Wartime Artillery Brigade, 2nd Division, V Corps, Army of the Potomac Headquarters flag. Hand-sewn cotton. Single-applique with cut through. Overall 69 x 46 3/4 in. Maltese cross approx. 27 1/2 x 27 1/2 in. 

Provenance: Larry Thompson; Champion Hill Relics, 2016; Gary Abrams, 2016; Alejandro de Quesada. 
 

Regulation-sized flag bears all the hallmarks of period construction. Constructed of red cotton bunting strips sewn together. With hand-stitched straight-edged Maltese Cross, officially created and adopted in the spring of 1863. Original tie-strap/rope and wooden anchor-peg to affix the flag to the top of the pole. 

An ultra-rare wartime flag of the famed V Corps, one of the most renowned of the Army of the Potomac, including the "Iron Brigade" and Joshua Chamberlain's triumphant brigade at Little Round Top. 

Formed on 18 May 1862, the V Corps Provisional was created by combining the 3rd Division, III Corps, commanded by Major General Fitz John Porter, with Major General George Sykes's division of U.S. Regular troops. The presence of regular army troops created a professional environment with strictly enforced regulations and drills. Notably, the army artillery reserve was attached to the corps.  

Throughout the rest of 1862, the Corps was engaged in the Peninsula Campaign and was particularly bloodied during the Seven Days Battles when 995 were killed, 3,805 wounded, and 2,801 captured or missing. 

This flag is a very rare variant of the V Corps, showing the correct color combination for the artillery brigade of the 2nd Division of the V Corps with the white Maltese cross on a red field. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate]  [Relics, Militaria, Accouterment, Equipment, Uniforms] [Flags, Patriotic Textiles]

Shows signs of wartime use, including stretching in the cotton and frayed edges from field use. Some bleeding and stains from the elements.