I need to know the best and cheapest way to transport a war-era flag without significantly damaging the flag.

The flag of the 34th MS Infantry is about to be donated to the MS Division, SCV, and, in turn, donated directly to Beauvoir (the Jefferson Davis Shrine and Presidential Library).

A descendant of the last color-bearer of the 34th MS (said bearer having taken the flag with him at war's end, rather than surrender it) is donating the flag to Beauvoir.

Another descendant is going to drive from MS to a state in the NE of the US and drive back with the flag.

I don't think the flag is mounted (can't find out any details here).

I think it is simply folded.

The parameters of the move are that the flag must be driven by car.

If the flag is, indeed, folded, and not knowing whether it is silk, cotton, wool, etc., what is your best advice regarding packing, packaging, handling (clearly at a minimum!), etc.

Any and all suggestions are most welcome, indeed.

And, again, the family insists that they are going to drive the flag from the NE to MS by car. This cannot be changed.

I'm thinking that some very light fabric should be put into the bottom of a sturdy cardboard box, and that the flag (with as little unfolding as possible) should simply be laid on top of that underlying material, and the box simply then closed, with nothing put on top of the original flag.

Thanks for any tips here, given the constraints we're working under! -- Jim Huffman, MS Division, SCV, "Save the Battleflags" Committee

PS: Please don't chew me out about the constraints, as there is literally nothing I can do to change them.