And the proof is where for these items:

1) Your flag predates the Aberdeen flag.

2) Solid refutation of Rucker's own statement to the colonel of the 12th TN Cavalry (US) that the unit Rucker was with at the time of his capture was the 12th TN Cavalry (CS). Rucker made no mention of his escort being with him and even if they were then the Aberdeen flag was not captured with him as we know from Captain Storrs.

3) Proof that Rucker's escort ever used anything other than the Aberdeen flag.

4) That the lady of Aberdeen used ANY other flag as the inspiration for her design.

5) Considering how many "brigade" flags were taken during the war by Union troops that have turned out to be just regimental banners, can your really put all of your faith into the reports of the Union officers that the flag taken along with Rucker was, in fact, some special design when NONE of the reports even describe the flag that was taken which would have been far more likely had it been a different and unique design?

A couple of actual brigade flags were, in fact, taken on this campaign and these were of the specific design created by the AOT and AOM/Polk's old corps in the Spring and Fall of 1864 respectively. These flags are the very few that have turned out to be as described in those reports.

Supposition is fine but any resemblance of the two flags is purely coincidental and is backed up by no solid evidence from the ORs, period newspapers, period diaries, period letters that offer any description of the flag taken with Rucker, which more than likely would have happened if it was different in any way from the flags that Union troops at Nashville had been very used to seeing every day of the campaign. There are Union OR reports that do describe captured flags especially if they looked different from what they were used to seeing. When battle flag patterns were changed, some Union reports mentioned captured First National flags from the ANV as "brigade" flags when they knew that the ANV had specific battle flags - this is the case of the FN flag of the 21st Virginia taken at Gettysburg.

We need absolute, irrefutable proof before any of us here will agree with your contention about your flag - and we have none so far. That is a more than reasonable request.

Greg Biggs