Greg Biggs
42nd Alabama flag
Sat Feb 10 12:48:55 2001


Hello,

It is a sad tale indeed when ADAH spends the money to get the flag conserved and the owner wants it back. I am sure that Bob Bradley told the Birmingham CWRT all about the flag and the troubles with it.

As for the description in Henderschotts'a catalogue as to the flag being carried at Corinth and in the assault near Battery Robinette - I don't buy that one bit!

Where's the battle damage from flying bullets and artillery fragments? In addition, Price's Army of The West were flying Van Dorn pattern flags for the most part by this time, the first examples of this pattern being issued in June, 1862 to the Missiouri Brigade and the rest coming in August, 1862. I have the flag requisition for the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, of the same division as the 42nd Alabama, and it was for their Van Dorn flag.

Now - having said that, the battle flag of the 9th Texas Cavalry was lost at Corinth to the 27th Ohio Infantry, and that flag is an ANV silk battle flag - with tears from bullets and bloodstains from the wounded colorbearer on it to boot. How that ANV silk flag got out West is still under investigation, but a clue may be that Brig. Gen. W.L. Cabell, who commanded a brigade in Price's army, was the QM in Richmond when these silk flags were issued in November, 1861.

About 20 flags were taken at Corinth from the Confederate troops, and most were Van Dorn flags - unfortunately not ID'd to too many units. There is a stated Federal report that the 2nd Texas used a state flag in the same assault.

I think that the 42nd Alabama flag was a presentation color that did not see much combat use at all in the war - instead the unit used some other colors. Hence its very good condition.

Please be a bit wary of the descriptions in Henderschott's catalogues. While the flags are indeed all authentic, some of the descriptions are embelleished a bit.

Greg Biggs






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