Phillip,

This is from the forthcoming book on Tennessee flags. It has the sources cited after each section. Since we know that Forrest's Cavalry Corps received Mobile Depot flags in July 1864, that was what the 12th Tennessee Cavalry would have carried in this battle.

As for who was the the color bearer, I have no clue. You know fully well as I do that lots of flag captures were not awarded the MOH and even more were never sent in to the War Department, None of the 18 flags claimed by Rosecrans at Corinth, October 1862, were ever sent to the War Department. Some are in Iowa. None of the 85 flags Grant claimed at Vicksburg were ever sent to the War Department. None of them taken at Fort Donelson were sent to the War Department. The Army of the James captured a number of flags in their battles near Petersburg and NONE were sent to the War Department. Hundreds of CS flags are missing today including a huge number of those captured. You know that as well as everyone else on this board. Nice try at obfuscation though!

Here is the entry. I stand on the sources used. One thing that everyone here also knows is that your flag CANNOT be established as having ANYTHING to do with Rucker or that it was in the Battle of Nashville in December 1864.

Greg Biggs

On December 15, 1864, and again on the next day, the Confederate Army of Tennessee, was violently attacked by a Union army under General George Thomas. On both days, Thomas attacked the flanks of the Confederates breaking their lines and forcing them to retreat. The Union cavalry under General James Wilson, launched an aggressive pursuit capturing prisoners, cannons, wagons and much more. In order to save the army from being cut off Rucker’s Brigade of Forrest’s cavalry erected a barricade on the Granny White Pike trying to buy time for the army to escape. In a growing darkness of December 16, Colonel Rucker was riding in front of his lines and came across a body of cavalrymen. He issued a challenge asking what regiment they belong to and when he was told, "the 12th Tennessee Cavalry," he drew his sword and swung it at the rider. He lost his balance and in turn was shot by an officer of the Union cavalry regiment and was taken prisoner. [Wiley Sword, Embrace An Angry Wind - The Confederacy’s Last Hurrah: Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville, p. 388-389; TICW p. 82; Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Tennessee, p. 603]

The 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Union, and the 9th Illinois Cavalry were right behind and attacked the barricade held by Rucker’s troopers. In the hand-to-hand fighting that took place, Berry Watson of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Union, captured what was described as, "General Rucker’s division flag." Indeed, several Union after action reports gave the captured flag a similar title. Rucker was presented with a special flag for his brigade escort by Mrs. Lorenzo Leedy of Aberdeen, Mississippi. It was made for her wedding dress by several ladies of the town. The flag was presented to Rucker in 1863 and was carried by his escort company of Alabamians (Company F, 7th Alabama Cavalry) commanded by Captain C. P. Storrs. The 7th Alabama Cavalry regiment was also part of Rucker’s Brigade. This is not the flag that was captured at Nashville as Storrs retained this flag after the war. In July 1907, he donated it to the Alabama Department of Archives and History where it resides today. Thus, the flag taken by the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, U.S., was a regimental banner. [Sword, p. 389, 447; Nashville Daily Times & True Union, December 27, 1864. For Union reports describing the flag as a brigade or division banner see, General James H. Wilson, OR I, Volume 45, Part 1, p. 552; General Edward Hatch, OR I, Volume 45, Part 1, p. 578; Colonel Datus Coon, OR I, Volume 45, Part 1, p. 592; Lieutenant Sidney O. Roberts, OR I, Volume 45, Part 1, p. 595; Robert B. Bradley, Documenting the Civil War Period Flag Collection at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, p. 85]

At least two sources state that it was the flag of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Confederate, that was captured. One reported, "in this engagement the 12th Tennessee, Union, fought the 12th Tennessee, Confederate, and in the darkness and during the hand-to-hand fighting the 12th Tennessee, Union, succeeded in capturing General Rucker, who was in command of a Tennessee brigade, also his flag." The unit history of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Confederate, stated, "the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Confederate found itself in close combat with the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Federal. In the hand-to-hand melee, Colonel Rucker was wounded and captured." While the latter does not report the loss flag, it does establish that the two regiments with the same designation fought against each other. And considering that a trooper of the Union regiment captured the flag, it was more than likely the Mobile Depot battle flag of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Confederate. [W. R. Carter, History of the First Regiment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry in the Great War of the Rebellion, p. 233; Waldon Loving, Coming Like Hell: The Story of the 12th Tennessee Cavalry, Richardson’s Brigade, Forrest’s Cavalry Corps, Confederate States Army, 1862-1865, p. 132]