1st NY Vet. Vol. Engineers Flank Marker Flag.

U.S. Army Company Flank Marker Flag, Company H, 1st N.Y. Veteran Vol. Engineers, 1864.
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.

Flags associated with American Civil War Engineering Units are exceedingly rare. At the beginning of the Civil War, the engineer forces of the U.S. Army consisted of a single company of 100 sappers and miners stationed in Washington D.C. As the need for the services of this branch became more apparent during the War, the company was expanded to battalion strength and half-dozen regiments of engineers were recruited from state volunteers.

New York State provided three of these, two formed by the redesignation of infantry units and one newly recruited as the 1st New York Engineer Regiment. This regiment was organized under Col. Edward W. Serrell at New York City and accepted by the State September 27, 1861.

In 1864 this volunteer unit veteranized, i.e. it agreed to continue in service for the balance of the War. In February 1865, the veteran companies of the 1st New York Engineers received separate company markers for use when serving as separate units away from regimental headquarters. This is the marking flag of Company H of that regiment. It bears the distinctive branch insignia of engineer troops (the three-turreted castle) centered on a crimson ground, with yellow scrolls surrounding it bearing an abbreviated unit name. Superimposed over the castle is a black H to represent the 8th Company of the regiment. The 1st New York Volunteer Engineers served in the Department of the South (South Carolina and North Carolina) until 1864, after which it was part of General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James in Virginia.

During its service the regiment lost through death: 16 enlisted men killed in action; through wounds received in action, 2 officers and 8 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 5 officers, 114 enlisted men; making a total of 7 officers, 145 enlisted men, of whom 3 died in the hands of the enemy.

This is believed to be the only surviving flag from the 1st NY Veteran Volunteer Engineers and the only engineer flag in private hands.
The field is composed of crimson wool bunting, hand-stitched. In the center on each side is a white cotton rendition of the insignia of Army Engineers (a three turreted castle) has been appliquéd with a black outline thread, with a black cotton overlay "H" in the center. On a yellow scroll surmounting the castle are the cut out letters: "N.Y.S.V.V." (for 'New York State Veteran Volunteer'); while below the castle, also in outline, are cut out letters on a yellow scroll reading "1st ENGs," (an abbreviation for "First Regiment of Engineers"). The flag is attached to its staff with three straps hand-stitched to the 1.5 inch white cotton heading.

Exhibition History
First Presidio Exhibit, 2003

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III

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. 291

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 76.


Provenance:
• 1st New York State Veteran Engineers, Company H, 1865.
• Acquired by Michael J. McAfee, Curator of uniforms at U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY.
• Acquired y Frederick Benkovic, Milwaukee, WI, in 1962-1963.
• Acquired by Howard Madaus, Cody, WY in 1972.
• Madaus Flag Collection, Madaus #6, until 2000.
• Acquired by Zaricor Flag Collection by Private Sale from the Madaus Flag Collection, 2000

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

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, 29 March 2000, Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

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.
1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment, Wikipedia, 13 November, 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_New_York_Volunteer_Engineer_Regiment

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	27.5
Length of Fly	18

Stripes
Size of Hoist	1.5

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	25.5
Frame Length	33.75

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	Text : "N.Y.S.V.V." & "1st ENGs"

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Wool
Comments on Fabric	Bunting

Stitching
Stitching	Hand

Attachment
Comments on Method of Attachmen	3
Method of Attachment	Straps

Documentation
Documents
Drawings
Research Documents
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Good
Damage	Soiled overall.
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1865

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

Exhibition History First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0405) U.S. ARMY MARKING FLAG, COMPANY H, 1ST NEW YORK VETERAN VOLUNTEER ENGINEERS Date: 1865 Media: Wool bunting, cotton, and wool felt; all hand sewn Comment: At the beginning of the Civil War, the engineer forces of the U.S. Army consisted of a single company of 100 sappers and miners stationed in Washington D.C. As the need for the services of this branch became more apparent during the War, the company was expanded to battalion strength and half-dozen regiments of engineers were recruited from state volunteers. New York State provided three of these, two formed by the redesignation of infantry units and one newly recruited as the 1st New York Engineer Regiment. In 1864 this volunteer unit veteranized, i.e. it agreed to continue in service for the balance of the War. In February 1865, the veteran companies of the 1st New York Engineers received separate company markers for use when serving as separate units away from regimental headquarters. This is the marking flag of Company H of that regiment. It bears the distinctive branch insignia of engineer troops (the three-turreted castle) centered on a crimson ground, with yellow scrolls surrounding it bearing an abbreviated unit name. Superimposed over the castle is a black H to represent the 8th Company of the regiment. The 1st New York Volunteer Engineers served in the Department of the South (South Carolina and North Carolina) until 1864, after which it was part of General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James in Virginia. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0405) in 2000 from the Madaus Flag Collection of Cody, WY; previously part of the collection of Frederick Benkovic of Milwaukee, WI. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III (ZFC0405) United States Army Marking Flag, Company H, 1st N. Y. Veteran Volunteer Engineers Date: 1865 Media: Wool bunting, cotton, and wool felt; all hand-sewn Comment: At the beginning of the Civil War, the engineer forces of the U.S. Army consisted of a single company of 100 sappers and miners stationed in Washington D.C. As the need for the services of this branch became more apparent during the War, the company was expanded to battalion strength and a half-dozen regiments of engineers were recruited from state volunteers. New York State provided three of these, two formed by the redesignation of infantry units and one newly recruited as the 1st New York Engineer Regiment. In 1864 this volunteer unit veteranized, i.e. it agreed to continue in service for the balance of the War. In February 1865 the veteran companies of the 1st New York Engineers received company markers for use when serving as separate units away from regimental headquarters. This is the marking flag of Company H of that regiment. It bears the distinctive branch insignia of engineer troops (a white three-turreted castle) centered on a crimson ground, with yellow scrolls surrounding it and bearing an abbreviated unit name. Superimposed over the castle is a black H to represent the 8th Company of the regiment. The 1st New York Volunteer Engineers served in the Department of the South (South Carolina and North Carolina) until 1864, after which it was part of General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James in Virginia. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0405) in 2000 from the Madaus Flag Collection of Cody, WY.

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. 291 (See images below). Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 76. United States Army Marking Flag Company H, 1st N. Y. Veteran Volunteer Engineers At the beginning of the Civil War, the engineer forces of the U.S. Army consisted of a single company of 100 sappers and miners stationed in Washington D.C. As the need for the services of this branch became more apparent during the War, a half-dozen engineer regiments were recruited from state volunteers. New York State provided three of these. One was the newly recruited 1st New York Engineer Regiment. In 1864 this volunteer unit veteranized, i.e. it agreed to continue in service for the balance of the War. In February 1865 the veteran companies of the 1st New York Engineers received company markers for use when serving as separate units. This is the marking flag of Company H of that regiment. It bears the distinctive branch insignia of engineer troopsa white three-turreted castlecentered on a crimson ground. Yellow scrolls surround it and bear an abbreviated unit name. Superimposed over the castle is a black H. The 1st New York Volunteer Engineers served in the Department of the SouthSouth Carolina and North Carolinauntil 1864, after which it was part of General Benjamin Butlers Army of the James in Virginia. Date: 1865 Size: 18" hoist x 27.5" fly Media: Wool bunting, cotton, and wool felt; all hand-sewn Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 2000 from the Madaus Flag Collection of Cody, WY. ZFC0405
Publication Images	Cover Frontispiece datail Frontispiece P. 242 P. 243 P. 244 P. 245 P. 261 P. 269 P. 289 P. 290 P. 291