This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
Published in Hartzler’s Band of Brothers, Photographic Epilogue to Marylanders in the Confederacy, this Confederate First National flag was used as a navy ensign and belonged to Capt. John William Bennett, CSN, commander of the CSS Gaines at the Battle of Mobile Bay. The flag comes with his cased 1894 Richmond reunion Maryland cross, a smaller (likely wartime) T-bar backed Maryland cross, and family photo album with twenty images, 1860-1870, signed inside the front cover “Miss Harriet G. Bennett.” A separate paper mounted albumen photo shows Bennett in his CSN uniform. With the group is a letter from the original purchaser, respected Maryland dealer Tom Gordon, and letters from both noted flag authority Howard Madaus and textile conservator Fonda Thomsen, with approving historical and textile analyses of the flag as wartime. Madaus additionally suggests Mobile as place of manufacture from two parallel examples and that Bennett acquired the flag in evacuating the battle damaged C.S.S. Gaines during the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864, taking it from a boat belonging to the Gaines or one of two from the C.S.S. Tennessee that he used in landing his men. Born in Talbot County, MD, in 1822 Bennett entered the navy as midshipman on February 10, 1840, graduated the Naval Academy in 1846, and in the Mexican War served on blockade duty, in the bombardment and landings at Vera Cruz, and land operations at Tuxpan and Tobasco. He was acting master of the Spitfire at war’s end and went to Japan with Perry in the 1850s, along with several expeditions to the West and East Indies. Promoted to Lieutenant in 1855, he was dismissed in 1861 rather than allowed to resign from reluctance to fight the south and on June 20, 1861 was commissioned a lieutenant in the Confederate Navy. He commanded entrenched batteries at Manassas and saw his first seagoing service on the CSS Nashville, which carried the Confederate flag into British waters, took two prizes, and later ran the blockade back into Beaufort, North Carolina. Assigned to the Mobile squadron from 1862 to 1864, he was appointed First Lieutenant in the CS Provisional Navy as of January 1864 and in August was the Lieutenant Commanding the CSS Gaines, a partially armored wooden side-wheel steamer carrying six guns. During the battle of Mobile Bay, he fired on a vessel he assumed to be the USS Hartford and later engaged with Farragut’s light draft steamers. With his ship hulled below the water line by a Federal shot, followed by a shell near the same point that exploded, Bennett was obliged to beach the ship near Fort Morgan and evacuate his crew. 2 crewmen died in the engagement, 3-4 were wounded, and 129 escaped to Mobile. Bennett and his crew rowed ashore in 6 boats from the stricken Gaines with the flag being offered. Later assigned to Battery Buchanan and then the ironclad ram Nashville, he was among the naval personnel who surrendered on the Tombigbee River at Nunna Hubba Bluff in May 1865 after the fall of Mobile. He made his way home to Maryland by way of New Orleans and Norfolk. He died at his home in Sykesville, Maryland, in 1902. The flag was reportedly used to cover his coffin. The flag is constructed of cotton, 50 by 80 inches, with a 34 by 33 inch canton, machine sewn with white thread and 11 five-pointed stars appliquéd to the canton on each side. The flag was secured to a staff by ties passed through seven equally spaced hand-whipped eyelets on the narrow, hemmed hoist edge. "Lieut. Bennett" is stamped in black on the heading on the obverse and reverse sides 4.5 inches from the bottom. CONDITION: Excellent with strong colors, some rust-colored stains on the stars at 4 and 5 o'clock, and some scattered light rust stains on the stripes (mostly concentrated near the center). A few tiny holes noted on the bottom stripe. Some wear to the fly edge at corners, a short tear on the upper stripe just forward of the canton and old, mended L-shaped tear on the bottom stripe just aft of canton forward edge. This is an exceptional Confederate flag, in a very displayable size and all the rarer for its connection with an active naval officer, its presence at famous Civil War battles, and construction details associated with Mobile-made naval flags.
CORRECTION: This lot now includes an interesting example of a US M1852 Naval Officer's sword which was defaced to reflect service in the Confederate Navy. The sword was displayed with Bennet's flag. The sword is in standard M1852 configuration, featuring a blade etched with Naval motifs that are patriotic in nature. The intriguing part of the sword is the guard, which features the typical banner with letters "USN", except the "U" was defaced to form a "C" in order to form the letters "CSN". The sword accommodates a bullion knot on which is affixed to the knucklebow and is complete with its leather scabbard that features the standard brass mounts. The drag resembles a serpent, complimenting the serpent quillon, which is common with this pattern of naval sword, and the carry bands are fouled. CONDITION: Hilt good, but slightly loose, wrap in place, wire binding present, but loose. Blade etching with standard USN motifs is light, but visible. Blade exhibits nicks along the forte with areas of heavier wear. Scabbard is good, drag is loose and will slide once the sword is unsheathed. Mounts exhibit a pleasing dark patina with dark splotches from age. Leather scabbard exhibits various scuffs and areas of loss but remains firm and in one piece.
Paperwork
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