This ANV (Army of Northern Virginia) Seventh Bunting regulation battle flag issued in March 1865, is probably the only flag of its sort to have been carried by Confederate sailors and Marines during a Civil War engagement. The sailors of the gunboat CSS Nansemond, part of the James River Squadron under Admiral Raphael Semmes, were ordered to destroy their vessel on April 3rd, 1865 as were the crews of the rest of the squadron (three ironclads and nine gunboats in all). After doing so, they were to form with Semmes as infantry and head to Danville, Virginia to man the defenses there, that town having become the new Confederate capitol with the fall of Richmond. Somehow, some and possibly all of the Nansemond''s crew ended up with Commodore John Tucker''s Naval Brigade (Battalion) of sailors and Confederate Marines who had been manning the heavy guns at Drewry''s Bluff south of Richmond. Tucker''s men had come to Richmond from Wilmington, NC and Charleston, SC as those cities fell in February 1865. While Semmes'' men took the last train from Richmond, Tucker''s marched on foot to join with the retreating Army of Northern Virginia. This command was dubbed the Naval Brigade even though it contained no more than 500 men. On the drizzly morning of April 6, 1865 these sailors and marines trudged their way along the muddy roads as part of the rapidly fading hopes of the Confederacy. At about 10:00 AM, the enemy being discovered in close proximity, the brigade was formed in line of battle as part of the ad hoc division of George W. Custis Lee. This division, the rear guard of Richard Ewell''s Corps, contained Richmond defense troops, heavy artillerymen turned infantry including from Col. Stapleton Crutchfield''s Battalion and a few veteran units such as the 18th Georgia Battalion. During this last major engagement of the war in the east at the Hillsman House along Saylor''s Creek, a battle that was actually three separate fights, Lee''s division held for a time with fighting becoming hand to hand. The stalwarts were Tucker''s men who only surrendered when informed that all other Confederate units nearby had already done so. Their stand earned the respect of their Union foes. Of the 18,500 Confederates engaged, 7700 were killed, wounded or captured, including Crutchfield who was killed and Generals Ewell, Kershaw, G W. Custis Lee, Seth M. Barton, James P. Simms, Dudley DuBose, Eppa Hutton and Montgomery Corse and Commodore Tucker, all captured. This flag was donated by descendant of this brigade to the Mariner''s Museum in Wilmington, NC where it was later de-accessioned. The flag is shown in a 1938 Columbia, SC newspaper article telling of it''s history of being saved by B.C. Casey (misprint, it should have been D.C.) of Rolling Fork, MS. There is much conjecture over flag''s exact history as the last owners had all died prior to the 1938 article, but according to the research of various experts including letters by noted vexillologists Howard Madaus and Greg Biggs, the flag has a wonderful history. While claimed as a flag from the CSS Nansemond, it is possible that the flag actually represented Tucker''s entire Naval Brigade. There are over 100 pages of research and correspondence concerning this flag. Provenance is published online and should be read by interested parties. This fabulous flag is unquestionably an original and fine condition Seventh Bunting issue ANV battle flag and is among the few surviving, especially privately owned. Beautiful example, few better. SIZE: PROVENANCE: Ex-Maritime Museum, Southport, NC. Ex-Collection of Dr. Charles Peery. CONDITION: Very good overall. Dark patination and color. Numerous small tears & holes as expected from battlefield use. 48942-1 JS (125,000-250,000)