Did 42Va Lose Its Flag at Antietam?
A postwar account by Lt. D.W. Garrett, C/42Va, said that at Sharpsburg "Company C had its color bearer shot down and left its colors on the field." [42Va: 42a, 397]. This does raise the possibility that a man from C/42Va, part of the regimental color guard, was wounded and, as a result, the regimental colors were left on the field. However, none of the men from C/42Va, or any other company in the 42Va who, prior to Antietam, were known to have been part of the regimental color guard were wounded at Antietam; and furthermore, none of the C/42Va men wounded or killed at Antietam are, at this time, identified as being part of the color guard at Antietam. For the moment, Garrett's assertion remains to be substantiated.