| PAIR OF EXTRAORDINARY CIVIL WAR VETERAN’S FLAGS WITH HIGHLY UNUSUAL OVERPRINTS THAT INCLUDE REGIMENTAL DESIGNATIONS FROM THE 5th NEW YORK HEAVY ARTILLERY & THE 115th NEW YORK VOLUNTEER INFANTRY; EACH WITH A DIFFERENT ANTICIPATORY STAR COUNT (46 STARS IN 1902 & 48 STARS IN 1905) |
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| Web ID: | 46j-903 & 48j-1091 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | 28" x 23" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 5th NY HA - 7.25" x 12.25", 115th NY - 8" x 12.25" |
| Description: | |
| Throughout most of the 19th century it was perfectly acceptable to print on the American national flag for the purpose of advertising. In the 1880's booklets began to appear, issued mostly by insurance companies, patriotic organizations, and veteran’s groups, that spelled out rules thought prudent for the display and use of the Stars & Stripes. As public sentiment began to lean toward treatment of the flag as a sacred object, proposed legislation came before Congress. Bills governing flag desecration passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890, and the U.S. Senate in both 1904 and 1908, but were not at the time adopted into law. At the state level things were happening, however; by 1905, 34 of the 45 states had passed their own laws regarding flag use. While the above change in public opinion caused a significant departure from overprinting text on the American flag, especially as it pertained to political campaign flags with the names and faces of candidates, and those with store and/or product advertising, use by veteran’s groups remained steady. Civil War vets represented the majority of the American voting public, membership in the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.)—the primary organization for Civil War vets—was enormous, and reunions, which had been taking place all over America since 1866, were even more numerable. Most flags made for the G.A.R. bore simple text, with just its acronym, sometimes accompanied by a date. Others displayed a post number designation and/or the post name, the latter often with a location. Because G.A.R. membership was open to all who served, posts were typically composed of men from a large number of different regiments and even different states, branches of the service, etc. For this reason, flags made for posts and/or reunions did not typically include specific regimental designations. These two flags are unusual because they name specific regiments, as well as locations and dates. The 5th New York Heavy Artillery, a.k.a. the 2nd Reg’t Jackson Heavy Artillery, represented a consolidation of two units, the Jackson Heavy Artillery, recruited by Col. Edward Murray in November of 1861, and the 2nd Reg’t Jackson Heavy Artillery, recruited by Col. Samuel Graham just before the first regiment merged into the second, on March 6th, 1862. The unit mustered in at New York Harbor, New York City, in April of 1862, for a three-year term of service. The flag of the unit is a parade flag, printed on silk, with 46 stars in rows of 8-7-8-8-7-8, the two in the center justified, with the remainder staggered. Note how the position of the stars on their vertical axis varies from one row to the next. In the first row, the stars are canted to the left, with one point facing towards 11:00. In the next row they lean in the opposite direction, with one point facing toward 1:00, alternating back-and-forth from one row to the next, save for the center two. I have termed this configuration "dancing rows," though it may also accurately be referred to as tilting or canted rows. Note the brilliant, royal blue color of the canton and how nicely it presents with this particular shade of scarlet red. The flag is hemmed on the hoist, top, and bottom by machine, with the fly having a selvedge edge. The overprinted text, in black, in varying types of Roman letters, is contained in the 2nd-5th white stripes. This reads as follows: “Reunion National Encampment. Washington, Oct. 6 to 11, 1902. 5th N.Y.H. Art’y. Veteran Volunteers.” One of the most interesting things about the two flags presented here is that neither bears a star count that reflects the number of states on the corresponding date. Though the G.A.R.’s 1902 national encampment took place when there were 45 stars on the American flag, the flag of the 5th Heavy Artillery includes a 46th star for Oklahoma, which would not join the Union until November 16th, 1907, roughly 5 years later. Per the 3rd Flag Act (1818), stars were to be officially added on Independence Day, following a state’s addition. For this reason, the 46 star flag didn’t become official until the following year, on July 4th, 1908, nearly 6 years after the event. This is what is called an “anticipatory star count,” adding stars before the respective state had actually been added. Remarkably, two similar flags, with 46 stars, are known with a very similar overprint, made for the 5th Heavy Artillery’s participation in the 1900 G.A.R.’s national encampment at Chicago, Illinois, from Aug. 27th - Sept. 1st, 1900. This was 2 addition years prior to the addition of the 46th state. Adding stars in this fashion was pursued by flag-makers for a couple of reasons. One, it appealed to the overwhelming public approval for western expansion and manifest destiny. Two, it created a reason for potential buyers to replace their old flag with a new one. The 48 stars on the second flag, made for the 115th New York Infantry, takes the concept a step further, adding 3 stars instead of just one, to the count of 45 which was both accurate and official when the reunion occurred (1905). Each with a point directed upward, these are arranged in staggered rows of 8 throughout. In addition to Oklahoma in 1907, Arizona and New Mexico would join the Union in 1912, representing the last of the Western Territories to gain statehood. President William Howard Taft signed an Executive Order in that year, which became official in 1913, and dictated for the first time an official star pattern for the American national flag. Prior to this time, the configuration was left up to the whims of the maker. Now it was defined for all flags made for the Department of the Government, which meant all government and military entities. Though flags made for private use were not included, most flag makers fell in line, adopting the now-official 6 justified rows of 8 stars. Flags with 6 staggered rows of 8 stars, while not the official design, tends to appear on earlier 48 star examples, including most anticipatory flags, pre-dating 1912, then sporadically appearing through the mid-19-teens, disappearing around the close of WWI (U.S. involvement 1917-18). Printed on silk, the overprinted text, in blue, block style letters, reads: “1862. 115th Reg., N.Y.V. Canajoharie. 1905.” The flag is bound on all four sides with machine stitching. The 115th New York Volunteer Infantry was raised by Colonel Simeon Sammons in the counties of Saratoga, Hamilton, Fulton, and Montgomery, mustering in at the town of Fonda on August 26th, 1862 for a 3-year term of service. Both the 5th NY Heavy Artillery and the 115th NY Infantry participated in the Battle of Harper’s Ferry, where, with the Confederate siege commanded by the newly appointed Stonewall Jackson, both regiments surrendered and were taken prisoner. Both were paroled in exchange for Confederate captives, the former at Baltimore, the latter at Chicago. Both were heavily engaged throughout the war, though at different locations. The 5th H.A. saw action in Maryland (2 engagements), before Harper’s Ferry, then spent the remainder of the war in Virginia (approx. 17 engagements). The 115th Infantry headed through Virginia and South Carolina (2 engagements) to Florida (7 engagements) before returning to participate extensively in the Richmond & Petersburg campaigns, as well as all of those occurring in conjunction with Philip Sheridan’s famous ride through the Shenandoah Valley (approx. 11 engagements) and into North Carolina (6 engagements). The reason that overprinted parade flags with Civil War regimental designations are so interesting, is that they: (1) Tell a story, (2) Are more graphically intriguing than some other flags, and (3) Are so rare. The total number of examples with overprints for specific units is so miniscule that they can be inventoried in a single paragraph: In addition to the flag of the 5th NY Heavy Artillery from the 1902 national encampment, which presently survives as the only known example, there are the (2) aforementioned flags for the same unit from the 1900 national encampment. The flag of the 115th NY Infantry is one of (3) known examples in total. A very similar flag, printed on silk, with 45 stars in staggered, dancing rows, was made for the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteers, on which the following text is printed: “ 'Lest We Forget.' 83d P.V. In Defence (sic) of the Flag, Had Killed in Battle, 282. Died of Disease, 153.” A significantly larger flag, with 46 stars in dancing rows, is known with a black overprint for “Company K, 1st Infantry, Illinois National Guard.” A single, silk parade flag with 42 stars in a double-wreath pattern, cut and stitched into the form of a swallowtailed guidon, is known with a bold, black overprint for an 1889 reunion of the 7th Illinois cavalry at Camp Butler, IL. (2) tiny silk parade flags with 48 stars in staggered rows are known with black overprints from an 1896 reunion of Berdan’s Sharpshooters at Eaton Rapids Michigan. This was a federal regiment, consolidated from the 1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, led by Colonel Hiram Berdan of New York, recruited from New York, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The 1896 date, 16 years prior to the addition of the 48th state, makes this variety one of the earliest known 48 star examples. Another silk parade flag of the same size, with 48 stars in staggered rows, exists with gold gilt overprinted text from the 13th New York Volunteer Infantry. Undated, this includes 14 battle honors, an off-the-charts rare feature. I have had the great privilege to own all of the above flags, in addition to most of a small known group of 38 star, silk parade flags (fewer than 10 known) with a “Great Star” configuration, made for an 1885 reunion of the 12th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry at the town of Gilmanton Ironworks, NH, and most a group of about 20-25 known parade flags, with 35 stars (a commemorative count on these flags), made for the 71st New York Volunteer Infantry, that lists 3 battle honors. Mounting: The flags were mounted and framed within our own conservation department, led by expert staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples. The exceptional, solid walnut, antique American frame dates to the period between roughly 1850 and the 1860’s, with excellent, early surface and its original gold gilt liner. The flags were hand-stitched to 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated for colorfastness. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: The flag of the 5th NY Heavy Artillery is near-mint. The flag of the 115th NY Infantry bears 3 fold lines with significant splitting and minor, associated losses. There are extremely minor dots of staining and minor slits elsewhere, but the colors and presentation are very strong and the flag presents beautifully. The extreme rarity of this type of flag well warrants any and all condition issues. |
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| Video: | |
| Collector Level: | Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything |
| Flag Type: | Parade flag |
| Star Count: | Other |
| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1902 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1905 |
| State/Affiliation: | New York |
| War Association: | 1861-1865 Civil War |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
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