I have no qualms about the authenticity of this flag whatsoever.

Where I have the qualms is absolute proof that this was taken in the cavalry fights around Nashville in December, 1864. I have already stated that Union accounts mis-identify all the time such things as "division" or "brigade" flags? You have to ask yourself how would they know? They were not in the Confederate Army and made numerous such errors with flags they took during the war that did prove to be unit colors.

Besides being a flags historian I am also a Bedford Forrest historian and I know of no HQ flags of any style ever issued to him or any of his division or brigade commanders. His cavalry command was the last in the West to even standardize their battle flags in July, 1864 - after Wheeler had done so in February/March, 1864; after SD Lee's cavalry did early in 1864 and after William Hicks Jackson's Division did in October, 1863. Joe Wheeler did get a special flag made for him by some ladies that was of a unique design but his is the only documented one that I can find so far.

Your flag may have been taken with Rucker but all I am asking for is incontrovertible proof and based on the information available so far, we do not have that.

Greg Biggs