Tennessee Union Cavalry Period Flag

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/30/2019

34 star “National Color” silk flag of the 5th Tennessee Cavalry (Union), 6’ x 6’, fine. This flag is slated to be included in the upcoming book, The Civil War Flags of Tennessee” from Tennessee State Archives on Civil War flags from that state! The flag was the second U. S. national banner received by the regiment. The first national banner received by the 1st Middle Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (the predecessor of the 5th Tennessee) in early September 1862 at Nashville was also a 34-star U. S. flag with gold fringe. It was retired from service on August 13, 1863 at the Smith County Courthouse in Carthage. After the official retirement ceremonies, the first national flag of the 1st Middle Tennessee Cavalry was placed in the possession of Nashville Alderman Abram Myers. There is no record of the existence of this flag after Alderman Myers indicated that it would be placed in the custody of the Tennessee Historical Society on August 20, 1863. The second U. S. national banner received by the 5th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was also a 34-star flag, which according to the book “The Civil War Flags of Tennessee” indicates it was probably made by Hugh Wilkins of Louisville. The 5th Tennessee Cavalry (Union) was organized at Murfreesboro, Nashville and Carthage, Tennessee, July 15, 1862 and mustered out August 14, 1865. The 5th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War . This regiment was originally recruited as the 1st Middle Tennessee Cavalry. The regiment lost a total of 245 men during service; 1 officer and 68 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 175 enlisted men died of disease. The unit participated in many battles including Nashville, Tennessee; Franklin; Murfreesboro; Stones River; Rome, Georgia; Tullahoma; Missionary Ridge; etc.

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