Frederick,

Chris Calkins' book on the Appomattox Campaign has the 1st WV Cav (Capehart's Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division - Custer's) on the late afternoon of April 6th supporting the attack on the main Confederate infantry line along the wagon road near the Marshall house and crossroads with the rest of the cavalry. This line was broken an a lot of flags gobbled up.

The same map for the Hillsman Farm has Wright's 6th Corps attacking but no cavalry supporting it other than Stagg's Brigade who smack's Kershaw's right flank. Calkins runs the Sailor's Creek park and worked at Petersburg for years. The rest of the US cavalry were down at Marshall Crossroads trying to cut through and cut off the bulk of Lee's army there. This included Custer's division whichw as the right of the Union cavalry line.

The 12th NCT was in Early's Division of John Gordon's Corps and they are placed on the map off to the northeast on Humphrey's right flank and not really engaged much.

Calkins has another book that focuses on Sailor's Creek with more detailed maps. Again he places Stagg's Brigade as the lone Union cavalry at the Hillsman Farm attack. For Custer he has them at Marshall's Crossroads facing Hunton's and Corse's Brigade of Pickett's Division. It was Capehart's charge that finally broke the CS line after Custer was repulsed three times.

Greg Eanes' book on Sailor's Creek places the 12th NCT at the fight at Double Bridges/Lockett's Farm and thus cannot be the unit that lost the flag to the 1st WV Cav.

If the 1st WV Cav took a VA unit flag at Marshall Crossroads then we are looking at VA units of Wise' Brigade, Steuart's Brigade, Terry's Brigade, Hunton's Brigade or Corse's Brigade. NC units there include Ransom's Brigade. Hunton and Corse were captured in this fight. Considering this and the second Calkins' book maps I think the flag that is WD 333 is from one of these two brigades and I lean towards Corse's. His brigade consisted of the 15th VA, 17th VA, 29th VA, 30th VA and 32nd VA.

I wonder if the 12th VA ID came from a badly written "15th VA" at some point????? How did the 12th VA ID get onto this flag in the first place?

Greg Biggs