U.S. 31 Star Flag, Pratt St. Riots, Baltimore, MD

U.S. 31 Star Flag, Pratt St. Riots, Baltimore, MD - Massachusetts Militia vs. Confederate Sympathizers.

This small hand-sewn 31 star (1851-1858) wool flag has a remarkable story. It was discovered in a Baltimore home at 1741 E. Lombard St; one block north and a few blocks east of the infamous 19 April 1861 event now known as the Baltimore Riot of 1861. Also called the Pratt St. Riots, they were between Southern sympathizers and members of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry en route to Washington for Federal service. It is regarded by many historians as the first bloodshed of the Civil War; and it is believed that this flag was displayed by Union supporters.

The flag was acquired by the Star Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum (SSBFH) in 1968 from Eugene Nardone, who discovered it while working on the Lombard St. home. The flag was kept by the SSBFH, but curiously, not with the general flag collection but rather in a special cupboard, with another flag (ZFC0022) that was associated with the Pratt St. Riot, leading to the speculation that both flags are associated with the event.

The flag examined at the request of the SSBFH by Rear Admiral William Rea Furlong. USN retired, on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution, who authenticated the flag as a period piece. The SSBFH further speculated that the flag may well have been made in Baltimore by Mary Pickersgill or her daughters, whose shop was only about 10 blocks away.

The noted flag historian Howard Madaus examined the flag in the 1990s and speculated that it that it was of the size and type of flags used by the US Navy for Boat Flags. Curiously it is of a similar size and type of flag Commodore Perry took to Japan in 1850. Perry's surviving flag at the US Naval Academy is almost identical to this flag; the only exception is the vertical row of six stars is on the hoist side of Perry's flag. This is the same flag that was taken to the USS Missouri in September 1945 to be placed on the deck when the instrument of surrender of Imperial Japan was signed.

This it is entirely likely that this 31 star United States flag, which became current upon the admission of California in 1851, was made for the Navy by Mary Pickersgill; used by as a small boat flag in the 1850s and then returned to Baltimore where it was displayed during the Baltimore Riot of 1861.

Provenance:
• Thought, by the Star Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum, Baltimore, MD, to have been made in Baltimore, MD by the shop of Mary Pickersgill, 1851/58; and authenticated by the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. as a period flag.
• Discovered at 1741 East Lombard St., Baltimore, MD, 1960s.
• Retained by Mr. Eugene Nardone, until 1968.
• Sold to the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum (SSBFH), 1968.
• Purchased by private treaty by the Zaricor Flag Collection from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD, in 1996.



Exhibition History:
University of California - Santa Cruz
Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit
Santa Cruz, CA
7 June 2012

Sources:

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

Baltimore riot of 1861, Wikipedia, 25 October 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Riot_of_1861

President Street Station, Wikipedia, 25 October 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_Street_Station

Camden Station, Wikipedia, 25 October 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden_Station

Williams, Michael G., "Baltimore Riot of 1861", Bullets vs. Bricks in Baltimore A mob out for blood clashed with troops en route to Washington, Weider History Network, 18 August 2014, from: http://www.historynet.com/baltimore-riot-of-1861.htm

Japanese Instrument of Surrender, Wikipedia, 25 October 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Instrument_of_Surrender#Flags_at_the_ceremony

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	48
Length of Fly	68

Union/Canton
Width of Union/Canton	25
Length of Union/Canton	26

Stars
Comments on Star Measurements	Size of stars is 4" on average. Stars are arranged point down, fly, hoist, down, down. Star pattern is 5-5-5-5-5-6.
Size of Stars	4

Stripes
Width of 1st Stripe	4.5
Width of 3rd Stripe	4.5
Width of 8th Stripe	4
Width of Last Stripe	4
Size of Hoist	2

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	58
Frame Length	78
Comments on Frame	Small Corp. Black

Stars
Number of Stars	31
Are there stars on obverse?	yes
Are there stars on reverse?	yes

Stripes
Number of Stripes	13
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Red
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Crest/Emblem
Description of Crest/Emblem	31 U.S Stars

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Wool
Comments on Fabric	Wool with cotton stars.

Stitching
Stitching	Hand

Thread
Type of Thread	Needs Analysis
Thread Material	Needs Analysis

Weave
Type of Weave	Plain

Attachment
Comments on Method of Attachmen	Eyelet or grommett through header
Method of Attachment	Whip-stitched

Applica
Applique Sides	Single Faced = Mirror Image Reverse

Documentation
Documents
Drawings

Condition
Condition	Fair
Damage	Solid portions missing, numerous holes from wear and tear. Trending to fair
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1850

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

University of California - Santa Cruz Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit Santa Cruz, CA 7 June 2012 Santa Cruz, CA, June 7, 2012: The Zaricor Flag Collection exhibited 34 flags and artifacts at the University of California Santa Cruz Campus for the Board of Councilors Meeting. 31 Star U.S. Flag, Pratt St. Riots Baltimore, MD. Date: 1851-1858 Media: Wool with cotton stars. Comment: This small hand-sewn 31 star wool flag is remarkable. It was made in Baltimore, at the Pratt Street shop of the flag maker Mark Pickersgill. It was later discovered in a Baltimore home, a few blocks from the site of the infamous 19 April 1861 event now known as the Baltimore Riot of 1861. Also called the Pratt St. Riots, they were between southern sympathizers and members of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry en route to Washington for federal service. It is regarded by many historians as the first bloodshed of the Civil War. This flag was displayed by Union supporters. The noted flag historian Howard Madaus examined the flag in the 1990s and speculated that it was also of the size and type of flags used by the U.S. Navy for Boat Flags. Curiously, it is of the same size and type of flag Commodore Perry took to Japan in 1853. Perry's surviving flag at the U.S. Naval Academy is almost identical to this flag; the only exception is the vertical row of six stars on the hoist side of Perry's flag, the same flag that was placed on the quarter deck of the USS Missouri in September 1945 when the instrument of surrender of Imperial Japan was signed. It is likely that this 31 star United States flag, which became current upon the admission of California in 1851, was made for the Navy by Mary Pickersgill, used by as a small boat flag in the 1850s, and then returned to Baltimore where it was displayed during the Baltimore Riot of 1861. Provenance: Acquired by private purchase in 1998 by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1453), from Star Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum, Baltimore, MD. www.FlagCollection.com