Volunteer Richard Fast of Knoxville helps conservation assistant Sarah Carlson remove the protective cover from a Civil War flag that flew on the day the first shot was fired in 1861. The flag was donated to the Iowa's State Historical Museum in 1919.
(MARY CHIND/THE REGISTER)
Look at the blood-red cloth spread across a table at the Iowa State Historical Museum and imagine the scene nearly a century and a half ago along the coast of South Carolina.
The first shots of what would become the American Civil War were fired by cadets of the Citadel military college that January day in 1861. Their artillery barrage successfully turned back a ship, the Star of the West, that was attempting to bring supplies to the Union-held Fort Sumter.
The 50 young men fired their cannons while standing proudly under a 7-foot-by-10-foot flag that came to be known as "Big Red." The banner - adorned with a white palmetto tree and crescent moon - became a sacred part of the Citadel's history.
The war officially began in April 1861. It ended in 1865. "Big Red" was believed lost forever.
Now, look again at the flag on the table in the basement of the Iowa museum.
It is, in fact, "Big Red."
Then realize it was kept in storage in Des Moines the past 90 years by Iowa historical museum workers who were unaware they had possession of the nearly pristine - and only surviving - artifact from the first day of this nation's most deadly war.
"There really was no way to know what it was," said Sheila Hanke, director of the battle flag project at the museum. "It was donated to the state in 1919 by a Civil War veteran who provided very little information. It's amazing and wonderful to learn its history. It's why we have the battle flag project."
The Historical Museum has about 300 flags, and conservation work on the collection began eight years ago. The Citadel flag was one of the first 30 to be analyzed.
"We knew it had a significance to South Carolina, because of the palmetto tree, but really nothing beyond that," Hanke said. "We knew that it was in exceptionally good condition - as good a condition as any flag from that period - and that's largely because it is made of merino wool with very long fibers and cotton instead of silk."
The flag was donated to what then was known as the State Historical Department by Willard Baker, a Linn County native who had served with Company C of the 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He lived at the Old Soldiers Home in Marshalltown and, shortly before his death, sent the flag to Des Moines along with two other Confederate flags.
"In one letter, Mr. Baker said he 'got' the flag," said Michael Smith, director of the Historical Museum. "In the other, he said he 'procured' it. We have no reason to believe it was captured in battle, but we really don't know how he came to own it."
The flag was photographed during the conservation process by a young woman from South Carolina who posted it on the Internet. Citadel historians saw the picture and immediately began work trying to authenticate the flag.
A significant clue was the inward direction of the points of a crescent moon in the upper-left portion of the flag. That places the flag's origin at the time of South Carolina's secession from the Union. The inward crescent was part of the state's flag design a very short time, and witnesses to the attack on Star of the West report the flag had such a design.
Citadel historians contacted researchers at the Historical Museum, who had microscopically examined the flag. They studied the fibers and analyzed dirt and mud and searched for sea salt.
"The people in Iowa have been, and still are, being great about this," said Ted Curtis, a 1964 Citadel graduate and head of the college's historical council. "They have taken great care of the flag. They have been meticulous in their research. They understand our interest, and they gave us all the information they had, and that moved things along."
The Iowa historians know the flag came into Baker's possession after the Union Army captured Fort Blakeley at Mobile, Ala., in February 1865. South Carolina troops also were involved in the battle, and several of the Confederate soldiers had strong ties to the Citadel. Union troops burned all the college's records in 1865, so confirming the flag's authenticity took time.
"Three of us worked every day for two and a half years doing research on this," said Curtis, who produced a meticulous 22-page report on the flag and its journey to Iowa. "We are convinced the flag in the Iowa museum is 'Big Red.' "
Iowa State Historical Society flag experts say they are "90 percent certain" it is the Citadel flag.
Each battle flag "is like an unwrapped Christmas present," Hanke said. "We study them and learn amazing things. We work to discover their history. It's exciting when we get answers. We don't always find out the history of a flag. This particular flag has a history. We say we're 90 percent certain about this flag, because for so long, including the war years, its whereabouts were unknown. We won't say 100 percent, but yes, we strongly believe it is the flag."
And yes, the Citadel wants it back. A mural depicting the Star of the West attack - and the flag - was painted at the institution's library in 1960. "Big Red" was named the Citadel's "Spirit Flag" in 1992. "We would like for it to be returned outright," Curtis said.
"We're not ready to do that," said Moore, the Iowa museum's director. "It is a lengthy process. A lot of people are involved. It doesn't just happen. But we understand that to Iowa, it is one flag among many. To the Citadel, it is a flag unlike any other."
So there are no hard feelings. A two-year loan is being arranged, and the flag could be in Charleston as early as March. It almost certainly will be there by Jan. 9, 2011, the 150th anniversary of the cadets' attack on the supply ship.
Its showing at the college almost certainly will be the first public display of the flag since it flew during the Civil War.
"We're in the process of raising $50,000 to have the flag returned to South Carolina and to provide for proper environmental conditions and security when it is displayed in the alumni building," said Curtis. "The flag isn't important to just the Citadel. It is a national treasure."
An extension of Iowa's loan of the flag to the Citadel is already under discussion.
Talks continue to be friendly. A resumption of hostilities seems unlikely.
– Published HERE in The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, October 11, 2009
(MARY CHIND/THE REGISTER)
Look at the blood-red cloth spread across a table at the Iowa State Historical Museum and imagine the scene nearly a century and a half ago along the coast of South Carolina.
The first shots of what would become the American Civil War were fired by cadets of the Citadel military college that January day in 1861. Their artillery barrage successfully turned back a ship, the Star of the West, that was attempting to bring supplies to the Union-held Fort Sumter.
The 50 young men fired their cannons while standing proudly under a 7-foot-by-10-foot flag that came to be known as "Big Red." The banner - adorned with a white palmetto tree and crescent moon - became a sacred part of the Citadel's history.
The war officially began in April 1861. It ended in 1865. "Big Red" was believed lost forever.
Now, look again at the flag on the table in the basement of the Iowa museum.
It is, in fact, "Big Red."
Then realize it was kept in storage in Des Moines the past 90 years by Iowa historical museum workers who were unaware they had possession of the nearly pristine - and only surviving - artifact from the first day of this nation's most deadly war.
"There really was no way to know what it was," said Sheila Hanke, director of the battle flag project at the museum. "It was donated to the state in 1919 by a Civil War veteran who provided very little information. It's amazing and wonderful to learn its history. It's why we have the battle flag project."
The Historical Museum has about 300 flags, and conservation work on the collection began eight years ago. The Citadel flag was one of the first 30 to be analyzed.
"We knew it had a significance to South Carolina, because of the palmetto tree, but really nothing beyond that," Hanke said. "We knew that it was in exceptionally good condition - as good a condition as any flag from that period - and that's largely because it is made of merino wool with very long fibers and cotton instead of silk."
The flag was donated to what then was known as the State Historical Department by Willard Baker, a Linn County native who had served with Company C of the 20th Iowa Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He lived at the Old Soldiers Home in Marshalltown and, shortly before his death, sent the flag to Des Moines along with two other Confederate flags.
"In one letter, Mr. Baker said he 'got' the flag," said Michael Smith, director of the Historical Museum. "In the other, he said he 'procured' it. We have no reason to believe it was captured in battle, but we really don't know how he came to own it."
The flag was photographed during the conservation process by a young woman from South Carolina who posted it on the Internet. Citadel historians saw the picture and immediately began work trying to authenticate the flag.
A significant clue was the inward direction of the points of a crescent moon in the upper-left portion of the flag. That places the flag's origin at the time of South Carolina's secession from the Union. The inward crescent was part of the state's flag design a very short time, and witnesses to the attack on Star of the West report the flag had such a design.
Citadel historians contacted researchers at the Historical Museum, who had microscopically examined the flag. They studied the fibers and analyzed dirt and mud and searched for sea salt.
"The people in Iowa have been, and still are, being great about this," said Ted Curtis, a 1964 Citadel graduate and head of the college's historical council. "They have taken great care of the flag. They have been meticulous in their research. They understand our interest, and they gave us all the information they had, and that moved things along."
The Iowa historians know the flag came into Baker's possession after the Union Army captured Fort Blakeley at Mobile, Ala., in February 1865. South Carolina troops also were involved in the battle, and several of the Confederate soldiers had strong ties to the Citadel. Union troops burned all the college's records in 1865, so confirming the flag's authenticity took time.
"Three of us worked every day for two and a half years doing research on this," said Curtis, who produced a meticulous 22-page report on the flag and its journey to Iowa. "We are convinced the flag in the Iowa museum is 'Big Red.' "
Iowa State Historical Society flag experts say they are "90 percent certain" it is the Citadel flag.
Each battle flag "is like an unwrapped Christmas present," Hanke said. "We study them and learn amazing things. We work to discover their history. It's exciting when we get answers. We don't always find out the history of a flag. This particular flag has a history. We say we're 90 percent certain about this flag, because for so long, including the war years, its whereabouts were unknown. We won't say 100 percent, but yes, we strongly believe it is the flag."
And yes, the Citadel wants it back. A mural depicting the Star of the West attack - and the flag - was painted at the institution's library in 1960. "Big Red" was named the Citadel's "Spirit Flag" in 1992. "We would like for it to be returned outright," Curtis said.
"We're not ready to do that," said Moore, the Iowa museum's director. "It is a lengthy process. A lot of people are involved. It doesn't just happen. But we understand that to Iowa, it is one flag among many. To the Citadel, it is a flag unlike any other."
So there are no hard feelings. A two-year loan is being arranged, and the flag could be in Charleston as early as March. It almost certainly will be there by Jan. 9, 2011, the 150th anniversary of the cadets' attack on the supply ship.
Its showing at the college almost certainly will be the first public display of the flag since it flew during the Civil War.
"We're in the process of raising $50,000 to have the flag returned to South Carolina and to provide for proper environmental conditions and security when it is displayed in the alumni building," said Curtis. "The flag isn't important to just the Citadel. It is a national treasure."
An extension of Iowa's loan of the flag to the Citadel is already under discussion.
Talks continue to be friendly. A resumption of hostilities seems unlikely.
– Published HERE in The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Sunday, October 11, 2009
