U.S. Army Brigade HQ Flag for Colored Troops

A rare C.W Army Headquarter Brigade flag for 2nd Brigade, 3rd Div, 10th Army Corp Identified to Maj-Gen. Samuel A. Duncan.
This headquarters flag is exquisite, original and extremely rare. It was sold out of Gen. Duncan's family estate several years ago with the General's coat and the 4th USCT Federal National Color. Brevet Maj-Gen Samuel A. Duncan was a graduate of Dartmouth College and lived in Meriden, NH. He was directly commissioned by Pres. Lincoln as Col. of the 4th USCT(color Troops) Infantry Reg. in September, 1863.

Duncan was wounded leading an attack upon Newmarket Heights in September 1864, and was brevetted as Brigadier General for this action. He was later brevetted to Maj-Gen. He served as officer in command of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Div, 10th Army Corp from March 1865 to June 1865. During this period, Duncan and his colored infantry brigade participated in the surrender of Gen. Johnson's Army of the Carolinas in the spring of 1865.

This flag dates to the service between the dates of March 1865 to June 1865 under the command of Col/Gen S.A. Duncan, 4th US Colored Troops, when he was in command of the 2nd Brig including the 4th, 5th, and 39th US Colored Troops as part of 10th Army Corp, Gen.Terry's Dept. of NC.

This flag is a triangular shaped pennant marked to signify the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Div, 10th Army Corp. Its overall size is approx. 54" on the hoist by 43" on the fly to the point. The flag is based on white linen leading hoist edges (about 4.5" wide) with seven hand sewn "eyelet" holes. The main body of the flag is a red wool base being made from two horizontal pieces joined in the center with the hand stitched applied blue-bastioned fort outline with a white square (10th Army Corp symbol) in the center. The blue bastion center is about 19" across (tip to tip) with the center white being a 3" square.

This flag has been personally examined by a nationally recognized expert (Mr. Howard Madaus) on Civil War flags and has a pending letter of authenticity attesting to its originality and use. Unfortunately, Mr. Madaus passed away while the letter was pending, but correspondence between Mr. Madaus and the owner is available. It has been explained that this flag very closely matched the brigade flag (3rd Div, 1st Brig. 10th AC) of Col. Bates (30" USCT) that is in the possession of the Milwaukee Public Museum, the ex- Chicago Historical Society.

Bates' brigade flag is also two pieces of red wool and there is a strong feeling amongst the museum staff that it was made from a captured Confederate hospital flag (always red). See the book, "American Military Equipage 1851-1872 Volume II" by Todd, pages 323-351 for text and examples on Corp Flags.
This may be the only Civil War 10th Army Corps flag in private hands, it would display beautifully. Fabric of this flag is sound overall with good color retention. The hoist and central device are completely intact and in good condition. The red field shows some wear and about 25% is missing along the edges and the fly.

Additional letter of authenticity
19 September 2008
Dear Craig,
The history and background of Brevet Major-General Samuel Augustus Duncan, USV was partially taken from the book, The Officers of the Army & Navy (Volunteer) Who Served in the Civil War, edited by Lt. Col. William Powell, Philda. 1893, page 213. General Duncan served with General Terry in 1865 in North Carolina commanding troops entirely made up of black soldiers.
After Johnston's surrender he held local commands of these same troops at New-Berne and Wilmington, North Carolina. General Duncan mustered out in May 1866 after declining a commission in the regular army. Prior to his promotions to the rank of General, Duncan was Colonel of the 4th USCT (US Colored Troops), a regiment of black soldiers.
Both the National Civil War Associations written history of the 4th USCT and the history found in the Compendium of the War of Rebellion by Dyer, 1908 (pages 1723-1724) state that the 4th USCT was in service from September 1863 until mustered out in May 1866. The bulk of the unit's battle related experiences were during the period from February 1864 to April 1865. It is also noted that the unit lost (KIA) during engagements a total of 3 white officers and 102 enlisted men, one of the highest mortality rates of any USCT infantry regiments. A total of four Medals of Honor were awarded to the 4th, one to a white officer and three to enlisted men. White officers typically oversaw the black enlisted men of a USCT regiment.
The 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Division, 10th Army Corp was made up entirely of USCT black soldier regiments, the 4th, 5th and 39th USC Troops. The Tenth Army Corp Department of North Carolina was a reorganized unit formed on March 27, 1865 from General Terrys Provisional Corp. Dept. of North Carolina. The unit was discontinued from August 1st, 1865. Thus, General Duncan was the first of only two commanders of the 2nd Brigade. The entire 3rd Division (1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigades) of the 10th AC were formed and manned by northern black infantry regiments. See the 10th AC brigade and division data on page 362 of the Compendium of the War of Rebellion by Dyer, 1908.
Because this brigade and Army Corp formed late and was only in service for a short period of time, CW Corp flags for these units are extremely rare with only a few known. At the time Todd's American Military Equipage 1851-1872 was written, in his Corp flag section, he suggested what the flags may appear to look like, as he had not even seen an example or knew of any. I personally only know of two, this one and the other (1st Brigade, 3rd Division) found in the collection of the Milwaukee Public Museum.
I hope this data helps to reinforce the rarity and importance of this particular American Civil War Headquarters Army Corp flag.

Best Regards,
John N. Ockerbloom

ZFC Significant Flag

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Provenance:
• Theatre made, by repute, from captures Confederate flags.
• 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Division, 10th Army Corp, U.S. Army, Colonel (later General) Samuel A. Duncan, 1865.
• Retained by General Duncan as a memento of service, until passing 1895.
• By descent in Duncan family, until 2004.
• Acquired by Drummer Boy Antiques, Bedford, NH, 2004.
• Acquired by Cottle Hill Americana, Kittey, ME, 2005.
• Acquired by purchase by Zaricor Flag Collection in 2010.
Deaccessed by private treaty to John Monsky Collection, 2022.




Sources:

John N. Ockerbloom, correspondence & research, 4 May 2009, Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

US Army Quartermaster General, 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, Washington, D.C., 1887.

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.

X Corps (Union Army), Wikipedia, 13 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Corps_%28Union_Army%29

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Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	54
Length of Fly	43

Stripes
Size of Hoist	4.375

Frame
Is it framed?	no

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

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Crest/Emblem
Description of Crest/Emblem	One four sided blue bastion with a white center approx. 12" square

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Wool
Comments on Fabric	Bunting

Stitching
Stitching	Hand

Weave
Type of Weave	Plain

Attachment
Comments on Method of Attachmen	Seven hand sewn eyelets. Eyelet or grommett through header.
Method of Attachment	Whip-stitched

Applica
Applique Sides	Single Faced = Mirror Image Reverse

Documentation
Research Documents

Condition
Condition	Fair
Damage	Used, worn, dehydrated. with fabric loss and some fadin g
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1865