Wool bunting swallowtail flag. Blue field with white St. Andrew's cross in the center of the flag. Red number "6" is painted in the center of the cross. White cotton hoist. Machine stitching. The inscription on the hoist reads "Head Quarters 6 Army Corps."
Wool bunting swallowtail flag. Blue field with a wide red border around all sides except the hoist. In the center of the flag is a black cotton cartridge box with a yellow wool oval on the front flap. Painted in the oval are the letters "U.S" in black. White contrast stitching outlines the cartridge box. Above the cartridge box, written in an arc, is the phrase "FORTY ROUNDS" painted in white letters. The flag is machine stitched with flat-felled seams. White cotton heading with no grommets.
Wool bunting pennant flag. Blue field with a red border around all three edges. In the center of the flag is a white Maltese cross. White hoist with no grommets. Inscription on hoist reads "3rd Brg. 2nd Div'n 5 Army Corps".
Wool bunting pennant flag. Blue field with a red border at the hoist edge. White cotton applique of two crossed swords in the center of the flag. White cotton hoist with no grommets. Machine stitching; flat-felled seams. The inscription on the hoist reads "R C Toy 49. N 9th Phila CAVALRY Corps Army POTOMAC 2nd Brg 2nd Div."
Rectangular wool bunting flag. White field with a blue shield in the center of the flag. On the shield, a red anchor is diagonally crossed with a white cannon (the cannon surmount the anchor). Blue dye from the shield has migrated into the anchor and the cannon. White hoist with no grommets. Inscription on hoist reads "3rd Div 9th Army Corps".
Rectangular wool bunting flag. White field with a large red circle hand-stitched to the center of the flag. The circle is stitched with two rows of red thread. Reinforcements on both hoist corners. The white cotton hoist is hand-stitched and has a metal grommet at each end. The flag panels are machine-stitched with lengthwise flat-felled seams using undyed threads. There are many repairs on this flag, including three patches along the fly. Inscription on hoist reads "1ST ARMY/CORPS 1ST DIVISION".
Rectangular wool bunting flag. White field with a large red Maltese cross in the center of the flag. Reinforcements squares of fabric on each hoist corner. Undyed hoist with a metal grommet at each end. Inscript on hoist reads "5TH ARMY/CORPS 1ST DIVISION".
Wool bunting tapered swallowtail flag. Red field with two blue diagonal stripes; the stripes run from one end of the hoist to the opposite swallowtail and cross at the fork in the swallowtail. A cotton white number "6" surmounts the blue stripes. White cotton heading with metal grommet at each end. Hand-stitched. The inscription on the hoist reads "6th Corps/Qr Master/From/Wm. F. Scheible/Philada. Pa/Contract march 23, 1865."
General Description:
Sixth Army Corps (18 May 1862 - 28 June 1865)
Originally the Greek cross was the corps emblem for the Sixth Army Corps. Early in 1864, the cross was shifted 45 degrees to create the St. Andrews cross in 1864 that was used until the end of the war.
Known as "The Fighting Sixth" and "the most famous corps in the Civil War", the Sixth Army Corps was created on 18 May 1862 and discontinued in June 1865. the Sixth Corps was commanded by Major General John Sedgwick, who was known as "Uncle John" to his men. General Sedgwick was killed at the battle of Spottsylvania. After the war, a member of his staff, Colonel James H. Platt, presented the headquarters flag of the Sixth Army Corps to the Association of Vermont Officers with the following letter:
"This flag should be especially dear and sacred to the old Vermont brigade, as it is the only one that our beloved Sedgwick ever used while he commanded the immortal 6th Corps. It was his headquarters battle flag. Always carried near his person in every action in which he commanded the corps, it will be recognized by every soldier of the Old Brigade at once, and must awaken in their hearts vivid memories of the numerous fields upon which, under its folds, they achieved so much of their imperishable renown. It will recall the noble Sedgwick, who loved them so well and was so well loved in return, who was at once the brave soldier, the able commander, the sincere friend; the best soldier and the noblest man it was ever our good fortune to serve under. It will also recall our brave comrades who sealed their devotion to their country by their heroic deaths upon the field of battle under its folds. I have regarded it as a precious and sacred relic; and, believing I had no right to retain it all to myself, have long contemplated presenting it to this association. I respectfully request my old comrades, through you, to accept it a valuable addition to their store of relics; that they will permit it to grace the hall at their annual reunions, and cherish it as a memento of our beloved Sedgwick and the old Corps."
Wool bunting pennant flag. White field with a blue crescent in the center of the flag. White cotton hoist with no grommets; one horizontal blue thread runs through heading; open sleeve. Machine-stitched flat-felled seams using off-white cotton thread. Hand-stitched whipstitch to finish fly. Inscription on hoist reads "1st Brg. 3rd Div 11 Army Corps".
Jacket of army wool dyed a distinctive green color. Green wool forage cap with leather trim. Frock coat of green wool with brass buttons were later replaced with hard, black rubber buttons to prevent reflection from the light.
General History
Uniform and hat of soldiers of the 1st Regiment of U.S. Sharpshooters, better known as Berdan's Sharpshooters. Mustered in 1861, this unit was commanded by Colonel Hiram Berdan. Berdan was an inventor considered by some to be the best marksman in America. At the outset of the Civil War, Berdan believed that current infantry tactics were outdated. He wrangled a meeting with President Lincoln and presented his idea of forming a special unit of soldiers. These soldiers would be “Sharpshooters” from every state. Their goal would be to fire on specific targets rather than simply firing en masse. Lincoln was impressed with the idea and authorized 100 men to join Berdan. To qualify, recruits had to place ten shots within five inches of a bull's-eye at a distance of six hundred feet. They were the only volunteer unit in the war to bear the designation “United States” and the only one supplied by the federal government.
Rectangular wool bunting flag. White field with a hand-stitched cotton blue square bastioned fort in the center of the flag. Square reinforcements at the hoist corners. Undyed cotton hoist with a metal grommet at either end. An inscription stamped on the hoist reads "10TH ARMY/CORPS 3RD DIVISION." Flag panels are machine-stitched with flat-felled seams.
Wool bunting pennant flag. Blue field with a red border around all three sides. In the center of the flag is a white circular cross. The cross resembles a Maltese cross whose outer edges are curved, forming a circle. White hoist with no grommets. The inscription on the hoist reads "3rd Brg 2nd Div. 16 Army Corps."
Wool bunting swallowtail flag. Horizontal bicolor design. The top half of the flag is red and the bottom half of the flag is white. In the center of the flag is a blue cotton applique of two crossed swords. Above the cross in the swords is a number "3" stenciled in blue pigment paint. Below the cross in the swords is a number "3" stenciled in red pigment paint. White cotton hoist with no grommets. There is an inscription on each side of the hoist; one side reads "3rd Brg 1st Div Cavalry. Command Div. of Miss" while the reverse reads "RC Toy 49 N 9th Phila."
Wool bunting pennant flag. White field with a red border around all three sides. In the center of the flag is a blue applique of two crossed swords. The number "3" is stenciled on top of the crossed swords in red paint. White cotton hoist with no grommets. The inscription on the hoist reads "3rd Brg. 3rd Div. Cavalry. Command." Machine stitching; flat-felled panel seams.
Rectangular wool bunting flag. White field with a large blue circle in the center of the flag. Reinforcement squares at both hoist corners. There is a patch in the upper fly corner and along the lower edge, near the fly. White hoist with a metal grommet at either end. Inscription on hoist reads "1ST ARMY/CORPS 3RD DIVISION".
Wool bunting pennant flag. White field with red St. Andrew's cross in center of flag. White cotton hoist. There is a line of long basting stitches that run from the point of the fly to the middle of the hoist (the stitches bisect the hoist at a ninety degree angle). Machine stitching. The inscription on the hoist reads "1st Brg. 1st Div 6 Army Corps."
Wool bunting pennant flag. White field with pie-shaped blue triangles in each corner. The edges of the triangle facing the center of the flag are convex. In the center of the flag is a fan-leaved cross with an octagonal center (similar to a Maltese cross). White hoist with no grommets. The inscription on the hoist reads "4th Brg. 1st Div 19th Army Corps."
Pre-1863 design. Wool bunting swallowtail flag. Blue field with a hand-stitched white five-point star in the center of the flag. Hand-stitched into the star is a cotton red number "20" applique. Flag panels are machine-stitched with flat-felled seams. White cotton hoist with a grommet at either end. The inscription on the hoist reads "20TH ARMY/CORPS HEAD QUARTERS." There are extensive losses in the top swallowtail.