Hello Frank,

The 17th Mississippi initially used the company flag of the Panola Vindicators as their regimental colours. On 9 December 1861 the regiment was issued a new flag, possibly an ANV Silk Pattern. In the summer of 1862 this flag was replaced by an ANV 2nd Bunting Issue. This flag is now in the Mississippi Department of Archives & History in Jackson (Collection Number 68.39).

The 17th Mississippi lost this flag at Knoxville on 29 November 1863. Nothing specific is known about the subsequent flags carried by the 17th. However, in his memoirs William Abernathy wrote that the flag carried at Appomattox was decorated with the battle honours "Manassas, Leesburg, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines ... and all the conflicts of northern Virginia, save Mine Run where Chickamauga took its place". He also states that this flag was torn up and divided between the remaining members of the regiment the evening before the final surrender.

Ryan Toews