What I do know and/or have researched thus far... for ease of responding...
- Being in Longstreets Corp in 1862 assumed they would have received either of the 1st or 2nd bunting ANV issues that were sent to Longstreets troops.
- The 14th participated in the Battle of Seven Pines (but not at Williansburg) thus a likely assumption they might have recieved one of the Longstreets battle credit "Seven Pines!" on the white cloth to attach.
- Soldier accounts stated after Malvern Hill their Regt flag was in rather sad shape having counted 47 bullet holes in it.
- Knowing Picketts Division recieved new flags abt May-June 63 of the 3rd Bunting Issue with the unit designation painted in white on the staff and fly ends. No credits upon them like the other 63 issued Montague types. All of the other surviving ones of the Division captured at Gettysburg are of this type, thus one would normally assume the 14th's flag would be the same, since appears to all have been supplied/issued at the same time.... Earlier statement of the sad condition if the current flag one would assume it was due for replacement anyway.
- OR's and Federal Captured flag returns of Gettysburg list the 14th's flag having been captured by several different units... Hmmm
- First... listed as captured by 19th Mass.... feasible since the 19th Mass was at that point in the line... additional research on this event and the persons resulting MOH citation discovered that he was lost and not with his unit and fell in with another unit further down the line, later citation corrected that this was the flag of the 19th Va (Garretts Brig).. not the 14th's flag...
- Second.. listed as captured by the 7th Ohio... the 7th Ohio was on Culps Hill on July 3rd.. they were opposing the Stonewall Brigade.. and specificlly the 4th Va... records later corrected that it was the 4th Va flag they picked up... not the 14th...
- If the 14th Va lost a flag at Gettysburg, as was the majority of the other units in Picketts Div., then I have not found a credible account of the capture. One is not listed in the War Dept roster of captured flags from Gettysburg... less it was tucked away in a haversack and not turned in.
- In the hords of paintings showing the apex of Picketts Charge at the copse of trees with Armistead with hat on his sword.. and the assorted Armisteads Regiment flags around in a cluster.. either the artist angle is done so that the flag id's are not visibly identifiable... some show the 14th with the 3rd Bunting Pickett style flag.... others showing it with a 2nd Bunting flag... hmmm..
- The MOC does have one flag identified to the 14th that was captured later at Five Forks.But unable to get over there to see what they actually have.. what issue type it is.. and if marked or not... assuming if they did lose one at G'burg this would probably be one of the latter bunting issue replacement flags...
The Questions...
1) anyone know what flag they were first issued ? 1st or 2nd Bunting?
2) did they recieve a Pickett style flag or did they retain their 1st/2nd bunting flag and used it at G'burg. if so anyone know if they used the Seven Pines battle honor?
3) any clue of evidence if they actually lost a flag at Gettysburg...lol
4) any clue as to which flag type the MOC has in their collection from Five Forks capture.
Sorry for the length.. but figured easier to be specific and show what has been traced so far.. I have not been able to locate any of these flags in available publications I have found so far.. nor online..
Thanks in advance
Frederick