Yes, I have read this before, and I have revisited the site and reviewed it again. As to the second flag of the 40TH, I have no contention at all with that information. However, concerning the information about the 15 star flag, cat. # 86.1886.1, I suspect that this is actually the original flag that was presented near Mobile to Col. Coleman. My reasoning is that if another flag had been issued or presented at Vicksburg, it would have surely been before the seige, in the spring of 1863. This flag has 15 stars representing the 15 slave holding states that existed just before the formation of the Confederate States. By 1862 (I am thinking 1861) slavery had been abolished in Delaware and it had become very obvious that Delaware had no intentions of joining the Confederacy. It just makes no sense to me that a Confederate flag would have been made that late in the war that would include 15 stars. Actually, it seems odd to me that this would have even been done in the spring of 1862 when the regiment was formed and suprisingly by the date of presentation, 09 September 1862.

Unfortunantly, I have found but few references to the flags of this regiment in my research. I have done a good bit of research on this regiment which includes the reading of several sets of letters written by the members both during and post war, and diaries and memoirs. My own great-grandfather, a member of the 40th, mentioned in a post war written account that he carried the flag at one time. That part is rather cryptic and I believe he was probably refering to carrying it to post war reunions as he was active with the UCV and a personal friend of Lt. Col. Gulley and Capt. (later Judge) Thomas W. Coleman. I am confident that he was referring to the latter flag that was issued at Dalton that Col. Gulley had. BTW- Col. Higley, a resident of Mobile, was on a leave of abscence and did not accompany the 40th from the Mobile area in January 1865 when it was ordered back to the Army of Tennessee with Gen. Johnston. Lt. Col. Gulley was in command through the Battle of Bentonville up to the reorganization and consolidation into the 19th Ala. Inf. Regt. on 09 April 1865, about 2 1/2 weeks before Johnston surrendered. Col. Higley remained in Mobile and never did return to the regiment and that is why Lt. Col. Gulley was given the flag at the consolidation.

I have found no accounts so far of another flag being issued or presented to the 40th before the surrender of Vicksburg, not to say for certain that there was none. I have been hoping to discover a list of flags captured at Vicksburg to see if there was one reported for the 40th. If such a list is discovered, and no flag of the 40th is listed, I would assume that this is the original flag and it was either secreted or possibly in possesion of the detached 3 companies (Stone's Battalion) that were not present for the seige. I doubt the latter.

Is there any documentation concerning the Hardee pattern flag that was supposed to have been issued at the parole camp at Demopolis, Alabama in October 1863? I have copies of records where various clothing, arms, and camp equipments were issued, but no mention of a flag - not to say that I have seen all records that existed. If the regiment was without a flag at that time, I would think one would have been issued then. If one was issued in October 1863 at Demopolis, it seems unlikely to me that another would have been issued so soon afterwards at Dalton, which it was.

There is so much that we will never no for sure. I do enjoy doing detective work on this! It is just facinating!