August 18 & 19, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/18/2020
A very attractive, gilt-wood framed group of flag fragments assembled by a Civil War veteran, likely for display at his G.A.R. Post. The fragments are from 4 flags. Pieces are a mix of red, white, and blue sections, some bunting and some silk, with a piece identified as from their state flag that is more a faint grayish-green. 1 is from a flag flown at Appomattox; the other 3 are flags from the veteran's own regiment, the First Massachusetts Infantry. The pieces are matted and mounted on an off-white cloth background and are identified in ink on thick, gilt-edged display cards that are stitched in place to the cloth background. The display was assembled by George Haines, a veteran of the 1st Mass., and likely dates about 1890-1900. The cards read as follows. Upper right: "Flag at Grant's Headquarters when Gen. Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant 1865." Middle Left: "Flag carried by First Mass. Reg't when they left for war 1861." Middle right: "State Flag carried by First Mass. Reg't" Lower left: "Presented to First Mass Reg't by Citizens of California." Lower right: "George E. Haines Company D. First Mass Vol. Infantry." Haines was 21 years old and worked as an iceman in West Roxbury when he enlisted on May 22, 1861 and mustered into Co. D of the 1st Mass Infantry on May 24. He was promoted to corporal and was mustered out May 25, 1864 at Boston. He died in 1907. The regiment was a very hard-fought unit in the Army of the Potomac, serving in the 3rd Army Corps and then the 2nd Army Corps. It lost 8 officers and 134 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded from its muster in May 1861 to its muster out in May 1865. It suffered its first losses at Blackburns Ford, just before First Bull Run, and fought at First Bull Run, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Nelson's Farm, and other fights of the Seven Days, Second Bull Run (where it took part in Grover's bayonet charge) Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Spottsylvania, among many other engagements. The flag fragment from Appomattox was likely obtained from a G.A.R. comrade. The flag from residents of California was presented in 1861 and is mentioned in the regimental history: "Boston citizens and resident in California having contributed to present the regiment a handsome silk banner, on the 6th of July it was brought into camp, and formally given inot Col. Cowdin's charge by Senator McDougal of that distant state. Speeches were made by the bearer, recipient, Col. Ellis, Col. Wells, and others; and the exercises closed with the usual dress parade.". CONDITION: Frame has some imperfections is missing pieces in various areas but the construction is still sturdy. This is a very attractive display of flag fragments as preserved and mounted by a veteran of a fighting regiment. SR
Item Dimensions: 20 - 1/4" x 18 - 1/4".