Battle Flags
The 3rd Arkansas is generally understood to have had at least four different regimental colors during the war, and there are at least three surviving examples of the battle flags of the 3rd Arkansas Infantry:
The first flag of the 3rd Arkansas was probably a First National Confederate Flag, probably originally issued to either company C (the Confederate Starts, or Company K, the Ashley Volunteers. The unit carried this first flag during the Battle of Sharpsburg. If this flag has survived, it has not been identified.
Author Glenn Dedmondt identifies the second flag which was carried by the 3rd Arkansas as a three foot square flag which is currently in the collection of the Old State House Museum in Little Rock Arkansas. The Old State House Museum, Little Rock, identifies this flag as an artillery guidon. The flag was donated to the Old State House Museum by the family of Private R. Jessie Bailey, 3rd Arkansas Infantry, regimental band. The flag was allegedly made for the unit by the ladies of Fredericksburg, Virginia while the regiment was stationed there in the winter of 1862. It is likely that regimental color bearer James M. Johnson was killed while carrying this flag at the Battle of Chickamauga, 19 September 1863. The flag, an Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag, is 35 1/2" x 35 1/2" square; orange border; 5" stripe of the St. Andrew's cross; and thirteen stars made of bunting and cotton with a canvas lead.
The third flag carried by the 3rd Arkansas is an Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag pattern made of bunting and cotton with canvas lead, 47" X 46". Glenn Dedmondt identifies the flag as a 3rd bunting issue flag made by the Richmond Depot. The flag was issued to the unit on September 20, 1863 on the field of Chickamauga, and was probably carried until approximately 1 January 1865. Private Spencer Young, who was wounded carrying the flag in the Battle of the Wilderness, saved the flag and carried it back to the state. It remained in his custody until donated to the Old State House Museum, Little Rock in the 1920s.
The fourth and final flag of the 3rd Arkansas was a Richmond Depot 4th Bunting issue flag which is currently in the collections of the Museum of the Confederacy, in Richmond, Virginia. The 51" by 50" flag has a red bunting field crossed with 7 inch blue bunting bars in a St. Andrew's Cross with 3/8" white cotton fimbriation. There are thirteen 5 and 1/2 inch stars on the cross. This flag was surrendered by the regiment at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia and was assigned capture number 411.
Read more about this topic: 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment
Famous quotes containing the words battle and/or flags:
“In a time of war the nation is always of one mind, eager to hear something good of themselves and ill of the enemy. At this time the task of news-writers is easy, they have nothing to do but to tell that a battle is expected, and afterwards that a battle has been fought, in which we and our friends, whether conquering or conquered, did all, and our enemies did nothing.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
“The flags are natures newly found.
Rifles grow sharper on the sight.
There is a rumble of autumnal marching,
From which no soft sleeve relieves us.
Fate is the present desperado.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)