in hoist by 4 ft. in the ny,
  used an eagle with thc number 21, while divisions had
  from one to three stars on the white stripe. Brigades
  uscd the division nags, but with the white number of
  the brigade replacing the star.
  H3: Headquarters, Ca valry Corps, Army ofthe
  Potomac, 1864
  Cavalry in the Army of the Potomac used a varicty of
  systems of nag identification, starting from
  1862
  when a blue St. Andrcw's cross on a ycllow field was
  authorizcd for the cavalry reserve hcadquartcrs. On
  12 May 1863 it was authorized a yellow swallow-
  tailed nag with white crossed sabres in the centre.
  Thereafter most cavalry commands used crosscd
  sabres, the traditional Cavalry Corps badge, on their
  flags. This headquarters flag was adopted in 1864 and
  apparently used until the end of the war.
  Farbtafcln
  AI Di~ '\alionalfahne .. urde \om]. Infantericrqimt'nt getralfen, clem ahcsten in
  \.;ontinuierlichcm Einsatz bdindl;chcn Regiment des I.andes. In ihrl"ffi Feld 1.cigt
  sic.- cine der drci bcl.annten AnOfdnun[l:en der Slernt'. A:z ()as ist cine \ on Tifl;"n~ &
  Coropan) in ~t'v. YorL gcstiftete 'ationalfahne milt)pischen gc:sticLten schrifll'"
  ehen Kenn;r.ckhnungcn und Auszcichnungen. AJ \\anene \'arianu:n dicscr FahllC'
  haben cine \'erschicdene Anuhl Ion Slemen, aber alk zeiren ciocn oberc:n !logen
  iibcr don Ende des ~lolI~SchnorLels.
  81 Di~ Fahne wurde untCT cinem fOdenlivcn KontnLt do. ~e.... York.l:kpolS
  gcliefert. Ahnlichc Fahnen zeilen 34 Sterne; dies( h.abcn nur 16 im unleren
  Boi:en. !l:z Ka\·allerie-Stand:lTlen luren \';lciner als die der Infanlerie,
  eil sie
  dadureh kiehler beim Rill oder auch im Gefechl 1.U lngen waren, und
  eniger
  Ikl.brf naell Rcgimcnlsidcmifizierung hestand. IJJ Bei Infanterie- uml I\rtil·
  Icrieregimentern
  ....·aren die Fahnen gleieh groB, doch waren die &:hnure und
  ~aslen der Artilleriefahnen rol und gelb, und sic 1.cigten gekreul.lc Kanonen
  anSlall des Adlcrs. 041863 .... "Jrllc dl§ Design aufder Artilkrit'-Regimentsfahne
  \crgroBcn, urn mehr \on dem Feld aUS"J:oftillen. Oft
  .... urden teilv.eisc lenierte
  Schnorkclauf der Fahnt' angebraeht. und es v.urdc dem Rcgimcnt ubcrlasscn. dit'
  eigent' ~ommer hinzozuftigen.
  ~7
  
  CI Scion Ie s)steOie de t8(u qui designail les dnpeaux del"lnt etre emis:i I'Arme
  du Potomac. chaque premiere brigadc d'une seconde division, sans i:gard au corps,
  de\l1it pemer cc drapcau hleu et blanc, qui ml'Surail 5 pi(:<ls par 6 pieds. C2 Un
  aUlre exemplc sun·i\-ant d'un drapt."au de designation de 1861 de l'ArOlec du
  Potomac. mesurant 60 pollees par 72 pouces. Cj Ce drapcau de designation etait
  probablcment porte par 11 division Ord du
  DC~nement du Rappahannock. 11
  mesure 5.. pouces par 70 pouces. Y Les coulcurs el chiff,"" indiquent que I'unitc
  qui portait tt drapcau elail lc quan-iCme regimenl de I:a lroisieme brigade de La
  SC'C()fIde dhision, du Corps III de I'ArmCe du Potomac.
  01 Le 7 fcHicr 186j, tooS Ics sieges des corps de I'AnnCe du POtomac Oftl ~
  I'ordre d':I\'oir des guidoll!i hkus:i deux pointes ncc unc croix de ~1ahe. Ie numcro
  du corps ctant en rouge. Cene croix gr«que uiflCe a\-cc un bouton de lri:fIc au bout
  de duque bras est Ie s)mbok qui a en fait dC utilisi. D1 Cc drapcau de quanicr
  gmml de brigade adoplc k 7 fhricr 186j :I un ecrele tHane 1\'«: Ie badge du
  corps. OJ Le lu aoin 186.4,1cs Ord,"" Gene-raux no. 115 ont changc Ie badge du
  quamcr gmml du corps en ulilisant k badge de corps assigni:. un uifle. i I:a place
  de La croix de Malte. 0.,. ScIon Ie s)"sterne de 186-4. tOIlS k:s drapcaux de jeme
  dh'ision du Corps III utilisaient un badge de corps blcu. Ie lozange, sur un fond
  blanc.
  t:l Le badge <Ie corps du Corps V de I'Arm«du Potomaci:tailla croil: de ~talle.qui
  apparait en bbne sur son drapcau de quanicT general de 2erne di\"ision. tj Bien
  qu'a I'origine La croi:o: grttque portCe par k Corps VI de\--ait cue ponCe droile. die
  apparait comme une croix de SI Andre lOur un eenain nombre de drapcaux de
  quanicT gWml i panir d~ 186-4. [j l..c IXerne Corps adofll:l ee badge de corps
  inhabitucl.stgnifiantliOfl 11m ieeen tant que forcedc di-barqucmenlle long de b cOte
  du Jiud-estle 10 anill86-4. E.f k J nui 186.4. k Xcme Corps adopta deli drapcaux
  ClrTCs pour scs quarttcrs gcnmu.x et scs quaniers gWi:rau.x de di\"ision. I.e numero
  loi-lail ulilise sur Ics dn.pcaux des quanicrs gencraux du corps.
  FI l..c badge de corps du XXI\'eme Corps. DCparlcm~nlde Vir(inie. crii-:i panir
  d'e!i-menlSdu I"tcuX Corps X et XVIII, fut adopti-Ie Icr mars 1865. F1 Lcs Ordrcs
  S~aux de Terrain Xo. Ill. dalCs du 15 scptembre 186-4, du XXlllcme Corps,
  Arrncc de I'Ohio, ont crt.: cc drapeau. FJ Ce drapcau de quanier gencrale de corps
  cst di\-ise en quartiers sc:1on JiCS fanions di\"isionncls et rncsure 5 pieds ~r 5 pieds 6
  poucc:s. F-4I..c 7 juin 186.. Ie XVIIIi:me Corps, armeedu James. adopla unecroix:i
  cOtes folies comme badge de corps.
  GI l..c ~IXcme Corps. Departenlcnl du Golfe, adopta ce nou\"cau badge de corps,
  'une crOIX palml:e nec ccnt.re hexagonal'.1c 17 novembrc 186... rempla\:inl l'clOile:i
  quatre pointcs. G-.z. Fomlc Ie -4 aHil 186.., Ie XXcme Corps de I'Armi-c: du
  Cumberland a rellu son drapt."aU de quarlier gencrallc 16 avril, un goidon blcu 1I
  deux poinlts a\'C'C une croix luniccl1c blanche el un numero 10 rouge: Gj Note'/.
  I'aigle dare dans Ie eanlon. A la diflCrence de la pluparl des badges de corps du Corps
  IV. un triangle equiblcrial ne fUI pas ulilise sous quc1que forme que ce soil sur Ie
  badge de corps. G" Chaque di\'ision du Corps IV ulilisa des rarurcs blaneht.'S pour
  fairt un mOlif dans Ics canlons bleus de leurs drapcaux rouges pour Ie reSle. Dans cc
  cas, une croix de St Andre blanche nee ulle nrure \'erlica1c au milieu.
  I-II Cc guidon de l'''l\'alerie de ri-gle etait porte par la sociclc de C1,'alerie qui
  aeeompagnail ks quartiers gencr.lux de l'Armi-c: du POiomac durant la balaille de
  Gettyshurg. Ih Lcsdrapcaux du XXIi-me Corpsolll des formes bi1.arrcsa COle des
  fanions des aUlrcs trouJICS. arant 6 pieds de haUl Cl .. pieds de lart;c. Hj Apri:s 186J,
  la pluparl des commandcs de la C'naleric utilisaienl des sabres croisi'S. Ie badge du
  Corps de u\"alcrie lraditionncl. sur leurs drapcau:o:. Cc: drapt.-au de quartier gencral
  fut adopu" en 186-4 el al'l'arcmmenl ulilise jusqu':i la fin de la guerTe.
  48
  CI l,.,nlcr dcm Designalionssylcm \'on ItIll: fUr Fahncn der ArnlC:e am Palomar
  crhich jedc CN;le IJrigade einer ...weilen Oi"ision ungcaChlel dell Korps diest'
  hlauBwcilk Fahne in den Abmcssungen 152 x I82em. C2 Ein andercs erhahenc:s
  Ikispicl fur cine I862.Oesignationsfahne fUr die Ilolomac_Amltt. 152 x 181. CJ
  Dil,'$( l:>CSign:uions-rahnc wurde wahrscheinlich in dcr Ord's Dh"ision des De~n­
  menu; \'on Rappahannock getrqen -
  IJ7 x Inon. Farlx'n und l"...ah1cn lassen
  crkcnncn, daB dicsc: Fahne \·om ... Regiment der J. Urigade dcr 2. Di\ision des III.
  Korps der l'otomac_Armtt gttragen wurde.
  01 Am 7. Fcbruar 186J wurden aile Korps-I-Iauptquanicre ange".-icsc:n, blauc
  SCh...allx'nsch.....anz-Wimpcl mil einon ",-cilkn Mahc:sc:rkreuz und einer mien
  Korps-Xummer zu tragen; cs handehe sieh dabei in Wahrheit urn cin tri«hisc~
  Kreuz boton« mit eim"r klcebbnfiinnigc:n Knospc am Ende cinC5 jcden Arms, und
  cs '" urde dann wm Standard-Srmbol. D1 Dic!ic Urig:ukn_Slabsfahne. angcnom-
  men am 7. Februar 1863, 7.cigt cinen ",'cilkn Krcis mil clem Kor-ps-Ab7.c1chtn. DJ
  Durch den Allgemeinen Ikfehl :\'0.115 \'om l. Augusl 186.. 1Iurde das Ablcicbcn
  de II. Korps \'crandcn - mil eincm Klccbbll a~elle des MallCKTkreu7.l'S. D-4
  Unlcrdcm SyStem H)fI 186-4 7.eigten :dk Fahnen der 3. Di\-ision des III. Korpsein
  blaues Korps-Ab7.eichen. die Raute. aufWeilkm Grund.
  [IOn Korps-Ab7.eichen des \'.Korps dcr PotomK-Armtt 1I--ar das ,\lahCSC'Tkreuz,
  hier in WeiB auf dicser St:lbsfahnc der 1. Di\·ision. u Qb",ohl das Gritttlisdlt
  Kreul. des VI. Korps urspunglich aufrcchl gelragen ""uden muOle. erscheinl c:s ab
  186-4 auf \'crschK:denen Stl1bsfahnen a15 Andrnsbcuz. EJ lAs IX. Korps nahm
  dicscs unge""ohnlichc Abzcichen an als I'fin"'eis aufscinen Einsat'Z als l...andelruppt
  entbngdu Sudostkiisleam 10. April 196... F4 Am j.l\lai 186.4 nahm duX. KOIl"I
  rcchledige Slabs- und Oi\ isionsfahnen an. Die Zahllo ",urde aufden Slabsfahncn
  gelragen.
  FI Das Ab1.cichcn des XXIV. KOfpS. Ikpanmenl of Virginia, entSl"anden 1U5
  Elcmenten du
  allen
  Korps
  X
  und
  XVIII.
  "'urde
  am
  I.
  Man
  1865
  angenommen. Fl. Dicsc: Fahne ....-urde durch Speziallx'fehl :-:0. 111 \'om 25.
  Seplember 186.. des XXII. Korps dc Arml"C \"On Ohio angenommen. FJ Dicsc
  Korps-Stabsfahne iSI in dic Di\'isionsfarlx'n ge\ ieneilt und miOt 152 x 167Cfn. F-4
  Am 7. Juni 186-4 nahm das XVIII. Korps, Arm) of Ihe James. ein Kreu7. mil
  l.aubllerk,·enierungen als AbleK:hen an.
  GI Das XIX. Korps, [)e~nment of the Gulf. nahm am 17. ~O\'embcr 186-4 dicscs
  neue Ab1.cichcn an, ein "f:icherblanriges Kreul. mit aehu:d:igem Zcnlrum",
  anstdle des bisherigcn lI"eiBen, \"icrspilZigen Sterns. G1 Oas am -4. April 186-4
  Ilehildete XX. Korps der Army of the Cumberland erhiell am ::6. April seine
  Stabsfahne, cin blauer SCh"'·albensch.....anz-Wimpcl mit einem ",eiBcn Kreul. und
  der Nummer in Rot. Gj Goldcner Adler im Feld. 1m Gcgensalz 7.U den meislen
  anderen Korps wurde das Ab7.eichen des IV. Korps. ein Illeichsciliges Dreicck, nie
  auf den Korpsfahnen gClr.lgcn. G.. Jede Di\'ision des IV. Korps bcnullte \\"eilk
  Streifcn, um in den blauen Feldcrn seiner ansonslen rOien FlIhnen ein Design 1.U
  formen - in dicscm Faile cin \\"cilks Andrcas\.:reuz mil einem "enikalen Strcifen
  dureh die ~·lille.
  I-II
  Diescr
  \'orschrifL~mii6ige Ka\'alleric.WiOlpd
  wurde
  "lin
  der
  Kornpanie
  getngcn, die das Hauptquartier dcr POlomac-Armee wiihrend der Schlacht \-on
  GCIl)'sburg bcgleitete. '.1:1 Fahnen des XXI. Korps haben cin unge\\ohnlichcs
  Format im Vergleich mil denen anderer Korps; sic mes."Cn 182cm an der Stange Lind
  111cm :In der anderen Scite. I-IJ Nach 186J Hugen die Fahnen der Oldslen
  Ka"allerie-Einhciten das traditioncl1e Ka\'allerickorps-Abzeiehen -
  gekrculte
  Sabel. Dil'SC Slabsfahne lI'urde IIl64 angenomnm und ....-urdc offenbar bis 7.um
  Kriegsende gelragen.
  
  mmD
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  more than 90 illustrations including maps, orders of battle and colour plates, plus a series of
  three-dimensional battle maps that mark the critical stages of the campaign.
  THE ANCIENT WORLD
  218 ArcJent Chne5e Arrr1Ie'§
  109 Anaerrt Mod<llt E.i$t
  Il7 1'lIe Scytl'wG 700-](x) B.c.
  69 Greek & Penoill Wars 500-323 B,C
  141 Army of ~r the Grut
  121~Wirs
  .. ~~(.;,.,
  ,)
  ) Hidnin-Conswnne
  11'
  's E.nemoes:
  !'!"""""'" ""'""
  Isa 2 ~ & 8ritIsh Ceh:s
  115
  3 P4Mhans & SisWllds
  110 "
  Spaon 21S-19 B,C
  10
  S The Desert Frorrtoer
  THE MEDIEVAl. WORLD
  141 ~Bruntroe Armoes "th-9th C
  15<1 Artta.or & Anglo-Saxon Wars
  255 Anroes of the Muslim Conouest
  125 Armoes of lWm. 7th-I Itil C
  ISO TheAgeof~
  "
  8yz.vltiile: Arrnoes 886-1 I 18
  85 Saxon. Vb1g & Norman
  U I French Medievil Armoes 1(0).1 ](X)
  15 Armoes of the Cruwdes
  111
  ~&the~eos
  155 i<nltrts of Onst
  100 EI Cd & Il«~ 1050-!492
  105 1'lIe Mongols
  111 T~ Age of Tatl'leIiioe
  251 Medie'will Chnese Armoes
  50 Medoevill Europein Armoes
  151 Scots 8 W~Wars 1250-1400
  '4 The 5~s I300· ISOO
  I36 ~ Armoes I300-1 SOO
  166 C"i.ermil1 Arm~ 1)00·1 SOO
  1'5 ~ 8 E. Europe
  "XX<, loa
  140 Ottornin Turks 1300-ln"
  210 Venetl¥l Empjre 1200-1670
  III
  Cr~y ol"d POItlers
  144 f""ledIevaI Burgundy 1364·14n
  II) Arn1<es of Aginc:oort
  145 Wars of the~
  99 MedoevaJ Heraldry
  16TH AND lTTH CENTURIES
  156 The irish Wars 1485-1603
  Itl Henry Vln's Army
  58 The Undsknechts
  1)' Aztec Armoes
  101 The ConqutStidores
  US Gust.J.\IUS AdoIp/'us (I)
  14 English Ovil Wir ArmIes
  110 New Model Army 1645·60
  103 lou\; Xtvs Army
  91 M.vboro.Jgtl's Army
  86 Simurao Am-oes 155(}..1615
  184 PoIIshArmoes 1~9.16%1'1
  lea Polish ArmIes
  j~9-1696
  2
  A",ec annotations en f...~is wr lei
  planchet: en o;ouleur.
  Mit Aufnldlnunaen auf Oflltse:h ,(jbet- den
  Farbt.afeln,
  4J
  t1 ~R2.>
  ~,
  10 93
  '0 '\
  11TH CENTURY
  118~~
  116 J:redeodt the <nilf'l
  HO FredeI"ick the Greal 2
  141 Fredeodt the Greal 3
  41 Wolfe's Army
  118 Arnencin Woodlind lr1dI.v1s
  ), Bnt Arm( .. N" ~
  1.... Frerch .. Arr>er. Wit' rod,
  NAPOUONIC PERIOD
  251 NapoIeon"s ~ in It.J.ty
  19 Nipoleon"S Elt'fPIWl ~
  81 Nipoleon"S ~
  .... Nap's G..nssiers & Uribrien;
  55 Nap"s Dragoons & Unceni
  68 Nap's line Chis5alr"S
  16 Nap"s~
  81 Nap's Guard Cavalry
  141 Nap's Une nfintry
  146 Nap's l.Jttt Wintry
  153 Nap's Guard lI'lintry (11
  160 Nap"s Guard Infintry (2
  .... Nap's Germirl Alles II
  4) Nap's Germirl AIies 1
  90 Nip's German AIies 3
  106 Nap's German Alles 4)
  122 Nap's Germ¥! Alles 5)
  199 Nip"s Specialist Troops
  ISBN 1-8553l-255-2
  9lJlllll~1
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Osprey System/Campaign Series (CAM)/Osprey - MAA 258 - Flags of the American Civil War 2 - Union.pdf