U.S. Army Bgd HQ Flag, Gen. James Wilson

U.S. Army Bgd HQ Flag, 2nd Bgd, 4th Div, Wilson's Cav Corps, 1864-65, Jefferson Davis Capture.
The Howard Michael Madaus sub-collection of Civil War Military Flags was assembled from a variety of sources over a thirty year period of collecting (1970-2000) before being acquired by the Zaricor Collection in 2000. The sub-collection attempts to present an example of each of the major types of depot contractor regulation flags and colors carried by Union forces at the basic unit level, i.e. regiment, battalion, company, and battery, as well as the types of general military flags.

This sub-collection which was added to the Zaricor Civil War collection constitutes the largest and (while not complete) most comprehensive collection of the military flags carried by the Union Army during the Civil War outside of state repositories designated by the War Department for the disposition of these flags after the War, or in public museum collections. In fact this private collection is larger and more comprehensive than many of the public museum collections in the United States.

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, that he ended up choosing designs with which he was familiar.

Indeed, 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 where 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. This particular flag represents the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps and was carried near its commander, Brigadier-General A.J. Alexander until the close of the War.

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.



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.


Sources:

---

Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.

Madaus, Howard M., correspondence to Ben Zaricor, 3 August 1995, Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

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

Todd, Frederick P., American Military Equipage 1851-1872, Volume 2, Providence, The Company of Military Historians, 1977.

Woodhead, Henry, ed., Flags, Echoes of Glory: Arms and Equipment of The Union, New York, Time Life Books, 1998.

Katcher, Phillip, Flags of the American Civil War, 2: Union, London, Osprey, 1993.
James Harrison Wilson, Wikipedia, 13 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Wilson

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

(Formerly in the Howard M. Madaus - Civil War & 19th Century Military Collection.)

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	54
Length of Fly	35

Stripes
Width of 1st Stripe	18
Width of 3rd Stripe	18
Width of Last Stripe	17
Size of Hoist	1.75

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	41
Frame Length	61

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

Stripes
Number of Stripes	2
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Blue
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Crest/Emblem
Description of Crest/Emblem	2 Swords crossed + Numbers : "4" & "4"

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Wool
Comments on Fabric	Bunting

Stitching
Stitching	Hand

Attachment
Method of Attachment	Sleeve

Documentation
Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings
Research Documents	Cover Frontispiece Detail Frontispiece Gen. Sheridan's battle Flag Gen. Custer's Flags Artillery Regimental Infantry Regimental Cavalry & Light Artillery 9th Corps 15th Corps Cavalry Corps
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Good
Damage	Some holes
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1864

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

Exhibition History First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0227) U.S. ARMY HEADQUARTERS FLAG OF THE 2ND BRIGADE, 4TH DIVISION, WILSONS CAVALRY CORPS Date: 1864-1865 Media: Wool bunting and cotton; all hand sewn Comment: 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 undoubtedly saw Custers 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 that he chose designs with which he was familiar. Indeed, all of the 1st brigades of each of his divisions flew flags modeled after the (red)scarlet over white guidon that had marked his own headquarters, while all of the 2nd brigades of his divisions followed the designs of Custers personal flag and where red over blue swallow-tailed flags. Each of these flags bore the crossed sabers insignia of cavalry, 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. This particular flag represents the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps and was carried near its commander, Brigadier-General A.J. Alexander until the close of the War. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0227) in 1998 from the Madaus Flag Collection of Cody, WY. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III (ZFC0227) United States Army Headquarter Flag, 2nd Brigade, 4th Div., Wilsons Cavalry Corps Date:18641865 Media: Wool bunting and cotton; all hand-sewn Comment: 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 Custers personal flag on several occasions. Therefore, it is not surprising that when Wilson sought designs to distinguish the brigade headquarters for the cavalry corps he had been sent West to command in September of 1864 that he chose designs with which he was familiar. Indeed, all of the first brigades of each of his divisions flew flags modeled after the (red)scarlet over white guidon that had marked his own headquarters, while all of the second brigades of his divisions followed the designs of Custers personal flag and thus were red over blue swallowtailed flags. Each of these flags bore the crossed sabers insignia of cavalry, 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. This particular flag represents the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps, and was carried near its commander, Brigadier-General A.J. Alexander, until the close of the War. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0227) in 1998 from the Madaus Flag Collection of Cody, WY. UNION DESIGNATING FLAG, 2ND BRIGADE, 4TH DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS, MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, WILSONS CAVALRY CORPS (Zaricor collection, ex-Madaus collection #13) (ZFC0227) DESCRIPTION The field of this flag is cut swallowtail and measures 36 on the staff (hoist) by 54 1/4 on the fly to the end of the swallowtails and 37 from the staff to the cut of the swallowtails. The wool bunting swallowtail field is divided horizontally into two bars, the upper 18 wide and red, the lower 18 wide and dark blue. Appliqued to each side of the field is a pair of crossed, white cotton sabers with straight blades, each saber approximately 29 1/4 long overall. Within the upper and lower angles of the crossed sabers, appliqued to each side are respectively the cotton numerals 4 in faded blue on the red bar and red on the blue bar. Each numeral 4 measures 7 high and 4 1/4 wide overall. The leading edge of the field has been doubled over and sewn to form a sleeve for the staff, 2 1/4 wide when flat. The flag is lightly moth-eaten but is otherwise in very good condition. No conservation measures have been effected on the flag. PROVENANCE This flag was sold by Howard Michael Madaus to Ben Zaricor in October of 1996. Howard Madaus acquired it by purchase from Stanley Smullen of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania in December of 1974. According to Mr. Smullen (in his letter of 18 August 1971, see attachments), he purchased this flag from a local dealer, who bought it from the Wilson family. It is thought that Major-General James Wilson acquired this flag from A.J. Alexander upon his death in 1887, as he mentions seeing the flag in a letter to Quartermaster-General Holabird at that time. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE This flag conforms to the specifications of General Orders, No. 3, Headquarters, Cavalry Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi (popularly known as Wilsons Cavalry Corps) dated 24 November 1864. As printed in the Official Records (Series I, Vol. 45, Part 1, p. 1025), the brigade flags were to be: First Brigade flag: two horizontal stripes, scarlet and white, of equal width, in the form of a swallow tail, the whole thing three feet wide by four feet six inches long, crossed sabers of blue; figures of the division in block letters above and below the intersections of the cross sabers, a white figure in the scarlet stripe, and a scarlet figure in the white stripe ... Second Brigade flag: two horizontal stripes, scarlet and blue, of the same form and dimensions as for First Brigade, crossed sabers of white, figures of the division of blue in the scarlet stripe and of scarlet in the blue stripe, placed as for First Brigade. These orders were under preparation as of 22 November 1864 but the orders were not released until 24 November 1864. While the orders were published on 24 November 1864, the requisitions had not been filled as late as 3 January 1865. (See O.R., Series I, Vol. 45, Part 1, pp. 988-989, 1022, and Part 2, p. 500.) That they were delivered in time for Wilsons massive raid through Alabama and Georgia and Florida in April and May of 1865, is evidenced by a letter (in the National Archives, Consolidated Correspondence File of the Quartermaster-General, Record Group No. 92), dated 11 March 1865 from A.J.A. [Lt. Col. Andrew J. Alexander, Assistant Adjutant General to his father, brigade commander Brigadier-General J.I Alexander] wherein he not only describes his fathers flag but illustrates it as well. At the time Brigadier-General J. I. Alexander commanded the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps M.D.M of Major-General James Wilson. He would continue to command that brigade until 26 June 1865 with the close of hostilities. The designating flag of the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps is only one of four flags that are known to survive in accordance with General Orders No. 3 of 24 November 1864, and is the only one in private hands. At the time of the orders issue Wilsons Cavalry Corps comprised seven divisions of two brigades each, requiring a total of twenty-one division and brigade headquarters designating flags. Wilsons corps flag brought the total to twenty-two. Of the surviving flags, two are division flags (those of the 6th and 7th Divisions) and two are brigade flags, both representing the 2nd Brigade, but of the 4th and the 6th Divisions. The system devised by Wilson for his western cavalry forces shows a strong influence of the flags with which he was associated as commander of the 3rd Cavalry Division, Army of the Potomac earlier in 1864. At the time he commanded that division, his own division flag was a (red)scarlet over white swallowtail flag with the figures 3 in opposite colors one each of the bars. This flag was transferred to Major-General George A. Custer upon Wilsons assignment to the western theater. At the same time, General Custer had been using at his headquarters a swallowtail flag composed of a red over a blue bar bearing white crossed sabers. [Both of these Custer flags are in the Zaricor collection.] Wilson could not have failed to notice Custers flag, and undoubtedly modeled the brigade flags of his Cavalry Corps after his own and Custers eastern flags. supporting documents A. Scale (1=1) drawing of the flag of the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cav. Corps. B. Xerox copies of correspondence between Stan Smullen and Howard Michael Madaus, dated 5 May 1971, 1 July 1971, 7 July 1971, and 18 August 1971, relating to the provenance of the flag of the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps. C. Xerox copy (from the Official Records) of General Orders No. 3, Cav. Corps, Military Division of the Mississippi, relating to the designating flags of that corps. D. Xerox copies of correspondence (from the Official Records), dated 22 November 1864, 24 November 1864, 3 January 1865, and 30 June 1865, relating to the design and issue of the flags of Wilsons Cavalry Corps. F. Xerox copy (from the National Archives) of letter of Andrew J. Alexander, dated 11 March 1865, wherein he describes and illustrates his fathers designating flag. G. Xerox copy of scale drawing (1=1) of surviving flag of the 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps, in Michigan Historical Commission collections; Lansing, Michigan. H. Xerox copy of scale drawing (1=1) of surviving flag of the 6th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps, in the collections of the West Point Museum; West Point, N.Y. I. Xerox copy of scale drawing (1=1) of surviving flag of the 7th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps, in the collections of the Pennsylvania Historical Museum; Harrisburg, Pa.

Publications
Publication Copy	Publication History: 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. Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 79. United States Army Headquarters Flag 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps 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 Custers personal flag on several occasions. Therefore, it is not surprising that when Wilson sought designs to distinguish the brigade headquarters for the cavalry corps he had been sent West to command in September of 1864 that he chose designs with which he was familiar. Indeed, all of the first brigades of each of his divisions flew flags modeled after the red over white guidon that had marked his own headquarters, while all of the second brigades of his divisions followed the designs of Custers personal flag and thus were red over blue swallowtailed flags. Each of these flags bore the crossed sabers insignia of cavalry, 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. This particular flag represents the 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Wilsons Cavalry Corps, and was carried near its commander, Brigadier-General A.J. Alexander, until the close of the War. Date: 1864 1865 Size: 35" hoist x 54" fly Media: Wool bunting and cotton; all hand-sewn Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1998 from the Madaus Flag Collection of Cody, WY. ZFC0227
Publication Images	Cover Frontispiece datail Frontispiece P. 242 P. 243 P. 244 P. 245 P. 261 P. 269 P. 289 P. 290 P. 291