Original Item: One-of-a-Kind. This is an exceptionally rare original U.S. Civil War infantry national color, constructed primarily from hand-sewn silk and measuring approximately 73 x 77 inches in its present fragile condition. With its regulation-size proportions, 34-star canton, painted gold stars, and surviving cotton fringe, this is an extraordinary early-war flag and one of the most significant Civil War colors we have had the opportunity to handle.

The flag has 34 five-pointed, oil-painted gold stars in the blue canton, indicating that it was manufactured in the early years of the Civil War, prior to West Virginia’s entry into the Union in 1863, which added a 35th star. The stars are in two concentric ovals with nine stars in the inner oval, twenty stars in the outer, one star at each corner and one star in the center.

This flag is an infantry national color rather than the separate regimental color. Under U.S. Army practice, an infantry regiment carried two principal colors. One was the national color, consisting of the Stars and Stripes, while the second was the regimental color, normally constructed with a blue field and a painted or embroidered national eagle and regimental designation. Both were large silk flags carried on staffs as part of the regiment's color party.

The flag is constructed almost entirely from handsewn silk with oil-painted stars and cotton fringe along the three sides. There is a sewn header along the end for attachment to the regimental staff. On this staff would have been a plaque or metal band inscribed with the name of the regiment. This example is missing its staff, so we cannot say what regiment this flag belonged to. There are heavy tears in the oil-painted stars due to how fragile silk becomes after being painted with oil and left for 163 years. The fact that this flag is still kept together at all is an outstanding feat. A very common souvenir for soldiers to take at the end of the war was a small piece of their regimental colors, and this one escaped that fate.

The colors measure roughly 73 x 77”, but please understand that this isn’t an exact measurement due to the condition of the flag. The flag is double-sided, with the stars having survived better on one side. There is some minor cracking in the silk red and white stripes, with some tears closer to the ends. The cotton fringe has held up very well, however there are areas where it is in better shape that in others, with some minor loss of the material and warping of the material it is stitched to. As mentioned, this is a flag which should be immediately taken and professionally framed or preserved to prevent any further damage.

The condition of the silk requires particularly careful handling. Historic silk becomes increasingly brittle as its fibers deteriorate, and exposure to light can accelerate that process. This flag should therefore be evaluated by a professional textile conservator experienced with historic flags and painted silk before any attempt is made to mount or frame it. Museum-standard conservation mounting, low-light display, UV protection, proper textile support, and environmental control would be appropriate considerations for its long-term preservation.

This is an outstanding flag, a similar example of which can be found at the Michigan State Capitol here. (PLEASE INCLUDE LINK IN SHOPIFY TEEHEE)

The history of Civil War colors gives surviving examples particular significance. Each infantry regiment carried its colors at the center of the formation, where they served as highly visible rallying and alignment points amid battlefield smoke and confusion. The color sergeant and accompanying color guard consequently occupied an exposed position, and contemporary military accounts describe the colors as attracting intense enemy fire and becoming focal points during close combat.

The scarcity of surviving Civil War silk colors is due in large part to the inherent fragility of the material. Silk fibers weaken and fracture with age and light exposure, and many surviving colors have required extensive institutional conservation merely to prevent further loss. This example has survived without the large-scale souvenir cutting sometimes encountered on Civil War flags, leaving a remarkable amount of its original fabric, fringe, canton, and painted decoration intact.

With its approximately 73 x 77-inch regulation dimensions, hand-sewn silk construction, surviving cotton fringe, distinctive arrangement of 34 painted gold stars, and close correspondence to a documented early-war national color preserved by the Michigan State Capitol, this flag presents unusually strong physical evidence for identification as an early Civil War U.S. infantry national color. Its missing staff and absence of a surviving regimental designation prevent attribution to a specific unit, but they do not diminish the significance of the flag itself. Professionally conserved and supported, it would represent an exceptional centerpiece for an advanced Civil War, American flag, or nineteenth-century military collection.