Hello,

I did not mention the Second Naval Jack of the CSS Patrick Henry at all actually. This was because her crew left Richmond with Admiral Semmes and made it to Danville, VA and while I made mention of this escape from the city, since the flag up for auction was saved at Sailor's Creek, I pretty much left it at that. As I said, Tucker's command and the CS Marines followed Lee's army going west. Some of the Nansemond crew went that route based on the flag incidents mentioned below instead of going out with Semmes.

Here's the listings of the flags known for the C SS Nansemond and any capture information from my report:

A - The post-war Richmond Dispatch, like so many Southern newspapers, ran a series of articles dubbed the Confederate Column. The articles often featured veterans and their battle accounts, factual articles on leaders or events and more. In the column dated October 16, 1898, part of a series on the Confederate Navy, was this account:

“McCarrick ___Born in Virginia. Was directly connected with the fleet at Richmond on the schoolship most of the time. He saved the flag of his ship, the gunboat Nansemond, when she was blown up at Richmond; carried it with him through the battle of Sailor’s Creek in which he participated with the Naval Brigade; preserved it till after that fight; brought it home after the surrender wrapped around his body, and the family still preserves it.”

Further research reveals that this was Patrick H. McCarrick, a midshipman who served on the CSS Patrick Henry (the schoolship); and he ironclads CSS Fredericksburg and CSS Virginia No. 2. Thus he was in the right place at the right time to save this flag as the Nansemond was part of the wooden gunboats that took the ironclads crews to safety after firing their ships.

The flag is probably a Second National (although research has shown that some Third National flags had been issued to units of the James River Squadron already) and it is missing today.

B - Several years ago, a Second National flag from the CSS Nansemond measuring 50 inches by 79 inches that came from the effects of CS Navy Lt. Wallace Masters was sold by a Civil War relic dealer of note. Made of wool bunting with white cotton stars, the banner is in excellent shape. As this ship was not that large and only bore two guns her battle ensigns would not be nearly as large as the cruisers and larger ironclads of the fleet.

Further research corroborates that Masters was indeed an officer on the CSS Nansemond. The flag is in a private collection today. It is evident that the flag was also either saved from capture by Masters or sent home before Richmond fell and preserved in that manner.

C - On April 6, 1865, near Jetersville, Virginia, which is east of Sailor’s Creek, Confederate stragglers from the Naval Brigade were captured by a U.S. Army Signal Corps officer and two others. According to the report in the Official Records by Captain Charles Davis of the Signal Corps, wherein he tells of the action involving his subordinate, Lt. P.H. Niles:

“On the 6th of April, 1865, near Jetersville, Va., in company with Captain Benyaurd, U.S. Engineers, and my orderly, Private Lane, and in advance of the army, we pursued and captured 7 rebels, viz 2 naval officers, 1 engineer, 1 acting signal officer (all of the rebel gunboat Nausemond (sic), and three enlisted men. The flag of the gun-boat Nausemond was secured from one of these enlisted men by Second-Class Private Morgan D. Lane, U.S. Signal Corps.”

On March 16, 1866, Lane was awarded the Medal of Honor for his capture of the flag, the citation reading: “Capture of flag of gunboat Nansemond.” Probably a Second or Third National ensign, the flag is missing today it never having been sent to the U.S. War Department.

The guy that saved this Seventh Bunting from capture at Sailor's Creek was listed in a 1938 newspaper article as "B.C. Casey." I checked the CS Navy Records for men on the CSS Nansemond and he was not listed - but his brother Caswell (also called Caldwell) was indeed part of that ship's crew. I think the newspaper article listed the wrong Casey.

Hope this helps.

Greg Biggs