In late 1864, the Civil War was nearing its end. For nearly four years, American flags and Confederate banners had been flying above frays fought mainly on the East Coast. Another battle, which occurred in the Far West, involved flags that were ignored. Unrelated to the war, Federal troops descended on hundreds of Cheyenne and… continue
A century and a half ago, during the closing months of the Civil War, Harper’s Weekly, an influential magazine, continued its coverage of the conflict – and its support of the Northern cause. Many times, that support was shown through images of the American flag. One of the most striking shows Abraham Lincoln as a… continue
Raising the American flag is a common activity for presidents, including Abraham Lincoln. But he had to skip one such occasion, even though he had promised to be there. It happened less than a year after his inauguration in March 1861. Six months later, after the first battles of the War Between the States had… continue
The odds are in your favor that the State of Nevada, home of gambling, will change its official flag. After all, it has done so repeatedly. When President Lincoln signed the document accepting the state into the Union 150 years ago, Nevadans came in waving nothing. As noted on its website, “the Legislature did not… continue
Sometimes, history repeats itself in perfect intervals. For example, 2014 continues the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, marks the centenary of the First World War and begins the observance of the 75th anniversary of World War II, which broke out in 1939. Over that span, American flags were draped over the coffins of tens… continue