Alan J. Pitts
Palmetto flag....
Thu Apr 12 10:36:10 2001


I agree with your assessment of the so-called Palmetto flag. You are familiar with questions raised about reported captures of flags during this campaign. Bob Bradley's masterful analysis of a flag said to captured from Clanton's Brigade near Montgomery on April 12, 1865 concludes with this paragraph:

The mystery of exactly how the flag fell into Federal hands remains unsolved. However, it may have been taken from a private home in Hayneville when the town was occupied on April 11, 1865. The forces of Major General James H. Wilson remained in Hayneville overnight, before proceeding to Montgomery the next day. On April 12, 1865 Wilson's troopers paraded through Montgomery. In her diary, Sarah G. Follansbee noted that "conquered banners were numerous." As she watched the procession, Sarah noted that, "we saw the conquered Hayneville banner several times--knew it by the word Tryanny being spelled with one n. We had seen it before the conquest."

Here's the URL for this flag, which has recently been restored:

http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/FLAGS/086.html

The flag in question had belonged to the Hayneville Guards of the 6th Alabama Infantry and had no relation to Clanton's Brigade whatsoever. Remnants of Clanton's Brigade regrouped at Greenville after being literally driven into the Escambia River at Bluff Springs. Capt. Hardeman of Clanton's 6th Ala. Cav. Regt. wrote a letter from camp at Benton on Apr. 9, 1865. General Buford probably led his two Alabama regiments as well as this group when they skirmished with the 2nd Indiana Cavalry and other of Wilson's 1st Division near Benton in Lowndes County on April 10, 1865.

That being said, many Alabama residents had moved from South Carolina. It wouldn't be improbable that a former South Carolinian in Wilson's line of march had a palmetto flag in his home. Based on what we know about the Hayneville Guards flag, I wouldn't be surprised if....