Dave
I agree, I see references to both flag and staff being captured and turned in and/or returned to the states. But at what reasonable assumption can be assured that the staff said to be associated with it now is the same as it had 145 years ago. Obviously many were placed on other post-war staffs for display and now 100 years or so later few can tell the difference.

Just an observation but appears the subject of staffs is consistantly inconsistant. Army reg's may have stated one thing, but those confirmed used many times are something else. The Richmond Depot had staffs as a QM requision item. However were they all the same and standardized.. or just obtained whatever various contractors could produce and supply at the time. Im sure there were plenty of in-the-field made ones utilized too.

I also find of interest in the wide array of spear top types used. Several excavated ones Ive seen were very close to what the Army still uses today... the wide Spade looking spear. Ive seen the commonly illustrated narrow longer spear point similar to a throwing spear... and also a favorite is the Halebert style tip such as the 12th Va had on theirs. The most unusual one that Ive seen was found by a friend of mine while we were relic hunting back in the 70's. It was a Chicken/Rooster with a cavalry soldier mounted in saddle on its back. The soldier with jacket, kepi and saber at the ready. The area it was discovered it had other cavalry items found. It was briefly occupied by two units both cavalry from opposite sides.

Frederick