Boy - this will be loaded with speculation as so few flags survive for the 5th Georgia Infantry. Their First National from the early war, is in the Georgia Capitol Museum. The Second National, issued after Chattanooga, is in the Augusta-Richmond County Museum in Augusta, GA and their Augusta Depot flag from 1864 is in private hands today. I wrote an article on the latter flag for North-South Trader a few years ago and they may have back issues of that if anyone is interested.

They may have used their First National at Shiloh even though they were part of Withers' Division of Polk's Corps which used the silk Polk Corps flags made in Memphis in January 1862. However, the regiment was not part of Polk's Grand Division at Columbus, KY at the time so it is doubtful that they used that pattern and, instead, used their First National. Their First National was used through 1862 as it was captured at Stones River in December 1862.

After that is where real speculation ensues. They had been part of Withers' Division through year's end but the AOT underwent a lot of reorganization that year. They became part of Cheatham's Division by August 1863 and some of the units of that command were still using Polk Corps flags issued just as the KY Campaign began so that may be possible. And, they might have gotten another First National flag too. Barring any vivid descriptions from members of the regiment describing the flag we just don't know. But this is my best guess.

Greg Biggs