CSA Cavalry or Artillery Guidon Staff with Finial.

CSA Cavalry or Artillery Guidon Staff with Finial.
This Confederate guidon lance is an extremely rare example of guidons carried by the Confederate army during the American Civil War. This guidon used a Confederate variant of the typical 'red over white' style used by the Union during (and pre-dating) the war. This particular guidon was captured during General Grant's siege of Vicksburg outside Fort Hindman, Arkansas in January of 1863.

Most Confederate guidon lances with original top ornaments (finials) are undocumented. This example displays a crude Confederate facsimile of a halberd or battle-axe. Because cast bronze was a rare commodity of the Confederacy, during production, the finial was cut with iron. The finial was then affixed to a brass two-piece ball and painted red. Remnants of the original paint survive today. This guidon measures eight feet in length.
The one-piece lance still retains its bottom ferrule. This flag accouterment was likely produced at the beginning of the war, when such additions were still widely produced.

The flag that accompanied this lance was a Confederate Light Artillery or Calvary Guidon (ZFC 2499 example).

Provenance:
• Captured by Corp. Sheehan, 127th Illinois Volunteers
• Acquired by Daniel Potochniak of Hanover Park, Illinois from a descendant of 127th Illinois Volunteers veteran.
• Acquired by J.A. Hummel, Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Acquired by Richard H. Keller of Great War Militaria, Chambersburg, PA, until 1985.
• Crow Art Partnership Collection, Dallas Texas, until 2007.
• Acquired at auction from the Crow Art Partnership Collection, Dallas, Texas, via Heritage Auction Inc., at the 24 June 2007, Civil War Grand Format Auction, in Gettysburg, PA.

ZFC Significant Flag

Sources:

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Madaus, Howard M., Robert D. Needham, The Battle Flags of the Confederate Army of Tennessee, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Museum, 1976.

J.A. Hummel, Research & Correspondence to R.H. Keller, Great War Militaria, Chambersburg, PA.

Howard Madaus Letter of Authenticity to Heritage Auction Galleries, 22 June 2007, Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

127th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Wikipedia, 22 June 2013, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/127th_Illinois_Volunteer_Infantry_Regiment

Battle of Fort Hindman, Wikipedia, 22 June 2013, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Hindman

Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC) Archives, 2013.

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	96
Length of Fly	1

Frame
Is it framed?	no

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Condition
Condition	Good
Damage	used, worn, ball split
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1861-1865