Based on the research that I have done of the three brigades of Pickett that were present at Gettysburg I have noted that four regiments (of the 15 present) known or apparently were still using their older flags... For my own research purposes I have sub-classified the "Pickett Style" or "Pickett Pattern" as those 3rd Buntings issued in June 1863 with the unit ID's painted in white on the hoist and fly quadrants. All of the regiments that Ive researched it appears consistant that all replacement flags obtained of those lost at Gettysburg were also 3rd Buntings yet were issued unmarked. Other than the original June 1863 issue I havent found any evidence that this was repeated either issued in group or for individual regiments.
8th Va: (Garnett)
- Gettysburg: a 3rd bunting with ID applied on cloth (WD-67)
14th Va: (Armistead)
- Gettysburg; 2nd bunting w/ "Seven Pines" applied battle credit
Their "Pickett" flag was lost later at Five Forks (WD-274)
24th Va (Kemper)
- Gettysburg: 2 fragments of a possible 2nd National reportedly contributed to the 24th
Pickett Flag: lost at Saylors Creek (WD-341)
38th Va (Armistead)
- Gettysburg 3rd bunting applied unit ID (WD-45)
Pickett Flag; lost at Saylors Creek (WD-301)
Other stuff..
21st Virginia
I was not aware of the 21st having an earlier wool/cotton 12 star prior to Gettysburg. Was this one of the Richmond Cotton issues?. Would like to see the details on this one. John Worsham (author of One of Jacksons Foot Cavalry) mentions that they recieved their "first" regimental flag in Sept 1863 if memory serves correctly.. He wrote about it since they had reportedly were "missed" in earlier issues and the whole brigade was formed up for a ceremony to honor the occasion. He describes this new flag in detail including listing all the battle credits upon it, and also noting which ones had been incidentily left off by mistake. This was what I personally call the "Montague style" flag. He was a very detailed writer and odd that if they did have an earlier flag why it wasnt mentioned, he had been with the regiment since its forming. He was with Company-F of the 21st that wasnt at Gettysburg. Their company after the Vally campaign and Sharpsburg had dwindled to only a handfull so they were sent back to Richmond to rebuild and thus missed the Gettysburg campaign. So the G'burg battle accounting in his book was second hand recants from several of his regimental pards later.
Worsham also states the condition of the same flag in Sept 1864 at the Battle of Third Winchester where he was wounded in the knee and out for the rest of the war. Again the remainder of the event accounting is thereafter based upon secondary sources. Including the witnessed accounts of the flags destruction of on the eve of appomattox.
According to Worshams accounting at face value he only mentions them having the one flag. Since they were active from the start of the war in the thick of it I also thought it was odd that they wouldnt have had something. His Company-F was originally a pre-war militia unit in Richmond with the original 1st Va Vol. The Company itself had a flag of their own in pre-war / early war period. A fancy presentation flag of blue cloth and gold painted lettering that still survives and is resident in a museum in Warrenton Va. Years ago I was fortunate to have found Worshams aging granddaughters that were still resident in the home Worsham built after the war in Richmond. They still had most all of his gear and uniforms he wore home, and his hand written notes hense the book was created from.
MOC has a flag there reportedly identified to the 21st Virginia lost in March 1865 at Ft.Steadman. I believe this flag is misidentified and actually belonged to the 1st Virginia. About ten years ago I was approached with questions upon the validity of the claim, as was lectured and published by an ancestor of the person that captured the flag. I conducted a very detailed investigation upon all the units in question and the accounts of the action there, the conclusion that this could not have been the flag of the 21st Va... Yet MOC still has it labeled as such... but this is another story all into itself for later discussion...lol..
Frederick Sineath
(Richmond Va)