Big red background

Big Red Report: Research, Analysis, Findings, and Recommendations April 2009

The Star of the West Mural in The Citadel Library depicts the firing on the Star of the West on Jan 9, 1861 with the red SC flag “Big Red” proudly flying over the cadet artillery battery.

Ted “Tex” Curtis Chairman, Citadel Historical Council Class of 1964 PURPOSE Update senior leadership on the results of the Citadel Historical Council’s (CHC) further research and findings regarding the origins of the Civil War era “Big Red” palmetto flag in the Civil War flag collection of the State Historical Society of Iowa.

INTRODUCTION The red palmetto flag that flew over the Citadel cadet battery on Morris Island Jan 9, 1861, has become an important part of the military history and traditions of The Citadel. Since its rediscovery in 1961, the flag has become a symbol of the spirit of the Corps of Cadets, and The Citadel ideals of duty, honor and courage.1 This flag is also of historic importance to South Carolina and the United States because of its connection to what leading Civil War historians Maury Klein and William Freehling have described as one of the pivotal political and military events leading to the American Civil War.2 It is therefore important that the CAA and the college determine to a reasonable degree of certainty whether the red palmetto flag in the Iowa Historical Society collection could be the Star of the West flag.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As requested by the Citadel Alumni Association (CAA) Board, the CHC has continued its study into the origins of the Civil War era “red palmetto” South Carolina flag in the Iowa Historical Society’s Civil War Flag collection. At the outset, we should note that after nearly 150 years, much of the direct evidence of the origin of the Iowa flag has been lost. We should not expect to find absolute and conclusive proof of every fact, nor should we expect to eliminate every alternative interpretation or controversy concerning a fact or circumstance. What we have attempted to do is to acquire as much credible evidence as can be found in order to address key questions regarding the origin of the red SC flag located in the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Where reasonable inferences can be drawn from the evidence and circumstances, we have done so. Where we cannot do so, or additional research is necessary, we say so. We believe that to a reasonable degree of certainty, we have answered most of the key questions. Additional research on key individuals (e.g. Capt Culpepper 1854, Major Stevens 1849, and members of the Moses family) could be conducted to add to our knowledge of the events surrounding the flag of the Star of the West Battery during this pivotal moment in U.S. history. However, we believe that we have acquired sufficient evidence to reach the conclusions we have made in this report.

After an exhaustive 2 year review, The CHC believes that the weight of all the evidence strongly suggests that the red palmetto flag in the Iowa Historical Society collection is the red palmetto flag that flew over the Star of the West Battery on Jan 9, 1861. This evidence is presented in detail below. The view of the CHC is confirmed by the State of Iowa Historical Society which has completed its own independent historical research, and whose conservators have conducted an extensive forensic study of the flag. A recent communication from the Society shows the extent to which they have studied the origin of this flag: Maj Peter F. Stevens, class of 1849, served as Superintendent (President) of The Citadel during the firing on the Star of the West, commanded a regiment in the Confederate Army, and served as an Episcopal Bishop.

“Sir, I can tell you that we, The Iowa Battle Flag Project, have done the stabilization work on the flag. We have documented the flag completely. She has under gone a visual, microscopic and photographic documentation and a complete fiber and particulate analysis. The last was performed as a particulate sample….As for your last two questions we are certain about the age of the flag because of the fiber and thread analysis, the type of construction, knowledge of the flag makers themselves and by researching the flag just as you have done. …All other documentation gives us a good argument that this indeed is the flag, witnessed by at least four individuals that flew over Morris Island. I believe it is “Big Red”. …”I hoped this has helped you.”3

The CHC findings are summarized here and discussed in more detail below, along with exhibits and references in the discussion section of this report.

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1. Contemporary news reports clearly state that the Hugh Vincent family designed and presented a red palmetto flag for Ft. Morris (Star of the West Battery). One of these news articles states specifically that this flag was presented to Major Stevens, Superintendent of the Citadel Academy, who was in command of Ft. Morris and the cadet battery in January of 1861.

2. The flag was presented sometime between Jan 1 – 4, 1861, and was flying over the cadet encampment on Jan 9, 1861 when the cadets fired on and repulsed the Star of the West as it attempted to bring supplies and troop reinforcements to Ft. Sumter. A report in the Official Records (OR) states that the red palmetto flag was also flying over the cadet’s encampment on Jan 21, 1861.

3. A detailed study of the Iowa flag with several flags attributed to Hugh Vincent of Charleston, SC., a ship’s chandler and flag maker, abundantly demonstrates that Vincent produced the “red palmetto flag” in Iowa. Ben Hudson of Gaffney, SC, who has researched and examined numerous Civil War flags, has made a detailed comparison of Civil War flags attributed to Hugh Vincent and compared these with the Iowa flag and has concluded the Iowa flag was produced by Vincent. The conservators at the Iowa Historical Society have also compared Vincent flags with the red palmetto flag in their collection and concur with Hudson’s opinion.

As noted above, the Iowa Historical Society has conducted extensive forensic study of the red palmetto flag. Their extensive experience in determining the origin of the many flags in their collection and their independent confirmation of Ben Hudson’s analysis, provides strong confirmation of this comparison.

4. Contemporary news reports state that the Star of the West flag had a “blood red field” on which appeared a “remarkably executed white palmetto tree.” The field of the flag in Iowa is also a vividly red color even after 150 years of age and exposure. The palmetto tree on the Iowa flag is both white and of a unique and remarkably detailed appliqué design of the leaves and tree trunk. This design and technique is found on few other existing Civil War flags of this era. Among the few existing SC palmetto flags with similar unique detail in the palmetto tree design, the most notable examples were made

by Hugh Vincent of Charleston. In our investigation, which included seeking the advice of noted Civil War historians and flag experts, as well as archivists, the red palmetto SC flag in Iowa is the only Civil War era flag known to exist that so closely matches eye witness descriptions of the flag that flew over the Star of the West Battery on Jan 9, 1861.

5. Among the Iowa flag’s unique design elements is the fact that the crescent in the upper left quadrant faces inward. Most SC palmetto flags displayed the crescent pointing upward as in the official design adopted by SC on Jan 28, 1861. A few flags produced during the secession period display the crescent facing inward or downward, and it is believed this was intended to be symbolic with the secession sentiment and South Carolina’s entering a new independent beginning. An example of such a flag design is attributed to Hugh Vincent. The Ft. Walker flag which contains a white inward facing crescent and two white palmetto trees on a red field of remarkably similar design to the Iowa palmetto tree and crescent is reported to have been produced by Vincent. The eye 3

witness accounts of the Star of the West flag do not mention a crescent on the flag, but simply refer to the flag as a “red palmetto flag.” Given the circumstances of these sightings and the witnesses’ distance from the flag, this is understandable.

More importantly, we have recently discovered two important pieces of evidence establishing that a crescent did appear on the Ft. Morris flag and that it faced inward.

First, we have found a letter by Lucy Pickens, wife of Governor Pickens, presented to Col. P.F. Stevens who had resigned from the Citadel Academy to form Holcombe’s Legion in 1862. Stevens named his new unit in honor of Mrs. Pickens maiden name. In her letter, Mrs. Pickens honored Col. Steven’s valor and specifically described the new unit flag’s incorporating the crescent and the palmetto that flew over the Star of the West battery on Jan 9, 1861. Mrs. Pickens was close to Col. Stevens and most likely would have sought his wishes for the emblems to be used in his unit’s flag. Second, we have located a print of the Old Citadel made in early February 1861, at the time of the cadet’s return from Morris Island that clearly shows a palmetto flag flying over the main tower of the academy with an inward facing crescent in the upper left quadrant – similar to the placement of the crescent on the Iowa flag. As South Carolina had adopted its official flag design on January 28, 1861, with an upward facing crescent, there could have been no reason for the illustrator to have depicted an inward facing crescent unless it actually existed on the flag.

6. The Iowa flag was procured by a Pvt. Willard Baker, a member of Company C of the 20 th Iowa Volunteer Infantry on or about April 14, 1865. The 20th was engaged in the capture of Ft. Blakeley, Ala., which fell on April 9, 1865. The 20th Iowa had arrived in the Ft Blakeley area shortly before this battle, and remained in the vicinity of Mobile until July of 1865. The Official Records of the Mobile Campaign indicate that the 20 th Iowa may have been allowed into the City of Mobile itself. However, the most likely opportunity to procure the red palmetto flag as well as the First National Flag, would likely have been at Ft. Blakeley or during the unit’s encampment outside the City of Mobile. After the battle of Ft. Blakeley the Confederate forces were taken prisoner and their belongings (including flags) were confiscated.

7. While the exact details of how Pvt. Baker captured the red palmetto flag are not specifically mentioned in the written record, we do have extensive information on the order of battle at Blakeley. This clearly indicates that the 20 th Iowa’s direction of movement as it overran Ft. Blakeley and pursued retreating Confederates, would have placed the unit in contact with the only SC unit in the theatre of operations – Culpepper’s Battery, or Battery C of the 3d Artillery Battalion (Palmetto Battalion).

8. Capt. James F. Culpepper an 1854 graduate of the Citadel Academy and student of Major Stevens, Class of 1849, was in command of Battery C. Culpepper’s Battery was composed of officers and men several of whom were graduates, or had attended the Citadel Academy. Several had first hand or family connections to Citadel cadets who were present at the firing on the Star of the West, or had served with Major Stevens on Morris Island from Jan – April 1861, and the start of the Civil War.

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9. As described below in more detail, Culpepper’s Battery had been in the Mobile theatre of operations and was assigned to Ft. Blakeley when it was attacked and seized by Union forces on April 9, 1865. Upon their surrender, the members of the battery were held prisoner in Mississippi until their release. We would like to have more historical research on both the location of Culpepper’s unit and the 20th Iowa, to better define their activities in the Mobile area. We know also that Capt Culpepper spent time in the City of Mobile while his unit was in the theatre and that he was with the unit at Blakeley when it was captured. Capt Culpepper is reported to have been assigned to a cavalry unit operating outside Mobile, and he was already taken prisoner when Mobile fell to Union forces. 1Lt Joshua L. Moses, class of 1860, was left in command of the detachment located at Ft Blakeley. Further historical research into the histories of the several members of Culpepper’s Battery with connections to the Citadel Academy, Morris Island and the Star of the West incident would be useful to fill in gaps, as would more information on the movement of the battery while in the Mobile theatre of operations, and its placement at Ft. Blakeley.

Capt James Furman Culpepper, Citadel class of 1854, commanded the Palmetto Artillery and was captured by U. S. Army troops in 1865. A physician, he graduated from the Medical College Our recommendation is that the CAA and the college pursue of SC (now called the the acquisition/loan of the flag from the Iowa Historical Medical Univ. of SC).

Society to enable the CHC, with the support and assistance of Citadel faculty, cadets and interested historians and archivists and to undertake further historical studies. Irrespective of the origin of the Iowa flag, we know that it is a South Carolina flag, and a remarkable example of a pre-civil war secession era flag and an artifact of one of the most important events in our nation’s history. The red SC flag in Iowa is the only Civil War era flag (known to exist) that matches eye witness descriptions of the flag that flew over the Star of the West Battery on Jan 9, 1861. As we approach the 150th anniversary of the Star of the West incident of January 9, 1861, this flag and the study of the political and military events surrounding it could serve as an incredible learning tool for Cadets, faculty and military/political historians to better understand the fateful events that took place at the beginning of the American Civil War. DISCUSSION OF KEY QUESTIONS AND CHC FINDINGS The CHC, has accumulated a considerable amount of evidence over the last two years regarding both the Star of the West incident, the origins of the red palmetto flag witnessed flying over the cadet’s battery on Jan 9, 1861 as well as the red palmetto flag in the Iowa collection. A considerable amount of our information concerning the Hugh Vincent Company of Charleston, his flags and flag production, as well as primary articles and photos, were obtained through the generous assistance and effort of Mr. Ben Hudson of Gaffney, S.C. Mr. Hudson has a long interest in Civil War history and especially flags of this period, and his help has been invaluable.

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We were also assisted by The Citadel Archivist, Jane Yates, and of course, the State Historical Society of Iowa. In February 2009, the CHC engaged in an exchange of information and ideas with over 60 flag researchers, historians, vexillologists (those who study flags),and archivists from various fields related to Civil War history and Civil War flags. The discussion centered on the facts that were known about the Star of the West Battery, the origin and design of the flag presented by the Vincent family for Ft. Morris, and the origin and design of the Iowa palmetto flag as well where, when and how the Iowa flag was obtained. There were many participants who questioned if the Iowa flag could have been intended for a small fortification such as Ft. Morris because of its large size (Approximately 7’ by 10’). Others provided a variety of interpretations of the known facts and speculated as to alternative theories of where the Iowa flag could have come from and how it ended up in Alabama in 1865. Suffice it to say most of the flag experts accepted the fact that the Iowa flag was a SC flag and that it was made during the period of SC secession from the Union (Dec 20, 1860). Beyond this, the flag experts were not able to help us with specific conclusions. We found them most helpful in providing us direction to sources of historical information on flags and flag makers, as well as pointing out key questions for us to research. After nearly a month of dialogue, however, no one among this experienced group of flag experts and archivists, came up with an historic description, picture, print, or illustration of a unique red palmetto flag similar to the design of the flag in the Iowa Historical Society collection, or suggest a credible alternative theory why the Iowa flag could not be the Ft. Morris flag. In fact, nearly all agreed that the red SC flag located in Iowa is the only known Civil War era flag that matches the description of the flag flown over the Star of the West Battery in Jan 1861.

KEY QUESTIONS: The CHC identified the following key questions as helpful in our documentation of the origin of the red palmetto flag in the Iowa collection: (1) Who made the “red palmetto flag” that was designed for Ft. Morris? Provide evidence as to its design, to whom the flag was presented and by whom presented, and when. This is important for the association of the flag with the Citadel Academy, Major Stevens and the Citadel Corps of Cadets, and to lay the foundation for comparing the flag with the flag in the Iowa collection.

(2) An associated question is whether the design of the flag for Ft. Morris was similar to that of flags appearing over Castle Pinckney and Ft. Johnson during the month of January 1861. This question arises because a Jan 21, 1861 report of an Army officer at Ft. Sumter states that the flags at Castle Pinckney and at Ft. Johnson were “similar” to the one flying over the Star of the West battery. We believe the officer’s general reference to the flags being “similar” is not a critical inconsistency, but important to address. We know that Hugh Vincent was commissioned to produce a number of flags for the SC government shortly after the state’s secession from the Union. Did he produce several “red palmetto flags” and present them to SC militia units occupying Ft. Morris, Castle Pinckney and Ft. Johnson in early January?

(3) Why does the crescent point “inward” on the red SC palmetto flag found in Iowa? One of the distinguishing elements of the Iowa flag is the display of an inward pointing white crescent in the upper left quadrant. Most SC palmetto flags, especially ones made after SC adopted its official 6

flag design on January 28, 1861, show a crescent pointing upward in the upper left quadrant.

The use of an Inward or downward pointing crescent on SC flags was not unknown on SC flags, but this design would likely have been used before the adoption of an official design for the SC flag. The few SC flags we have found with an inward or downward pointing crescent were produced during the period of SC secession - November 1860 – Jan 28, 1861, and were identified with Charleston. The eye witness reports of the Star of the West flag are not specific enough, so this became an important research question that could help us connect the Ft. Morris flag with the Iowa flag, and tie their production to Charleston and the above mentioned period.

(4) How does the red SC palmetto flag in Iowa compare with other flags made by Vincent?

Provide a comprehensive description and comparison of contemporary “palmetto” flags made by the Hugh Vincent Company, and their design, materials and construction, and compare these with the flag in the Iowa Historical Society collection. Connecting Vincent to the pre-Civil War red SC palmetto flag Iowa would be one of the single most important discoveries of our research.

The several flag experts and archivists, with whom we have exchanged information, have indicated this comparison would be a critical step in establishing provenance of the Iowa flag and a connection to the Ft. Morris flag.

(5) How did this red SC palmetto flag get captured at Ft Blakeley, AL in Apr 1865 and end up at the State Historical Society of Iowa? Provide a credible set of facts and circumstantial evidence that explain with a reasonable degree of certainty, how the Ft. Morris flag found its way from Morris Island to the Mobile area of operations, where it was obtained by Pvt. Baker of the 20 th Iowa Infantry Volunteers on or about April/May 1865. We have assembled an extensive discussion of the order of battle at Ft. Blakeley, Alabama outside of Mobile Bay that we believe provides such an explanation. We believe more historical and unit research is important to further document this explanation, especially in regards to individuals associated with Culpepper’s Battery, the only SC military unit in this theatre of battle in 1865.

CHC FINDINGS: The Ft. Morris flag: This flag is also known as the Star of the West Battery flag and also affectionately known as “Big Red” by Citadel Alumni and Cadets. There is incontrovertible evidence that a palmetto flag designed for Ft. Morris was received by the Quarter Master General SCM, from the ladies of the Vincent family, sometime between Jan 1 – 4, 1861.4 Ft. Morris was the official name for the masked sand battery to be established by Major Stevens and 40 to 50 Citadel Academy cadets who arrived on Morris Island on Jan 1, 1861. A roster of those cadets deployed to the Star of the West Battery was probably destroyed with records sent to the Arsenal Academy in early 1865 when Gen Sherman arrived and the capitol city of Columbia was burned. A partial list of those cadets who were members of the Star of the West Battery was obtained through other sources such as letters, reports, diaries, memoirs, and family histories. This partial roster reveals that nearly all were either first-classmen (seniors) or second-classmen (juniors). It is highly unlikely that Maj Stevens would select fourth-classmen (freshmen) or third-classmen (sophomores) for this dangerous mission. The Citadel Register of 1861 lists 26 first-class and 28 second-class cadets for a total of 54 in the senior and junior classes on Jan 1861. Contemporary accounts say 40 to 50 cadets manned the Star of the West battery. One can logically conclude that these 7

cadets were from the class of 1861 (seniors) and 1862 (juniors). These cadets were housed in an abandoned small pox hospital adjacent to the battery. 5 On Jan 9, 1861, when the Citadel Academy cadets fired on the Star of the West, three separate eye witnesses on board the Star reported seeing a “red palmetto flag” – the ship’s captain, John McGowan, 1 st Lt. Chas R. Woods, 9th Infantry, in command of 200 federal troops on the Star, and a reporter for the NY Evening Post who had stowed away on the ship. These eye witnesses all reported seeing a red palmetto flag flying over the masked battery that opened fire upon them from Morris Island. 6 Captain McGowan estimated the distance from the cadet’s battery to the Star as over half a mile.7 A later description of the flag as having a “blood red field,” appeared in the Charleston Daily News. The reporter states that the flag was presented by the ladies of Captain D.B. Vincent, 8 to Major Stevens, Superintendent of the Citadel Academy. The article appeared in the Charleston Daily Courier edition of Jan 28, 1861, well after the cadets had repulsed the Star of the West from Charleston harbor and the incident had become widely reported in Northern and Southern media. The headline of the article was “A Well Guarded Flag:” “The flag which waved over the Morris Island Battery, and the gallant Citadel Cadets of Major Stevens command, on the memorable day 9th January when the Star of the West … was sent on the back tack, was a blood red field in which was displayed a white palmetto of remarkably successful execution. It was made by the ladies of Captain D.B. Vincent and was presented to Major Stevens who will account for it when necessary.”9 The only other eye witness report of the Ft. Morris flag appeared in the Jan 21, 1861, report of Capt. J.G. Foster, USA stationed at Ft. Sumter in his descriptions of SC artillery positions being established around Ft. Sumter. He describes the Ft. Morris battery and its flag as follows: “Morris Island Battery, - This is the one that fired on the Star of the West. It is about 2,400 or 2,500 yards from us, and concealed from view by intervening sand hills…The troops for the service of the batteries are quartered in the buildings constituting the small pox hospital, over one of which their flag is flying, a red field with a white palmetto tree upon it. The flag on Fort Johnson is similar, as is also the one on Castle Pinckney. That on Fort Moultrie is a white field with a green palmetto tree, and a red star in the corner”10 There is an illustration of the Star of the West incident that appeared in the Jan 26 th Edition of Harper’s Weekly, and which depicts the Battery firing on the Star of the West, with a large palmetto flag flying nearby. The print is in black and white so the colors cannot be determined.

There is a large palmetto in the center of the flag, but it is not clear if a crescent was present.

The article notes that the illustration was based on an eye witness account.11 It is obvious the illustrator who was far removed from Charleston, was working from second hand reports. For example, the crew of the cannon does not appear to be in uniform and are depicted as some in the North might have conceived them – as ruffians. In addition, Citadel Regulations of 1861, forbid any facial hair on the cadets, yet the illustration shows older men with beards, sideburns, and mustaches. During this turbulent time, the palmetto tree was so much associated with South Carolina and its rebellion from the Union and this detail would obviously have been of interest.

However, it is quite likely that the presence of a crescent would not have been important, especially to an illustrator from the north.

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A contemporary drawing of the Star of the West Battery in Harper’s Weekly (dated 26 Jan 1861) states that a “red palmetto flag” was flying when the ship was fired upon.

SC palmetto flags with a red field, were not unknown during the period of SC secession and immediately before the Civil War, but according to a leading flag expert, they were not common in SC.12 However, the use of a red field appeared on several “secession” era flags, including the first flag that appeared after SC seceded from the Union on Dec 20, 1860. Known as a “Lone Star” flag, it had a red field on which appeared a white star in the middle and an inward pointing crescent in the upper left quadrant.13 Another contemporary flag with a red field is the “SC Sovereignty flag,” which contained a blue St. George cross on a red field with a white palmetto tree and a white inward facing crescent in the upper left quadrant.14 The Charleston Zouave Cadets, a unit of which supported the Citadel Cadets on Morris Island from Jan 1 through Jan 15, 1861, were said to have had a palmetto flag with a red field on one side and which also contained a snake and a crouched tiger. The record of the Zouave’s service on Morris Island reveals no mention of this flag being brought to Ft. Morris. In any event, the Zouave Cadets unit history states that they were relieved of duty by the Carolina Light Infantry, and left Morris Island on Jan 15, six days before Capt Foster’s Jan 21 report and 13 days before the Charleston Daily Courier article that mentioned the flag had been flying over the Citadel cadet’s encampment. 15 Once SC adopted its design for the palmetto flag - having a blue field - we believe red would not have been used for garrison or fortification flags marking SC fixed installations such as Ft.

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Morris. The fact the Iowa palmetto flag contains a red field is thus a distinguishing fact, and most likely dates its production to before Jan 28, 1861.

The flags of Castle Pinckney and Ft. Johnson: The eye witness report of Capt. Foster on Ft. Sumter describing SC artillery positions, and his reference to “similar” flags at Castle Pinckney and Ft. Johnson, gives rise to the question – were the flags at these three locations identical or even “similar.” 16 We have done considerable research into descriptions of “palmetto flags” in period articles and in illustrations. We believe that during this period a reference to a “palmetto flag” was often used to identify flags displaying any form of a palmetto tree as being a SC flag. A prominent Civil War flag expert has stated “the ‘palmetto flag,’ as it became called at the time, became the symbol of secession for the South.”17 A great variety of SC flags depicting palmetto trees with various other elements are found in period reports that simply refer to them as “palmetto flags.” Illustrators of the period operating from second and often third hand information, often included the palmetto tree on a flag as representative of SC. For example, an eye witness description of the flag raised at Castle Pinckney at the end of Dec 1860, when SC Militia took control, clearly states the flag raised at Castle Pinckney was taken off of the Nina, the ship that had brought the militia troops to the island. The Nina’s flag consisted of a star on a red field.18 However; widely circulated reports in credible journals describe the flag first raised at Pinckney as a “palmetto flag.”19 We thus believe Capt Foster’s use of the term “similar” to mean what this word typically is defined to mean in common English – related in appearance, but not identical. We have found no first hand eye witness descriptions of the flags that flew at Castle Pinckney or Ft. Johnson from Jan 1 through Jan 21, 1861, when Capt Foster made his report of SC artillery locations. We have viewed illustrations depicting “palmetto” flags at Castle Pinckney and Ft. Johnson, presumably made sometime in early 1861, but as they are black and white illustrations without narrative descriptions, all that can be seen is a palmetto tree.20 We have considered the possibility that the flags flying at Ft. Morris, Ft. Johnson and Castle Pinckney in early January 1861 were identical.

However, for the reasons stated above, we believe this to be unlikely. We know that the flags at Castle Pinckney for example changed at least two times between the end of December and Feb 1, as different units replaced each other.21 We believe the same occurred at Ft. Johnson and at Ft. Morris when the Cadets left to return to the Citadel.

The Inward Pointing Crescent: Because a unique feature of the Iowa palmetto flag is its display of an inward pointing crescent instead of the upward pointing crescent typically found on SC flags, We felt it important to study this aspect to determine how often a crescent appeared with an inward design versus pointing upward, and whether we could find evidence that an inward facing crescent appeared on the design of the Ft. Morris flag.

The SC Legislature adopted an official design for its flag on Jan 28, 1861. The design called for a white, upward facing “U” shaped crescent, and white palmetto tree, on a blue field, which became the standard/official SC flag until the early 1900s when the crescent was changed to face outward. Even before the palmetto tree, a crescent-like, “U” shaped symbol, 10

This gorget was used to protect the neck of a U.S. soldier during the War of 1812. This symbol was used on SC flags even before the palmetto tree was adopted during the Revolutionary War.

known as a “gorget,” appeared on SC flags as far back as the Revolutionary War. A gorget was a crescent-shaped piece of armor worn by SC soldiers during the Revolutionary War. This “U” shaped, crescent-like, gorget was placed around the throat to protect soldiers from swords and other weapons. During the Battle of Sullivan’s Island June 28, 1776, a flag with a blue field and silver crescent gorget was at the center of its heroic defense by the Colonists, and was adopted as the state’s battle flag.22 Several flags with inward or downward pointing crescents were produced during the period of secession. The inward facing crescent is thought to be symbolic of SC secession, and the red field symbolic of a fighting spirit.23 One of the earliest flags documented in this period, is known as the SC Secession Flag, and was raised over the Charleston Customs House immediately after SC seceded from the Union on Dec The SC Secession 20, 1860.24 Another prominent flag of this period with an inward facing Flag (Dec 1860) crescent is the so-called SC Sovereignty Flag. This flag has a red field upon which are a blue St. George Cross with white stars, and in the upper left hand quadrant are a white palmetto tree and above it and to the left, an inward facing crescent. 25 We have found few other prominent examples of SC flags from periods earlier than Dec 20, 1860 with inward facing crescents, and after Jan 28, 1861, when SC adopted the official design, most all flags made for SC installations would have followed the official design. Thus, the use of an inward pointing crescent appears to date the Iowa flag to the period late 1860 to very early 1861, and the display of an inward facing crescent being uncommon, is a distinguishing feature.

We do not think absence of specific mention of a crescent in reports of the Ft. Morris flag to be a critical deficiency, in the absence of clear evidence that there was no crescent. Some have commented that the fact Capt Foster’s report was so detailed regarding the Ft. Moultrie flag (green palmetto tree and red star on white field) that it would have stood to reason he would have been equally detailed in relating the The SC Sovereignty details of the Ft. Morris, Pinckney and Ft. Johnson flags. The CHC Flag (Dec 1860 to Jan has considered this point, and for the general reasons discussed above 1861) as well the fact Capt Foster was by his own admission over 2,400 yds to 2,500 yds from Ft. Morris, we believe that it is reasonable to assume that this was not a detail of importance in a report on artillery positions. More importantly, Capt Foster had seen the Palmetto Guard flag that was flying over Ft. Moultrie on Jan 21 up close and knew it well. 26 Similarly, the fact that the three individuals on board the Star of the West who reported seeing a “red palmetto flag” flying over the cadet battery were over half a mile distant and under cannon fire, is a compelling reason for this detail to be absent. All of these factors suggest that the absence of the mention of a crescent is not a critical deficiency. This is especially true in light of the description of the Star of the West flag that appeared in Lucy Picken’s flag dedication to Col P.F. Steven’s Holcombe’s Legion in 1862, and the graphic representation of the palmetto flag with an inward facing crescent depicted flying over the Citadel Academy in February 1861, as discussed below.

In 1862 Lucy Holcomb Pickens, the wife of Governor Francis Pickens presented a flag to then Col P.F. Steven’s who had resigned his position at the Citadel Academy to join the Confederate 11

Army. He formed a new unit and took command of Holcomb’s Legion, named after Lucy Pickens maiden name. In honor of the unit’s taking her maiden name, Lucy dedicated a palmetto flag as the unit’s flag. In her speech she paid homage to Col. Stevens and his command of the Citadel cadets when they fired upon and repulsed the Star of the West on January 9, 1861, by designing the Holcomb Legion flag as follows: “In seeking to render this ensign worthy of your valor and devotion, I have placed first among its devices the armorials of your beloved State, the glorious palmetto and crescent, emblems consecrated to noble daring and high resolve, for they waved in our harbor when Carolina stood alone in this momentous contest, and floated over that heroic battery which threw its steady and victorious fire into the arrogant "Star of the West." I remember with pride that your commander, Colonel Stevens, had charge of that battery, and thus early in the war established a claim to Carolina's grateful remembrance.”27

A SC palmetto flag (with inward facing crescent and palmetto) flies over The Citadel after cadets return from Morris Island on Feb 2, 1861. The design matches the flag in the Iowa Civil War Battle Flags Collection, eye witness accounts, and written descriptions of the flag that flew Star of the West battery on Jan 9, 1861.

The exact date when Major Stevens and the Citadel cadets returned from Morris Island to the Citadel is unclear. Accounts of their stay on Morris Island and return to the Citadel Academy, vary from late January to early February 1861. 28 We know that Major Stevens and other Citadel officers returned to Charleston during the middle of January on a boat with ardent secessionist Edmund Ruffin of Virginia who had inspected the cadet’s battery, after its celebrated firing on the Star of the West.29 Suffice it to say that by the end of January 1861, The Star of the West incident had become widely known throughout the North and South. In Charleston, the event was celebrated as a victory over Union efforts to coerce SC back into the Union30 The red palmetto flag, which the Charleston Daily News called a “Well Guarded Flag,” would likely have returned to Charleston either with the cadets or with Major Stevens, and quite likely have been displayed over the Old Citadel with pride. We have recently discovered a print of the Citadel Academy that originally appeared in the February edition of the New York Illustrated 12

News and is now in the collection of fine art of the Ohio State University library. This print depicts a military formation on the Citadel Green with a large palmetto flag flying over the main tower. The flag contains an inward pointing crescent in the upper left quadrant and a palmetto tree in the center of the field.31 This is quite significant evidence that the red palmetto flag that had become so associated with Major Stevens and the cadet’s firing on the Star of the West, found its way to the Citadel Academy, and that it contained an inward facing crescent. The fact the illustrator made the flag such a large element of the illustration was obviously intended to showcase the flag. The illustrator would have had no reason to depict an inward facing crescent on the palmetto flag – especially after SC had adopted its official design with an upward pointing crescent - unless his information was that the crescent on the flag was both present and facing inward.

A photo of the Civil War era “Big Red” captured at the Battle of Ft Blakeley shows the crescent facing inward like many SC flags made prior to Jan 28, 1861 when the national flag with the “upward” facing crescent was adopted.

Modern Depictions of “Big Red”: Soon after Gen Mark Clark assumed the Presidency of The Citadel in 1954, he initiated a plan to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Star of the West and the Centennial of the Civil War. From 1956-1961, The Citadel initiated several studies resulting in the Star of the West mural in the library. The mural clearly shows a “red SC flag” as described by the 4 eye-witness accounts in 1861. A separate study and illustration by the Company of Military Historians shows a similar flag. Both of these modern depictions of “Big Red” show an “outward facing” crescent just like the current SC flag, which was adopted over 40 years after the Star of the West incident.. Both independent studies assumed that there was a crescent on the flag. However, the current “outward facing” This illustration by the crescent was adopted by Alexander S. Salley, SC State Historian, Company of Military Class of 1892, in the early 1900s. The official SC flag which was Historians shows the approved 19 days after the Star of the West incident had a upward Cadets flying “Big Red” facing “U” shaped crescent. We think this assumption was at the Star of the West essentially correct, that the Ft. Morris flag contained a crescent as Battery at Morris Island did most SC flags before and after the state’s seceding from the on Jan 9, 1861.

13

Union. The only difference being that the early flags designed by Hugh Vincent made prior to Jan 28, 1861, displayed an inward facing crescent. The outward facing crescent was adopted by SC over 40 years after the Star of the West incident.

It is clear that the Ft Morris “red SC palmetto flag” had a crescent that faced inward. The flag that flew over the Star of the West battery on Jan 9, 1861 was an early version of a flag approved by the SC legislature just 19 days later. Depictions showing an “outward” facing crescent on the Star of the West flag are thus incorrect and, we submit based upon incomplete research on the crescent.

The official national flag with the “upward” facing crescent was adopted by the SC legislature on Jan 28, 1861 . This flag, made by H. E. Vincent, is similar in design to The Citadel's “red palmetto flag.” This flag was captured in Columbia, SC in Feb 1865.

Comparison of Hugh Vincent Flags with the Iowa Palmetto Flag: There is incontrovertible evidence that Hugh Vincent of Charleston made the flag for Ft. Morris.32 Hugh E. Vincent was a prominent local businessman who operated as a ship’s chandler. He sold materials to the CS Ordnance Bureau as well as the Navy and other departments. He was contracted to make large flags for the various forts around the city after the state’s secession in late 1860. These include a state flag for Ft. Morris, and CS flags for Ft. Moultrie. The first Confederate flag hoisted over captured Ft. Sumter was made by Vincent. He also made numerous signal flags and 16 flags in November, 1861 which may have been for units of the area. Some of the flags Vincent made were for warships, and this included foreign banners that warships carried at sea for salutes. In June, 1861, and again in July, North Carolina quartermaster L.O’B. Branch wrote Vincent inquiring if he could provide state regimental colors.

As they ended up being made in Norfolk, Vincent obviously did not care to make them or could not. A March, 1861 newspaper article stated his firm, “has been busily occupied in furnishing flags for ships, forts and companies.” 33

14

A comparison clearly shows the two handmade flags were made by H. E. Vincent. The “red palmetto flag” is remarkably similar to the illustration of the flag flown atop The Citadel on Feb 2, 1861. The official SC flag with the upward facing “U” shaped crescent was captured by Iowa troops in Columbia, SC in 1865.

With the generous assistance of Ben Hudson, we have detailed information comparing several flags made by the Hugh Vincent Company. Hudson’s comparison includes a detailed study of the design on the flag in Iowa with four other flags attributed to Hugh Vincent. 34 Hudson’s detailed analysis of the four flags is attached as an Exhibit to this report. His conclusion is that all four of these flags were made by Vincent. 35 Hudson’s study compared materials used, general size of the flags, the design of the elements (especially the design of the leaves and trunks of the palmetto trees), and workmanship. Hudson’s conclusion is that the unique palmetto tree design, including the base, the tree trunk and leaves, as well as the style and use of an appliqué technique, on all four flags, associate these flags with Vincent. Of the four other flags compared

by Hudson, the comparison of the design of the palmetto trees and crescent on the Ft. Walker the design of these elements on Iowa flag, is particularly important. The Ft. Walker flag as it is known was captured by Union forces at Hilton Head Island near the end of the war. However, this flag first flew at Castle Pinckney on Feb 1, 1861.36 It is quite large, and in its entirety is completely different from the Iowa red palmetto flag – except in two important details. In the upper left quadrant is a red field on which are two white palmetto trees of exceptionally intricate design in the leaves, tree trunk and base. The design and use of the appliqué technique is strikingly similar to that use on the Iowa flag’s palmetto and crescent. The South Carolina Historical Society in documenting the maker of the flag attributes it to Hugh Vincent. This flag, like the red palmetto flag in Iowa are both secession era flags and of unique design. We believe the comparison of these flags is as close to finding a “signature” as one can reasonably hope to find. Hudson’s detailed comparison has been confirmed in writing by the Iowa Historical Society.37 15

Pvt. Willard Baker, 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry and the Capture of “Big Red”: The records of the Iowa Historical Society record the following about the red palmetto flag in its collection: “C. Cat. # 41. Palmetto Flag: red wool bunting with palmetto tree in center in white cotton, white cotton crescent moon.

Captured at Mobile, Alabama by the 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Co. C.” Pvt. Willard Baker donated the red palmetto flag to the Iowa Historical Society in 1919, along with two other Confederate flags. When he donated the flags to the Society, Baker made a hospital statement as follows: “The other two flags I got at Mobile and were made of English bunting”. “The Palmetto Flag carries the emblem of the State of South Carolina, but how the flag happened to get to Alabama, I do not know."38 The first hand report of Pvt. Baker, of the 20 th Iowa says simply that he obtained the flag in Mobile. Because of this, and the size and substantial workmanship of the flag, some of the flag experts suggested that perhaps Baker obtained the flag in Mobile where it had been taken off of a Confederate blockade runner. We do not believe this is so. The docks of Mobile had been and continued to be sequestered and guarded by the Army and Navy before the 20th Iowa reached the city on April 14. The Official Records has a count of the vessels that remained and most had departed when the Confederates evacuated prior to April 12. There were very few boats and barges left in the Mobile docks. No blockade running with schooners had taken place since the summer of 1864. So it seems very unlikely the flag would have come from a ship.39 We also do not believe Baker was actually in the city of Mobile or that he obtained the flags himself in Mobile. We know from Union Army records that his infantry unit was engaged in the siege of Ft. Blakeley from Feb 2 – 9, 1865, and the assault and capture of the Fort on April 9, 1865. The 20th Iowa stayed at Ft. Blakeley until April 14, when it moved towards Mobile.

Baker left Fort Blakeley with the 20th Iowa April 14 by boat arrived at a landing three to five miles below Mobile and marched directly to their camp. The 20th Iowa did not engage or encounter any other Confederate troops after leaving Blakeley and for the remainder of their service. The 20th Iowa remained in the area until mustered out of the US Army on July 8, 1865.

The orders of the Union Commander in the Mobile area, Gen. Granger, permitted only one unit - the 8th Illinois – to occupy the city of Mobile. All other units had to remain outside beyond the outer Confederate fortifications for fear of looting and pillaging the city by Union troops.

The Mayor of Mobile made this request of Gen. Granger before Union troops approached Mobile early on April 12, 1865. The 8th Illinois were placed in the city for security and the protection of homes and places of business. Baker's 20th Iowa, like other units, had to remain outside the outermost fortifications the day (April 14, 1865) they arrived by boat from Fort Blakeley. 40 Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that Baker’s opportunity to procure the red palmetto flag, as well as a First National Flag he also claimed to have obtained at this time, was from individuals within the 20th Iowa in the vicinity of Ft. Blakeley or outside the city of Mobile sometime between Apr 2, 1865, and Apr 14, 1865. Baker's letter in the Iowa Historical 16

Society archives states he had procured other Confederate flags within his own unit at Vicksburg in a similar manner.

Culpepper’s Battery, Battery C, 3d Artillery BN, and the Ft. Morris Flag: After Capt. Foster’s report of Jan 21, 1861, there are no further eye witness reports of the Ft. Morris flag. How the flag found its way to way to the Mobile theatre of operations where it was obtained by Pvt Baker of the 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry in April of 1865, has generated considerable debate. We have no other direct, first hand information on the Iowa flag other than from Pvt Baker’s letter given in 1919. We have found to date no further information on the Ft. Morris flag other than the illustration from the New York Illustrated News of February 1861, showing a palmetto flag with an inward facing crescent flying over the main tower of the Citadel Academy, similar to the Iowa flag’s crescent and palmetto tree. Some have questioned why the Ft. Morris flag which was associated with such a prominent event would have just disappeared.

We think the best answer is provided by the Jan 28, 1861 article in the Charleston Daily Courier which states that the flag had been presented to Major Stevens, who would account for it when necessary. This was the last direct mention of the flag. As the state had adopted a new official design for its flag, the red palmetto flag would not have remained at Ft. Morris. We believe that as the cadet's were being relieved of their duties on Morris Island, Major Stevens had it taken down and brought back with the cadets for display over The Citadel in February. It is also important to note that on Jan 28, 1861, the SC Legislature approved the current SC flag (blue field, white palmetto, and a white upward facing, “U” shaped crescent) making all other SC flags obsolete. When the cadets returned from Morris Island, it makes sense that they would fly the Star of the West flag. However, it is clear that soon thereafter; The Citadel received word from Columbia, SC that the official SC flag was adopted by the legislature. At this point, the “red SC flag” with an inward facing crescent disappears in the official records.

The records of the Citadel Academy were removed from Charleston for “safe keeping” and taken to the Arsenal in Columbia in February of 1865. It was feared that Charleston would suffer the same fate as Atlanta. General Sherman’s forces approached the Charleston as a feint while the bulk of his forces marched to Columbia. Sherman’s main force went directly to Columbia where the Arsenal buildings and most all of the Citadel Academy records, books and equipment were destroyed when the city was burned on Feb 17, 1865. Most of Major Stevens Citadel and military records did not survive the Civil War, or were lost over the years.

We believe, however, that there is a convincing explanation of how the Star of the West flag could have arrived in the Mobile Alabama area where it was obtained by Pvt. Baker. The only SC unit in the Mobile theatre during 1864 – 1865, was an artillery battery from South Carolina’s 3d Artillery BN (Palmetto Battalion). The Palmetto Battalion’s members were largely drawn from the Counties of Allendale, Richland, Charleston, Georgetown, Sumter, and Kershaw. The companies were frequently detached. Company C (Culpepper’s Battery) was assigned to the Department of Mississippi, and East Louisiana. It fought at Charleston, Jackson, and Chickamauga, then served at Mobile and surrendered at the Battle of Ft. Blakeley after it was captured by Union forces in April 1865.41

17

Captain James F. Culpepper, was a member of the Citadel class of 1854, and a former student of Major Stevens. Culpepper’s “Palmetto Artillery” unit included several Citadel graduates and alumni as officers or members: -

Capt James F. Culpepper ’54, Commanding Officer, captured at Ft Blakeley, Apr 9, 1865 1Lt. James Leonard Smith Dove ’61, Exec Officer, captured at Ft Blakeley, Apr 9, 1865 2Lt. Joshua L. Moses ’60, killed in action at Ft Blakeley, Apr 9, 1865 2Lt. Perry I. Moses ’65, wounded in action at Ft Blakeley, Apr 9, 1865 Sgt Horace H. Moses ’68, captured laying mines outside of Ft Blakeley

All of these alumni had connections to the Star of the West incident, either through family members who were involved, or through Major Stevens. For example, Joshua, Perry and Horace were brothers of Captain Issac Harby A photo of the Moses brothers Moses ’62, who was a member of the Star of the West taken in 1861 shows Cadet Isaac H. Moses, class of 1862 (seated on Battery on Morris Island. It is believed that 1Lt. Dove was left), Cadet Perry I. Moses, class of a member of the Star of the West Battery as explained 1865 (seated on right), and Joshua earlier. Capt Culpepper and 2Lt Joshua Moses were both L. Moses, class of 1860 (standing). on Morris Island and served under Major Stevens as he established artillery positions on the Island, and later commanded the battery on Comings Point that took part in the bombardment of Ft. Sumter. Capt Culpepper himself was at Ft. Moultrie on Jan 9, 1861, with the Darlington Guard, and watched the cadet battery fire on the Star of the West, and most likely participated in the fire of Moultrie’s cannons that day.42 After returning from Virginia and the Battle of Manassas near Washington DC, Capt. James F. Culpeper formed Culpeper's Battery in August 1861 with the officers mentioned above.

Culpeper's Battery remained in the Charleston area until mid May 1863. The unit was then transferred to Jackson, MS. where it remained (except for a very short stay in Georgia at the Battle of Chickamauga) until February 1864. Culpeper's Battery was then assigned to Mobile, AL and vicinity until the end of the war. Culpeper's Battery arrived at Fort Blakeley less than two weeks before the battle on April 9, 1865.

Lt. Col Andy Kullberg, class of 1983, and Ben Hudson have each completed a detailed study of the order of battle at Ft. Blakeley and they have concluded that after the Union forces had overrun the Fort, the direction of the 20th Iowa as it chased down retreating Confederates, would have put it in contact with the retreating members of Culpepper’s battery. Their research of the battle indicates that when Fort Blakeley was captured on April 9, the order of battle placed Culpepper’s Battery at the fort’s Redoubt No. 9. The 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry is reported to have attacked and overrun Redoubt No. 4. For this reason, some have questioned if the 20 th Iowa would have been in position to capture Culpepper’s men or a flag in the possession of 18

Culpepper’s Battery. However, there is clear evidence in the record that during April 9th Confederate units were split up to address gaps in the Fort’s defenses. The evidence clearly suggests that Culpepper’s men were stationed at various positions throughout Ft Blakeley. There is information that places a portion of Culpepper’s Battery closer to Redoubt No. 4. Still other information indicates that some of Culpepper’s men were captured in front of the fortifications of Fort Blakeley prior to April 9, when they were attempting to lay down land mines. One of the Moses Brothers, Sgt Horace H. Moses, was even captured laying “land torpedoes” (land mines) outside of Ft Blakeley. And still other information places Lt. Joshua Moses in front of Fort Blakeley as it was being captured by Union forces. Further, there is evidence that when the 20 th Iowa Volunteer Infantry breeched Redoubt No. 4; they continued to pursue retreating Confederates to the river. The direction of their movement would have been on a path to intercept Confederates retreating from Redoubt No. 9.

There are numerous plausible avenues that members of Culpepper’s Artillery with links to the Star of the West flag could have brought the flag to Mobile and/or Ft Blakeley. The CHC is prepared to present them on request, but since they are they are interpretations of facts and not essential to our findings, they are not discussed here.

RECOMMENDED WAY AHEAD: The red palmetto flag in the Iowa Historical Society Civil War collection would be a highly prized historical artifact for any museum, but especially for The Citadel. It has a deep historical significance to the college and the State of South Carolina. It is the only, Civil war era, red SC palmetto flag, known to exist. This flag, affectionately known as “Big Red,” would instantly be recognized as a treasured symbol by the Corps of Cadets and alumni. It symbolizes the skill, duty, honor, and courage displayed by the young Citadel cadets, who, by order of the Governor, stood ready to defend the City of Charleston on Jan 9, 1861. The flag is also quite possibly linked to Capt James F. Culpepper, class of 1854, and Lt. Joshua Moses ’60 killed at Ft. Blakeley while heroically attempting to save his men from being shot after their surrender at the fall the fort to Union forces. The Palmetto artillery battery, commanded by Capt Culpepper, was the only SC unit involved in the battle of Ft Blakeley, one of the last battles of the Civil War. The return of Big Red to South Carolina and The Citadel would be an event of historical significance to The Citadel, South Carolina, and the United States.

As we approach the 150th anniversary of the Star of the West on Jan 9, 2011, The Citadel Historical Council recommends that the Board of the Citadel Alumni Association authorize the Executive Committee to work with the college administration and members of the Historical Council to conclude further study of facts and data, and endeavor to obtain the long term loan or permanent transfer of the flag in the Iowa Historical Society Civil War flag collection.

19

1

Governor Pickens, addressing the SC General Assembly in 1861, spoke of the courage and sense of duty shown by the Cadets on Jan 9, 1861: “…the Cadets of the Citadel Academy were the first corps I directed to occupy a new battery on the channel with positive orders to open fire. At this battery they nobly did their duty…” Gary Baker, Cadets in Grey (Palmetto Book Works, Columbia, S.C. 1989) p.30. Mark Clark authorized a study of the Star of the West incident by historians that documented the existence of this flag and culminated in the mural now displayed in the Daniel Library. The Citadel Board of Visitors recognized and approved “Big Red” as the official spirit flag of the Corps on Friday, Oct 16, 1992. Big Red, now an official flag of the Corps, symbolizes the qualities of duty, honor, and courage, and proudly flies over the parade ground and is seen at all major sporting events. During war time, it has become increasingly popular for alumni to present replicas of Big Red to alumni departing for war and to alumni returning with injuries, as a sign of respect and comradeship.

2

Prominent Civil War historians Maury Klein and William Freehling have both concluded the Star of the West incident was one of the pivotal political and military events that led to the outbreak of the Civil War, see: Maury Klein, Days of Defiance, Sumter, Secession, and the Coming of the Civil War, (Vintage Books 1997), p. 204; William W. Freehling, The Road to Disunion, Vol II., Secessionists Triumphant (Oxford University Press, 2007) p. 488-489 3

Correspondence from the Historical Society of Iowa (e-mail Ramirez, Laura [DCA] to 'TCurtis,' sent Thursday, January 29, 2009 2:44 PM) 4

Charleston Mercury, Jan 5, 1861. Notice by the QM Gen. SCM, of the receipt “from the ladies of the Hugh E. Vincent family, a Palmetto flag designed for Ft. Morris.”

5

Gary Baker, Cadets In Gray, © 1989, p. 11-12.

6

Harpers Weekly, January 26, 1861, edition.

7

Harper’s Weekly, January 26, 1861 edition, giving the first hand account of Captain McGowan, in command of the Star of the West.

8

Captain D.B. Vincent was a brother of Hugh Vincent and ship’s captain. He was involved in Vincent’s ship’s chandler business in Charleston.

9

Charleston Daily Courier, Jan 28, 1861.

10

O.R., Series 1 / Vol. 1, Communication of Captain J.G. Foster, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to General Jos. G. Totten, Chief Engineer, U.S.A. Washington D.C. January 21, 1865.

11

Harpers Weekly, Jan 26, 1861 Edition, p52.

12

Glenn Dedmondt, The FLAGS of Civil War South Carolina (Pelican Pub Gretna, Louisiana 2000), p 13 13

Dedmondt, p 13.

14

Dedmondt, p 19.

15 The Charleston Zouave Cadet’s Unit History, dated 1904: “….On the 15th January the company was relieved by the Carolina Light Infantry and returned to the city; several calls being made on the command, while in the city for night-guard duty on a steamer, between Fort Sumter and the bar, to prevent any attempt at reinforcement of the fort during the darkness of night, the steamer remaining out until daybreak.

16

“The Palmetto Guard used The Citadel parade ground…for drill and parade.” The Palmetto Guard as a part of the 4th Brigade SC Militia were joint owners of the parade ground with the city of Charleston [Pvt John S. Bird, Sons of Confederate Veterans Website]. Capt Foster was in the City of Charleston on 19 Dec 1860 and talked with prominent citizens. [Abraham Lincoln, A History bt Nicolay and Hay] O.R. Ser 1Vol I, p.108-109, On Dec 27, 1860, Capt J G Foster, USA, under the command of Maj Anderson reported that both Ft Moultrie and Castle Pinckney had been taken by the secessionists…”while he was in town the Palmetto Flag was hoisted on the Customs house and saluted.” Capt Foster knew what the Ft Moultrie flag looked like and would have recognized it.

17

While the flag in some variation was adopted under the South Carolina Militia Act of 1838, the flag as shown today was not officially adopted as the state flag until January 28, 1861. Then it was the flag of the seceded Republic of South Carolina the first of the states to leave the Union. As such, it is indeed every bit as much a Confederate flag as any other pattern of Confederate flag (and there were many). In fact, the “palmetto flag,” as it became called at the time, was far more the symbol of secession for the South than the more famous Bonnie Blue flag - that gets far more publicity than it deserves based on an examination of the newspapers of the time (but it did have the song). I have found FAR more mentions of palmetto flags being hoisted all over the South (as well as out West and in the North) as symbols of secession than the lone star/Bonnie Blue flags. Gregg Biggs, vexilologist and Civil War flag expert, © FOTW Flags Of The World website 18

Harper’s Weekly Jan 12, 1861 quoting a Charleston Mercury article: “The flag of the Nina, consisting of a white star on red ground was then hoisted amidst loud cheers; and when our reporter left a strong guard had been mounted, and preparations for garrisoning the fortress were well advanced.”

19 The following account is from Major-General Crawford's "Genesis of the Civil War." General Crawford was at the time on the medical staff and one of Anderson's officers. His book is a detailed narrative of the events of those most eventful days. “The same afternoon the governor issued orders to Colonel Pettigrew, First regiment of rifles, and to Col. W. G. De Saussure, First regiment artillery, commanding them to take immediate possession of Castle Pinckney and Fort Moultrie.

Neither fort was garrisoned, and the officers in charge, after making a verbal protest, left and went to Fort Sumter, and the Palmetto flag was raised over Moultrie and Pinckney. In the same manner the arsenal in Charleston was taken possession of by a detachment of the Seventeenth regiment, South Carolina militia, Col. John Cunningham, and Fort Johnson on James island, by Capt. Joseph Johnson, commanding the Charleston Riflemen.” The War Begins, Confederate Military History, Volume 5, Chapter I. http://www.civilwarhome.com/CMHsumter.htm.

20

Castle Pinckney flag Dec. 27, 1860 source The News and Courier and Charleston Evening Post magazine, 1973 "The Civil War at Charleston" page 6. Ft. Johnson flag source Harper's Weekly Magazine, March 2, 1861 of a drawing made by an officer at Ft. Sumter under Major Anderson's command.

21

See the Harper’s Weekly Jan 12, 1861 ed. picture of the flag of the ship Nina being brought into Castle Pinckney and the March 25, 2004 Chas News & Courier article on the return of the Ft. Walker flag SC. The article states this flag first flew at Castle Pinckney on Feb 1, 1861 22

Glenn Dedmondt, The FLAGS of Civil War South Carolina (Pelican Pub Gretna, Louisiana 2000) p13.

23

Glenn Dedmondt, The Civil War FLAGS of SC (Pelican Press, Gretna, Louisiana 2000) p. 13.

24

Exhibit D Picture of the SC Secession Flag showing inward white crescent and star on a red field.

25

Exhibit E Picture of the SC Sovereignty Flag.

26

The Palmetto Guard used The Citadel parade ground…for drill and parade.” The Palmetto Guard as a part of the 4th Brigade SC Militia were joint owners of the parade ground with the city of Charleston [Pvt John S. Bird, Sons of Confederate Veterans Website]. Capt Foster was in the City of Charleston on 19 Dec 1860 and talked with prominent citizens. [Abraham Lincoln, A History bt Nicolay and Hay] O.R. Ser 1Vol I, p.108-109, On Dec 27, 1860, Capt J G Foster, USA, under the command of Maj Anderson reported that both Ft Moultrie and Castle Pinckney had been taken by the secessionists…”while he was in town the Palmetto Flag was hoisted on the Customs house and saluted.” Capt Foster knew what the Ft Moultrie flag looked like and would have recognized it.

27 www.researchonline.net – SC Holcombe Legion Infantry, The Civil War in South Carolina 28

After their engagement with the Star of the West, Gary Baker’s book “Cadet’s in Gray” indicates the cadets were kept busy building other fortifications on Morris Island until they returned to their studies on Feb 4, 1861 (p.27). In his book “The Story of The Citadel,” O.J. Bond states that the cadets returned to the Citadel by late January 1861, The Story of The Citadel, Richmond, VA, Garrett and Massie, Inc 1936, p51. In the Young Lions, Confederate Cadets at War, by James Lee Conrad, Feb 4 is given as the last day cadets were in service on Morris Island. The Young Lions, Confederate Cadets at War, Univ. of SC Press (Columbia, SC 2004.) p 33.

29

Baker, p26 30

Baker, p27 and Charleston Courier, Jan 10, 1861.

31

Exhibit F, Illustration Title: ILL-379, State Military Academy, Citadel, Charleston, SC Image No.: ILL-379 Publication: New York Illustrated News ,Volume: 3 Date: 1861-02-02 Finding Number: AP2* N51415 ( https://treasuryoffineart.osu.edu/x8zIDwPa).

32

Charleston Daily Courier Jan 5, 1861. “Notice by the QM SCM receipt of a flag for Ft. Morris from the Ladies of Hugh E. Vincent.”, Charleston Daily Courier Jan 28, 1861, article “A Well Guarded Flag” describes the flag presented to Major Stevens, Superintendant of the Citadel Academy and in charge of the battery that fired on the Star of the West, as presented by the “ladies of Capt D.B. Vincent”. The discrepancy in the names between Hugh Vincent and Capt D.B. Vincent is not an issue as Capt D.B. Vincent was the brother of Hugh and involved in his ship’s chandler business in Charleston.

33

See www.confederateflags.org/states/FOTCstate.htm 34

Exhibit G, collage of 3 Civil War flags compared with Iowa flag. Exhibit H, comparison of the Ft. Walker flag palmettos and crescent with the Iowa flag.

35

Ben Hudson 1st letter to Iowa Historical Society, Sept 17, 2007, Ben Hudson 2d letter to Iowa Historical Society, Oct 2, 2007.

36

Charleston News and Courier, March 25, 2004.

37

See e-mail from Ramirez, Laura [DCA] to 'TCurtis.

38

Iowa Historical Society Civil War Battle Flag Collection 39

Alfred Hudson, Report on the Capture of the “Red Palmetto Flag” April 9, 1865, ©2007; Article entitled “Denbigh Day by Day” Institute of Nautical Archeology, Texas A & M University website; “Blockade Running During the Civil War” Encyclopedia of Alabama website 40

Alfred Hudson, Report on the Capture of the “Red Palmetto Flag” April 9, 1865, ©2007 41

IBID, Alfred Hudson 42

Capt William E. Charles, class of 1857, book entitled “Sketch of the Darlington Guards”