LOT #43013 |
Sold on Nov 13, 2023 for: Not Sold
U.S. Army Bgd HQ Flag, 2nd Bgd, 4th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, 1864-65, Jefferson Davis Capture....
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Description
U.S. Army Bgd HQ Flag, 2nd Bgd, 4th Division, Wilson's Cavalry Corps, 1864-65, Jefferson Davis Capture. This 35" X 54", wool, guidon represents the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps and was carried near its commander, until the close of the War.During the nearly six months that Brigadier-General James Wilson held the command of the 3rd Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac, he had frequent contact with his successor; Brigadier-General George A. Custer and he undoubtedly saw Custer's personal flag on several occasions. It is not totally surprising, therefore, that when Wilson sought designs to distinguish the brigade headquarters of the cavalry corps he was sent west to command in September of 1864, he ended up choosing designs with which he was familiar.
On May 6, 1865, troops under Wilson's command captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and Captain Henry Wirz, the commandant of Andersonville, as they fled through Georgia. After the cessation of hostilities, Wilson's administration of post-war Georgia was regarded as enlightened as he distributed captured mules, horses, wagons, and harness, to civilians and freedmen.
All of the 1st brigades of each of his divisions flew flags modeled after the scarlet over white guidon that had marked his own headquarters, while all of the 2nd brigades of his divisions followed the designs of Custer's personal flag and were red over blue swallow-tailed flags. Each of these flags bore the crossed sabers used in cavalry insignia, with the addition of the division number in the upper and lower angles of the crossed sabers to distinguish the brigades of one division from another.
Condition: scattered loss and thread bare.
Publication History:
Wright, Horatio, editor, Flags of the Army of the United States Carried During The War of the Rebellion 1861-1865, To Designate the Headquarters of the different Armies, Army Corps, Divisions and Brigades, or "Designating Flags of the United States Army, 1861-1865", Philadelphia, Burk & McFetridge, 1887/1888, P. "Cavalry Corps."
Woodhead, Henry, Editor, Howard Michael Madaus, Civil War Flag Authority Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of The Union - Flags. Alexandria, Time-Life Books, 1998. P. 289.
Width of Hoist: 35"
Length of Fly: 54"
Provenance:
2nd Brigade, 4th Division Cavalry Corps
Retained by A.J. Alexander commander of the division in 1865.
Obtained by Major General James Wilson for A.J. Alexander upon his death, 1887
Retained by the Wilson Family.
Sold by the Wilson family to a local dealer
Purchased from a local dealer by Stanley Mullen.
Acquired by Howard Madaus from Stanley Mullen of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, December 1974.
Sold by Howard Madaus to ZFC by private sale, 1996. From the Zaricor Flag Collection.
View all of [The Zaricor Flag Collection ]
Auction Info
2023 November 13 - 14 Americana & Political Signature Auction Signature® Auction #6276 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
November, 2023
13th-14th
Monday-Tuesday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 0
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 705
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $300,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $300,000 and $3,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $3,000,000 per lot.
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