These exchanges would be much easier for us all if only those in the Civil War did a better job of recording history as it happened!

We have all read the flag presentations that call new flags for units "a beautiful flag" but then the reporter fails to describe it. Very few of these have and it is those accounts along with other vivid newspaper accounts that have helped lead to the identification and re-identification of Civil War flags. Two flags come to mind; the 7th Georgia First National with the slogan "Repel The Invader" that is in the Atlanta History Center and the Louisiana flag that was thought to be that of the 3rd Kentucky Mounted Infantry.

For the most part, however, we will struggle with hoards of captured flags that lack any identification at all, partly because they are unmarked with such and partly because there was no effort to truly decide what flag it was. The again, at Fredericksburg, Union accounts that that the PA Reserves captured the unmarked Second Bunting battle flag of the 19th Georgia abound even unto Medal of Honor citations. New evidence found by Keith Bohannon and myself, has proven this to be the flag of the 14th Tennessee which was right next to the 19th Georgia. This includes the color bearer's account of removing the flag from its staff and getting off the field to a post-war account that states the 19th GA never lost a flag to the field requisition from the then commander of the 14th Tennessee asking for a new flag "to replace the flag lost at Fredericksburg."

When we have rock-solid provenance or a marked flag all of our jobs are so much easier. When we have none of that then it is indeed much harder.

I promise this to the board - if they ever invent a time machine in my lifetime I will go back to 1861 and give classes to both sides as to how to properly document history for those that will come after them!

But in thinking that over, would it be as much fun?

Greg Biggs