Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003, Gallery III

U.S. 33 Star Flag - Oregon. In this flag the canton extends through the top six stripes only, rather than the traditional seven. To explain the six-stripe canton depth, a hypothesis evolved that any flag made with the canton resting on a red stripe indicated its manufacture during a period of war.

U.S. 31 Stars Mourning flag - Mourning border for Presidents Taylor and Lincoln. In 1850 President Taylor died, the border of this flag was decorated with black silk crepe to indicate his death. It is speculated that this flag was brought out again in 1865 in honor of President Lincoln, after he was assassinated in April of that year.

33 Star U.S. Grand Luminary Flag, 1859 - 1861, former Harry Oswald Collection. Grand Luminary star arrangement had been advocated for decades earlier as a star pattern for United states flags, and it still enjoyed great popularity at the beginning of the Civil War, as this home-made flag demonstrates.

16 Star U.S. Navy Boat Flag - Navy Yard Charleston, 1850's. This is a U.S. Navy Boat Ensign (Boat Flag) from the Naval Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, 1854-63. Marked in ink upon the heading are the inscriptions: "6 Ft. BOAT ENSIGN" and "N Y C" (the latter indicating manufacture at the United States Naval Yard at Charlestown (Boston Harbor)

Stylized American Eagle, 13 Stars, U.S. Pennsylvania Eagle Quilt. Pennsylvania-made quilt with large eagle in center within two frames of charming flowers, this quilt presents a symbol which many viewers probably can identify only as some kind of bird, the figure is clearly based on the coat of arms of the U.S.

17 Star U.S. Northern Abolitionist Exclusionary Flag, 1858 - 1859. Flags bearing 17 stars and 13 stripes were never an official flag of the United States; however numerous surviving examples confirm both their existence and use.

18 Star U.S. Abolitionist Exclusionary Flag. This flag flew on the ship United States when it departed Boston harbor in 1860 on the Hayes Arctic Expedition. Only 18 stars, arranged in two concentric rings around a central star, representing union, despite the fact that 33 stars should have been represented in the canton.

7 Star Confederate 1st National Camp Flag, March - April 1861, former Star Spangled Banner Flag House Collection. This flag bearing the first Confederate National pattern was authenticated by the Smithsonian Institution and examined by Howard Madaus who identified it, most likely, as a camp flag.

19 Star U.S. Northern Abolitionist Exclusionary Flag, 1861. There never was an official 19 Star flag; the 15-star 15-stripe flag served throughout 1795-1818 even though five new states (Tennessee 1796, Ohio 1803, Louisiana 1812, Indiana 1816 and Mississippi 1817) joined the Union during that period.

13 Star U.S. Commercial or Merchantman's Jack of S.S. Arctic, 1850s This flag features the stylized arms of the U.S. The American bald eagle bearing the arrows of defense and the olive branch of peace under an arc of 13 white, five-point stars. This large flag, stenciled "Arctic" on the hoist was misidentified in the auction catalog

US 33 Star "Eagle Canton", California Militia National Color, Evergreen Home Guard. This flag is a striking example of mid-19th century workmanship; and likely one of the oldest surviving United States Flags both from and made in California.