Exhibits Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.

Exhibition Copy

Exhibition History First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0211) 34-STAR UNITED STATES NATIONAL COLOR, St. Louis home guard Date: 1861 Media: Wool bunting with cotton stars; all hand sewn Comment: In 1861 St. Louis, Missouri, was a city divided over the issue of secession from the Union. Many of its earlier inhabitants had migrated from the Lower South and the southern half of the state, as well as the Missouri River Valley, were dominated by pro-slavery planters. However, after the failed German revolution of 1848 many liberal-thinking Germans emigrated to St. Louis and the northeastern part of Missouri. Many of those immigrants were staunchly anti-slavery and pro-Union. When the issue of whether Missouri ought to secede from the Union arose in 1861, the German ethnics of St. Louis organized military units for the citys Home Guard. That force opposed attempts by pro-slavery elements and the governor to organize a State Guard sympathetic to the secession movement. Led by Captain (later General) Nathaniel Lyon, on 10 May 1861 the St. Louis Home Guard surrounded the camp of the pro-secessionist State Guard, forcing them to surrender. While the prisoners were being marched back to St. Louis, a riot broke out. The Hessians (as the Home Guard was dubbed by pro-slavery elements) fired into the crowd, killing several. This flag, marked Home Guard on its heading, may have served as a regimental or company color for one of the German units involved in the effort to keep Missouri in the Union in 1861. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0211) in 1997 from the De Young Museum Collection through Butterfield & Butterfield Auctions of San Francisco, CA. Acquired by the De Young Museum as a gift from Laura S. Edwards of St. Louis, MO in 1924. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III (ZFC0211) 34-Star United States National Color St. Louis Home Guard Date: 1861 34 Stars: July 4, 1861-July 3, 1863 (Kansas statehood January 29, 1861) Media: Wool bunting with cotton stars; all hand-sewn Comment: In 1861 St. Louis, Missouri, was a city divided over the issue of secession from the Union. The southern half of the state, as well as the Missouri River Valley, were dominated by pro-slavery planters. However, after the failed German revolution of 1848 many liberal-thinking Germans emigrated to St. Louis and the northeastern part of Missouri. Many of those immigrants were staunchly anti-slavery and pro-Union. When the issue of whether Missouri ought to secede from the Union arose in 1861, the German ethnics of St. Louis organized military units for the citys Home Guard, to serve as regiments of the states Reserve Corps. That force opposed attempts by pro-slavery elements and the governor to organize a State Guard sympathetic to the secession movement. Led by Captain (later General) Nathaniel Lyon, on May 10, 1861, the St. Louis Home Guard surrounded the camp of the pro-secessionist State Guard, forcing them to surrender. While the prisoners were being marched back to St. Louis, a riot broke out. The Hessians (as the Home Guard was dubbed by pro-slavery elements) fired into the crowd, killing several. This flag may have served as a regimental or company color for one of the German units involved in the effort to keep Missouri in the Union in 1861. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0211) in 1997 from the De Young Museum through Butterfield & Butterfield Auctions of SF, CA.

Publications Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.

Publication Copy

Publication History: Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 73. 34-Star United States National Color St. Louis Home Guard In 1861 St. Louis, Missouri, was a city divided over the issue of secession from the Union. The southern half of the state, as well as the Missouri River Valley, was dominated by pro-slavery planters. In contrast, after the failed German revolution of 1848 many liberal-thinking Germans had emigrated to St. Louis and the northeastern part of Missouri. Many of those immigrants were staunchly anti-slavery and pro-Union. When the issue of whether Missouri ought to secede from the Union arose in 1861, the German ethnics of St. Louis organized military units for the citys Home Guard. That force opposed attempts by pro-slavery elements and the governor to organize a State Guard. Led by Captainlater General Nathaniel Lyon, on May 10, 1861, the St. Louis Home Guard surrounded and captured the camp of the State Guard. While the prisoners were being marched back to St. Louis, a riot broke out. The Hessiansas the Home Guard was dubbed by pro-slavery elementsfired into the crowd, killing several. This flag may have served as a regimental or company color for one of the German units involved in the effort to keep Missouri in the Union in 1861 Date: 1861 Size: 50" hoist x 79.5" fly Media: Wool bunting with cotton stars; all hand-sewn Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1997 from the De Young Museum San Francisco CA through Butterfield & Butterfield Auctions of S.F., CA. ZFC0211

Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.