As the ongoing sesquicentennial of the Civil War rotates through its succession of battles, from Bull Run to Gettysburg and the Wilderness, regimental flags and banners are being remembered as an important part of that history. But who designed and painted the gallant standards that were carried into hellish gunfire and wicked shelling? … continue
On March 5, 1864, eight months after Northern victories in Gettysburg and Vicksburg, members of the newly-formed Twentieth United States Colored Troops assembled in New York City for a send-off ceremony that featured flags and ovations from tens of thousands of white people. The New York Times described the ceremony as “a thousand men, with… continue
Whether it was in battles at Antietam or Vicksburg, Gettysburg or Shiloh, flag-bearers were a main target of enemy fire during the Civil War. Killing one of them spread confusion and panic in troops because they had lost their guide into battle – and their route to retreat. February, Black History Month, is good time… continue
In late January 1946, the people of Town Line, New York, raised an American flag to mark the end of the war. But they weren’t noting the conclusion of World War II six months earlier. They were observing the end of the Civil War in 1865. Located near Buffalo, Town Line assembled 113 of its… continue
The week that marks the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and the upcoming observance of Black History Month in February are appropriate times to recall the heroism of Sgt. William H. Carney, a remarkable protector of the U.S. flag during the Civil War. Born into slavery in Virginia, Carney grew up to travel the… continue