Gen. Philip Sheridan's Personal Silk Battle Guidon 1864 / '65

This Civil War battle flag was used by General Philip Sheridan (1831-1888), during his illustrious campaigns in 1864 and 1865. General Sheridan, who is considered the greatest commander of the Union Army was a career US Army officer, noted for both his meteoric rise to Major General, and his close friendship and association with General Ulysses S. Grant. He became commanding general of the United States Army in 1884 and held that post until his death in 1888.

General Sheridan used this red over white guidon as his personal flag following his appointment as commander of the Union Army of the Shenandoah in August 1864. Its design resurrected the US Calvary's red over white guidon which had been rendered obsolete in 1862 by a Stars & Stripes design. For his personal guidon, he replaced the company letter and regimental numeral with the two five-pointed-stars, representing his grade of major general.

His achievements as a talented and tenacious cavalry commander are well known. After graduating from West Point in 1853, he served in the US Infantry or in staff positions and had no experience in the mounted arm of service until he was appointed colonel of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry in May of 1862. Like all U.S. generals in the Indian wars, he gained his military experience in the Civil War.

This red and white battle flag indicated Gen. Sheridan's personal presence on the field. It was usually carried by a sergeant and accompanied Sheridan through all phases of the Shenandoah Valley and Appomattox Campaigns in which he led and rallied his troops through some of the most brutal fighting of the war. Following orders to thwart the Confederate cavalry forces which threatened Washington DC from the Shenandoah River Valley, his 1864 campaign through the Shenandoah Valley laid waste to an important source of Confederate supplies. This campaign included the famous "Sheridan's Ride." When the Battle of Cedar Creek began in the early morning of October 19, 1864, Sheridan was 20 miles away from the battlefield. Confederate General Early were close to winning a decisive victory until Sheridan, after a wild ride from Winchester, appeared and quickly rallied his troops. Sheridan's assault gained Lincoln the battlefield success that he needed to insure his re-election the following month.

This ride was immortalized in an illustration by Thure de Thulstrup (1848-1930), a Swedish-born illustrator who became one of the leading illustrators of historical military scenes, including three decades of work for Harper's Weekly. This image was widely published by the lithographer L. Prang & Co in 1886 and sold as a popular parlor and saloon decorative print depicting Sheridan rallying his troops as he rode along their lines waving this flag. Although Sheridan claimed he did not carry the flag that day, the print remained widely popular, contributing to the image of Sheridan in the popular culture of the day.

Sheridan also used this flag at the commencement of the Appomattox Campaign. At the battle of Five Forks on April 1st, 1865, he seized the flag from its bearer and led the famous charge, braving the many shot and shell that pierced the guidon instead of Sheridan. Charging over the breastworks of General Pickett's Confederate forces, Sheridan led his men to secure a Union Victory. This charge became part of the American Civil War legend, and the image of the dashing General Sheridan at Five Forks was painted or drawn by three major American illustrators for various publications including: a 1883 drawing by Lawrence Carmichael Earl (1845-1921), for the frontispiece of the1884 edition of Mrs. C. Emma Cheneys, Young Folks' History of the Civil War; a painting by Alexander Oscar Levy (1881-1947), for the title opposite of the 1909-1912 printing of Frederick Phisterer's, New York in the War of the Rebellion, Volume 5; and most famously, the 1912 lithograph: Sheridan at Five Forks, April 1 1865, by Henry Alexander Ogden (1856-1936) published by the War Memorial Association .

This battered flag remained with Sheridan's personal effects when he was posted to command the Department of the Missouri. General Sheridan relocated the command's headquarters to Chicago, Illinois and during the Great Chicago Fire of October 1871, he responded by coordinating military relief efforts. Although Sheridan's personal residence was spared in the fire, his office was destroyed along with most of his professional and personal papers. Sheridan's Chief Clerk and longtime aide, Daniel O. Drennan, a former army corporal who had remained with Sheridan since the War, was able to pack a large trunk with some of General Sheridan's memorabilia and transport it to safety. In appreciation of Mr. Drennan's actions and in recognition of his work as a valued aide, General Sheridan gifted Drennan some of the rescued mementos, including this flag, which were passed down through Drennan's descendants until it was sold at an estate auction in 2008.

On November 1, 1883 Lieutenant General Philip Sheridan succeeded General William Tecumseh Sherman as the Commanding General of the United States Army. On February 4th 1885, Sheridan issued General Order No. 10, which restored the red over white guidon to the United States Cavalry, the design which has continued to the present day.

Exhibition History:

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

Publication History:

Wright, Horatio, editor, 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, or "Designating Flags of the United States Army, 1861-1865", Philadelphia, Burk & McFetridge, 1887/1888.P. Gen. Sheridan's Battle Flag.

Provenance:
• Major General Phillip Sheridan, 1864.
• Gifted to military secretary Corporal/clerk Daniel O. Drennan, 1871.
• Retained by Daniel O. Drennan until passing, 1905.
• By descent in the Drennan family to great-great-great grandson William C. Leaman.
• Consigned to auction by Leaman estate in 2008.
• Sold via Heritage Auctions, Dallas TX, to Zaricor Flag Collection in 2008.

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