No problem, on posting the picture.

It is possible but not very probable, The so called picturesque Custer having a third flag that was not reported in newspapers or books? Unlikely. If he lived today he’d be on TMZ or one of the other gossips shows everyday. In the campaign in Kansas and others, there was always a newspaper reporter following him around and a camera or two. The press interviewed the Troopers in his regiment, wife's & friends. Newspaper articles by the thousands and thousands of books, hundreds of researchers and I have yet to see anything, outside of his Civil War days that he had a second personal HQ flag, (It was after he lost his crossed saber guidon in battle). General Sheridan also used the crossed saber guidon as his personal HQ flag. http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss108/bagend-Flags/GeneralSheridanHQflag.jpg

If you look at the enlargement of the flag, and follow the outline you’ll see that the flag is waving at a pretty good clip. I believe what you are seeing and calling the bottom ribbon (scroll) is a shadow. The bottom lower right corner of any flag receives the most punishment, the shadow is the results of that movement. It extends from about the center of the field, skips an inch or so and onto the area of the staff. You can only see part of the wing, the tip would be several inches below what can be seen.

I sent the picture to a friend who makes a living using period camera equipment at reenactments and historical parks, he said it was a common mistake of over exposure. The transfer from the glass negative to paper and age is something to consider also. If the negative survives it would tell more then what is seen in this print that I scanned from the book. The large area smudge that covers the center of the flag may be a thumb print, since it extends above the outline of the flag.

Are you discounting the third picture, the one Custer is exiting the tent, taken in the same spot, Custer’s tent, as the first one but the camera is closer, shows a darker color flag, or staff edge. It is unlikely but possible that the flag was changed, to maybe, one of the Kansas State Volunteer Cavalry Standard, it has a similar pattern of those used by the U. S. Cavalry, but the field was a lighter blue, unlikely.

According to the records at the National Archives (Record Group 391.3, Records of the Cavalry) Colonel Smith received the Civil War surplus Cavalry Standard and Guidon’s at Fort Riley, Kansas, in December. The original designation of the 7th Cavalry was the 8th Cavalry, it was change shortly after organization was completed.

First Commander, Colonel Andrew J. Smith
Field Commander, Lieutenant Colonel George A, Custer
Senior, Major, Alfred Gibbs. The other Majors, Wickliffe Cooper, Joel H. Elliott
Captains, William Thompson, Fredrick W. Benteen, Myles W. Keogh, Robert M, West, “Mike” Sheridan, Louis McLane Hamilton, Albert Barnitz
Lieutenants, “Tom” Custer, W. W. Cooke, H. J. Nowlan, A. E. Smith, “Tom” Weir, Owen Hale, “Sam” Robbins, Myles Moylan, James Bell, Henry Jackson

The yellow flag theory started with Paxson’s painting, 1899. He was known to be very imaginative in his work. According to his grandson, he paint his friends and hero’s in a positive way, not keeping to the known facts.

Happy Trails!
Tom Martin