George,

And to top it off, according to Joseph Chance's unit history the flag was buried in or near Snyder's Bluff, MS. Here is the account:

"All regimental flags are ordered surrendered, but somehow the Second Texas flag turns up missing. A soldier from Company B hides the banner on his person and later smuggles it out of Vicksburg. The flag is left in the safekeeping of a lady at Snyder's Bluff, Mississippi, who buries it. No one knows for certain what finally becomes of the banner; some say it was left in Mississippi, while others contend it was returned to Texas."

Chance cites a source at Vicksburg NMP.

So we need to find out if Owens was in fact able to move in and out of Vicksburg with sick and wounded men under flags of truce or was the memory of the officers post-war faulty and some other guy got the flag out instead?

Greg Biggs