Hello,

This essay offers the historical record of the capture of three CS flags at Fort Stedman in late March, 1865 and a couple flags at Fort Sedgwick on April 2, 1865.

The 211th Pennsylvania claims the flags of the 45th North Carolina (described as "white" - probably part of their state flag) and the 61st Alabama. WD 496 is allegedly the flag of the 61st Alabama captured at Sailor's Creek. This means that either the regiment did not lose a flag at Fort Sedgwick or they lost two flags - or the ID of the flag taken at Sailor's Creek is incorrectly identified.

In a Confederate Veteran article a soldier of the 45th North Carolina denies losing any flag in 1864 at Weldon Railroad and for the rest of the war.

So who knows if the ID claims from Fort Sedgwick are correct.

The IDs of the three flags from Fort Stedman remain unknown I think. Part of the problem with the two flags from Ft. Sedgwick is that the 211th PA was part of the Army of the James and according to the late Howard Madaus, that army never turned in any flags to the War Department.

Greg Biggs