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Flag presentation to 11th Pennsylvania

The Berkeley County (West Virginia) Historical Society website has an interesting article on a national flag presented to the 11th Pennsylvania regiment on 12 July 1861 by the ladies of Martinsburg, Virginia. At the bottom of the blue field in small letters is inscribed: "MARTINSBURG VA July 12th 1861," and on the red stripes: "11th. Rgt. P.V." and "April 26th 1861." Ironically this flag was captured by the 17th Virginia at the Battle of Second Manassas. It was returned to Pennsylvania in 1905 and is now in Harrisburg. It is interesting to note that Martinsburg was a town of deeply divided loyalties. It became part of the new state of West Virginia in June 1863, just at the commencement of the Gettysburg campaign. From Confederate soldier accounts it is estimated that the town, which had a population of 3,000 in 1859, was split about 60/40 in favor of the Union as of the summer of 1863. That still leaves approximately 1200 residents with southern sympathies. A number of the latter opened their homes to the Confederate wounded from the battle. Union captives who were passing through the town on their way to southern prisons were likewise given a warm welcome by the citizens with northern proclivities.

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Flag presentation to 11th Pennsylvania
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