Ben is right - colors were cased while on the march. I have seen invoices for oil cloth flag covers.

With regards to ANV versus AOT and Mobile Depot flags and their English wool bunting, the ANV flags I have seen examined by thread count run between 35-37 threads per inch. This is true from First Bunting through Fourth Bunting flags examined at the Tennessee State Museum some years ago.

AOT and Mobile Depot flags probably used naval bunting which was a looser weave. The Magruder/Army of the Peninsula flags were also made of naval bunting. I would assume that this was cheaper than the tighter wool for the ANV (and I think Charleston Depot) flags. The first First National battle flags made for the ANV (then called the Army of the Potomac) by George Ruskell were made from the captured naval wool from the Gosport Navy Yard based on what Howie found.

Why these depots made the choices they made? Who knows.

Greg Biggs