American battle flags in
general, and those of the American Civil War in
particular, are among the rarest categories of Stars and
Stripes in all of flag collecting. Company grade
Union Stars and Stripes, such as this flag belonging to
Company A, 16th New York Volunteer Infantry, are among
the most beautiful and cherished artifacts to have
survived the struggle. This particular flag
descended in the family of Captain Isaac Merry, who
originally enlisted but later became the company
commander of A Company.
Flags such as this were
often sewn by a commander's wife or by the women of the
community from where the unit mustered. These
homemade flags are known as "Presentation Colors",
because they were presented to the units by their loved
ones and communities, and were not of standard military
issue. They vary greatly in design and
construction, and collectively, those few that survive
represent some of the most folky and charming flags of
the era. Although units typically carried their
standard issued colors, presentation colors were carried
during ceremonies or in even in battle, if the unit's
issued colors were lost or damaged beyond use.
This particular flag survives in a remarkable state of
preservation, and is a magnificent example of an
exceptionally rare category of American flag.
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