U.S. 34 Star Recruiting Flag, 7th N.J. Infantry.

U.S. National Flag (34 stars), New Jersey state contract (made by Yard), used by the 7th New Jersey Infantry, Captain Hopkins.
This 34-star U.S. flag was made under contract to the State of New Jersey by William J. Yard of Trenton as part of a group of flags for use by recruiters endeavoring to fill the ranks of New Jersey's volunteer forces during the Civil War. The inked inscription on the canvas heading indicates that this particular flag was used by Captain Frank J. Hopkins of the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry in his effort to recruit volunteers for that regiment in 1862 and 1863. During the American Civil War the brass grommet, patented a decade before, found major use among flag-makers for the first time. Until the mass production of the brass grommet began, ties were run through button hole eyelets whip-stitched by hand into the canvas or linen headings along the hoist edge of a flag or a rope with toggle and loop were sewn directly into the heading. Although the brass grommet was a superior method of affixing halyards to flags, it was not universally adopted for another 25 years and it was not available in the South during the Civil War.

The field of this flag is composed of thirteen alternating red and white wool/bunting stripes, the topmost stripe is red as is the bottom-most, they are all joined horizontally by hand. Inset into the upper, hoist corner, and extending through seven stripes from the top, is a dark blue wool/bunting union/canton measuring 38.5 inches (w) x 26.5 inches (h), formed from two sections of bunting joined by hand horizontally. The canton bears 34 white, cotton, 5-pointed stars which each measure 3.5 inches across. They are sewn by hand onto both the obverse and reverse sides in five horizontal rows: 7-7-6-7-7. A white canvas twill weave heading, 2 inches wide, finishes the hoist edge. Four brass grommets are set, equally spaced, into this heading for ties to secure this flag to a halyard or pole. Inscribed on the heading in ink is: "Capt. Frank J. Hopkins, 7th N.J. Vols. 1862." which records its use by Captain Hopkins whilst he was on recruiting service for his regiment in 1862-1863.


Exhibition History:
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC1088)
34-Star United States Recruiting Flag, 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III
(ZFC1088)
34-Star United States Recruiting Flag, 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry


Bullock, Hugh, Sixty Years, Calvin Bullock, New York, 1954.P.32.

Provenance:

• Made by William Yard, Trenton, NJ, 1861-1862.
• Captain Frank J. Hopkins, 7th NJ Vol. Inf., 1862-1863.
• Acquired by Calvin Bullock, circa. 1930s.
• Calvin Bullock Collection, until passing, 1944.
• Hugh Bullock, until passing. 1966.
• By descent in Bullock family to daughter of Hugh Bullock, until 1997
• Purchased for the Zaricor Flag Collection by private treaty from the estate of Calvin Bullock, New York City, 1997.
Deaccessed Bonhams Americana Auction - 31 January 2025 - Lot 10




ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Sources:

---

War Department, Revised United States Army Regulations of 1861, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1863.

Bullock, Hugh, Sixty Years, Calvin Bullock, New York, 1954.P.32.

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

Cannon, Deveraux, The Flags Of The Union, Gretna, 1994.

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

7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, Wikipedia, 13 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_New_Jersey_Volunteer_Infantry

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

(Formerlt in the Bullock // WWII Naval Battle Flag Sub-collection.)

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	105
Length of Fly	47

Union/Canton
Width of Union/Canton	37.5
Length of Union/Canton	25.5

Stars
Size of Stars	3.5

Stripes
Width of 1st Stripe	4
Width of 3rd Stripe	4
Width of 8th Stripe	3.25
Width of Last Stripe	4
Size of Hoist	2

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	60.75
Frame Length	115.5

Stars
Number of Stars	34
How are the stars embeded?	Sewn
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

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Wool
Comments on Fabric	Bunting

Stitching
Stitching	Machine
Comments on Stitching	Stars are hand stitched

Thread
Thread Material	Cotton

Weave
Type of Weave	Tricot

Attachment
Method of Attachment	Grommets

Applica
Applique Sides	Double Sided = Two sides different

Documentation
Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Research Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Poor
Damage	Ripped - Soiled overall Trending to Fair
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1862

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC1088) 34-Star United States Recruiting Flag, 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Date: 1862-1863 Media: Wool bunting with cotton stars; all hand sewn Comment: This 34-star U.S. flag was made under contract to the State of New Jersey by William J. Yard of Trenton as part of a group of flags for use by recruiters endeavoring to fill the ranks of New Jersey's volunteer forces during the Civil War. The inked inscription on the canvas heading indicates that this particular flag was used by Captain Frank J. Hopkins of the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry in his efforts to recruit volunteers for that regiment in 1862 and 1863. During the American Civil War the brass grommet, patented a decade before, found major use among flag-makers for the first time. Until the mass production of the brass grommet began, ties were run through button hole eyelets whip-stitched by hand into the canvas or linen headings along the hoist edge of a flag or a rope with toggle and loop were sewn directly into the heading. Although the brass grommet was a superior method of affixing halyards to flags, it was not universally adopted for another 25 years and it was not available in the South during the Civil War. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1088) in 1998 from the Bullock Flag Collection of New York City, NY. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III (ZFC1088) 34-Star United States Recruiting Flag, 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Date: 1862-1863 Stars: July 4, 1861-July 3, 1863 (Kansas statehood January 29, 1861) Media: Wool bunting with cotton stars; hand-sewn Comment: This 34-star U.S. flag was made under contract to the State of New Jersey by William J. Yard of Trenton as part of a group of flags for use by recruiters endeavoring to fill the ranks of New Jersey's volunteer forces during the Civil War. The inked inscription on the canvas heading indicates that this particular flag was used by Captain Frank J. Hopkins of the 7th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry in his efforts to recruit volunteers for that regiment in 1862 and 1863. During the American Civil War the brass grommet, patented a decade before, found major use among flag-makers for the first time. Until the mass production of the brass grommet began, ties were run through button hole eyelets whip-stitched by hand into the canvas or linen headings along the hoist edge of a flag or a rope with toggle and loop were sewn directly into the heading. Although the brass grommet was a superior method of affixing halyards to flags, it was not universally adopted for another 25 years and it was not available in the South during the Civil War. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1088) in 1998 from the Bullock Flag Collection of New York City, NY

Publications
Publication Images	Cover P.32 P.32 w/ ZFC flags identified