General George Armstrong Custer's Personal Battle Flag to be Offered by Heritage!

DALLAS, TEXAS: The personal battle flag of General George Armstrong Custer, the most famous US Cavalry Officer in American History, was handmade of silk for him by his wife Elizabeth during the final days of the Civil War and delivered to him on the battlefield in the midst of battle at Dinwiddle Court House near Petersburg, Virginia on March 31, 1865. Custer immediately took this flag as he charged his horse over the breastworks of Confederate General George Pickett, winning the battle and bringing about Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox within a few days. Custer kept this flag hand sewn by his beloved "Libbie" as a symbol of valor and their patriotism together by his side for the rest of his life. Fortunately for posterity, the flag was left at Custer's head quarters at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dakota in 1876 as Custer and his men rode to their immortality at the battle of Little Big Horn.

"General Custer's silk swallow-tailed cavalry battle flag measures 36 by 68 inches," said Dennis Lowe, Director of Civil War auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries. "Centered between the red over blue bars are two hand cut white, crossed Cavalry Sabers making this flag instantly recognizable as a distinctive cavalry flag. Custer carried this flag throughout the remainder of the Civil War in battle at Five Forks, Nazomine Church, Saylor Creek and Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox. Custer received the first flag of surrender from Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia with this personal battle flag at his side."

"Soon thereafter," Lowe continued, "Custer was promoted to Major General and became the hero of the United States Army. Victorious at Gettysburg, as in all of his cavalry battles, he became the leading cavalry officer of the Civil War in 1865 - he achieved this destiny by the age of 25. Custer had many battles yet to fight, but he accepted a reduction in rank to stay in the US Army in command of all the cavalry in Texas in 1866 with head quarters in Austin. He soon became the commander of the legendary 7th Cavalry for service first in Kansas and across the Great Plains during America's westward expansion after the Civil War. This personal battle flag was with Custer as he made his way to Texas and the West from the wartorn battlefields of Virginia to his fateful destiny at The Little Bighorn where he and entire command fought to their death against the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians of the Northern Plains."

"This is one of the most important flags in American history," Lowe said. "It was passed down through the Custer family, and was preserved by his relatives from the Custer farmhouse in Monroe, Michigan. It was later purchased from his nephew Lt. Col Charles Custer just 75 years after it last flew above General Custer himself, by the noted historian and Custer biographer Dr. Lawrence Frost who first published this flag in his book entitled 'The Custer Album.' The Custer Flag has been authenticated by noted flag expert and historian Howard Michael Madaus and a volume of historical research and authentication document's this as one of the greatest American Icons in existence."

General George Armstrong Custer's Personal Battle Flag will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Civil War Signature auction, to be held on June 24, 2007 in Gettysburg, PA.

General George Armstrong Custer's Personal Battle Flag:
ESTIMATE: $1,800,000 - $2,200,000

Letters of Authentication

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of political memorabilia, Americana, and related collectibles are invited to visit www.HA.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Dennis Lowe at DennisL@HA.com.

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