Greg is dead on and I appreciate him posting this. When we encounter a flag we have to determine that it is indeed a wartime flag. Sometimes this is easy, sometimes not. If there is an attribution, then we do research to make sure that it is correct. That establishes the provenance. If there is no attribution, the we use the available information as a starting point. After the research is complete, then the flag can be placed in one of the following categories; unknown, possible, probable or definate. Few unkowns ever make it to the definate stage. So, that is where we are coming from. Flag research has come a long way since Howie published his book on the AOT flags but, these are for the most part the standards that he established and are the process that Greg, Ken and other flag researchers and curators follow. During this process there is much supposition but, in the end, it is the hard facts that have the final word. Always glad to help when time permits. By the way we are now up to 91 Civil War flags at the ADAH. We have conserved 15.

Bob