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Battle flags was a term used for the flags carried by Civil War regiments. Both armies used flags, which they also referred to as colors,
to locate their troops on the battlefield, in camp, and while on the
march. Battle flags were used to guide soldiers in battle. Wherever the
flags went, the soldiers followed. Flags led the charge or led the
retreat. A regiment's flag was carried by a color sergeant who was the central man in the color guard.
A color guard was composed of six corporals whose job was to protect
the color sergeants and the flags of the regiment. The regiment's flag
was a great source of pride in each regiment and to lose the flag in
battle was a great disgrace. The capture of an opponent's flag was, in
turn, a great honor. While infantry regiments had their flags, there
were also special flags made for headquarters, the artillery, cavalry,
and even the quartermaster and engineers- almost every unit had one!
Columns of soldiers marching toward Gettysburg were easily identified
by the colorful flags that each unit carried, most having the name of
the regiment painted on them.
Confederate regiments usually carried one flag of a particular design depending upon the army they served in. The Army of Northern Virginia
battleflag was made of heavy cotton or wool in the shape of a red
square with a St. Andrews cross of blue stripes and 13 white stars. The
field was usually outlined in white cotton. The flags were marked with
the number and state initials of the regiment. Some regiments even went
so far as to put the names of battles in which they participated in on
their flags, which they called battle honors. More battle
honors on the flag meant more prestige for the regiment. Very few of
Lee's regiments carried flags from their home state or flags of another
design. This standard flag helped indetify friend from foe in teh thick
of battle. Confederate armies in the west and deep south had flags with
different designs. A common Confederate battle flag seen in the western
army was made of blue wool with a white sphere in the center.
Union regiments in The Army of the Potomac were
issued two flags, a national flag and a regimental flag. The regimental
flag was made of blue silk with a painted eagle and banner on both
sides that included the number and state of the regiment. Some
regiments, including those from Pennsylvania, carried specially made
flags that included the state coat of arms in the blue field and
regimental designations painted in gold on the stripes. Smaller flags
or guidons were used to designate the flanks or ends of each
regiment. Because the flags were made of silk, they wore out very
easily from daily use and battle damage. The numbers and stars were
painted on the silk and often wore or faded out very rapidly. Worn
flags were sometimes replaced and the old flags retired to the states
for safe keeping. Some of these old flags, still bearing the scars of
battle, survive today in state archives and halls of history.
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Confederate Flag
History
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