35-Star United States Flag. Original dark blue silk bunting canton measuring (x), with 35 stars, arranged in a scattered pattern. The field retains its thirteen horizontal stripes, fashioned from alternating red and white silk bunting. Overall dimensions: (x).

The 35-star flag was officially adopted on 4 July 1863 following the admission of West Virginia into the Union. It quickly became synonymous with the Union cause during the most critical years of the Civil War, from mid-1863 until replaced by the 36-star flag in 1865. Sometimes called “The Civil War Union Flag,” examples of this star count were carried by regiments in the field and flown above public buildings during a period marked by Gettysburg, the siege of Vicksburg, Sherman’s march, and the final campaigns of 1864–65.

Due to its brief period of official use and the fragile nature of its silk construction, surviving 35-star flags are scarce. This example, with its original colors, rare silk canton, and period presentation, represents a significant artifact of the wartime Union and a tangible emblem of the nation’s preservation amid crisis.

Intriguingly, accompanying the flag is a circa-1930s photograph depicting a man and woman holding it. At the upper right of the image is an inscription reading “Flag at (undecipherable),” and beneath it a typewritten note recording that the flag “came from GA.” The precise chain of provenance remains to be clarified, and further research may reveal additional layers to the flag's significance. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate]  [Relics, Militaria] [Medals, Corps Badges, Badges] [Flags, Patriotic Textiles]