If you havent noticed Im picky for research and details.. and tend to seek out any and all possible options and fragments of evidence on anything.. prior to a possible conclusion on antyhing.. and one of the first rules of historical anything.. never say never.. or something is absolute.. for someone will always find something you missed to prove otherwise....lol..

With that said.. continuing additional research for more potential details on this mystery flag of sorts... Going back over any missed details on each...

Part of this endevor is to try to establish a time frame that these flags may have been issued.. that seems to be an elusive topic thus far...

An assumption of August 1864 or soon thereafter is the initial thought. This based upon the claim that the 12th Va flag displayed in the Echos of Glory attached to the broken flag staff from the Crater Battle is one of these RD 12 star flags. It is claimed that this flag is a replacement for the flag they had shot up at the Battle of the Crater (July 30th 1864).. therefore the replacement would be Aug64 there abouts... With this piece of data it could be speculated the mystery 12 star could be a hybrid 3rd/4th or maybe even a 4th/5th bunting due to the potential date of issue.

The picture of their Color Bearer William Smith reportedy holding a 12th Va flag on a staff with what appears could be a RD 4th Bunting issue 13 star flag.. a center star is visible.. noting the stars are larger but appear fairly evenly spaced the full length of the cross.. When the photo was taken Im not aware.. late war.. post war.. hmmm... With this it could be speculated the mystery 12 star came after their Crater 3rd Bunting, but prior to this later possible 4th Bunting...

Now.. another twist.. The MOC has a flag there reportedly identified to the 12th Va (WD-437) and this is listed as captured at Saylors Creek in Apr 1865 by the 2nd NY Cav... (assuming the identity is correct)... However this late war captured flag is an earlier unmarked 3rd Bunting... unlike the one in the photo of Sgt Smith, nor the mytery 12 star... It does not show the battle damage that the Crater flag would have had if they had reused it... Hmmm...

We have a 3rd Bunting (Crater flag).. then reportedly recieved the 12star as replacement... then the color bearer with a possible 4th bunting (however undated)... then another 3rd Bunting shows up captured late at Saylors Creek... If the unmarked 3rd bunting was in use at Saylors Creek... what became of the 12 star prior to that time... Looks like I got a heep lot of more research to do here to sort this out...lol...

Frederick Sineath
(Richmond Va)