I noticed several posts about flags of regiments that fought in the Indian Nations, and decided to include information about the flag belonging to Howell's Texas Battery. Through research I determined that the artillery company had its first flag captured in its engagement with Federals at Old Fort Wayne, near Maysville in 1862. They also lost to the federals the complete battery of guns. The stated reason was that many of the horses had been killed and they could not be withdrawn. The battery appears to have spent much time reoutfitting, and sometime in the spring of 1864, Mrs Frances Howell, the wife of Sylvanus, learned the battery was without a banner. By this time federal ships had affected a blockade of the Texas seacoast. The effectiveness of the blockade could be testified too by the inability of Mrs. Howell to procure enough material, not even a yard of silk or cotton bunting in all of North Texas to make a flag out of. Feeling it shameful that Bonham had not supplied their men with proper colors, she persuaded Mrs C.C. Alexander to write her husband who was then in Houston to see if he might be able to obtain the bunting necessary to construct a proper flag for the company. He made the purchase in Eagle Pass, Old Mexico, and had the fabric transported from that place by "Mexican carts and mule wagons via Houston to Bonham. Upon receipt of the cloth Mrs Howell and Mrs Alexander commenced constructing the new company flag."
Consequently, the battery spent two and a half years without a battle flag. The flag was patterned after the Confederate battle flag but with the colors reversed. The Saint Andrews cross was red, the field was blue. Unlike many Confederate battle flags the red Saint Andrews cross was not separated as was customary from the blue field by white edging. It measured 44 inches square and had thirteen stars. Once it was completed, the flag was sent to the battery then at Fort Washita. They unfurled it for the first time in the Second Cabin Creek Campaign.
I have located two different photos of the flag, and have talked with the current owner.
curtis