With the end of the Civil War New York’s veteran regiments returned home, furled their banners, and put them on prominent display in the State Capital Building in Albany. There they sat for a hundred years, often admired but sadly neglected.

 In 1961 Gov. Nelson Rockefeller appointed a number of prominent New Yorkers to the New York State Civil War Centennial Commission. Led by prominent historian Bruce Catton, the commission set forth on an ambitious program to promote the state’s Civil War heritage. In the next four years events were held in every county to commemorate and preserve this heritage.

The renewed interest brought to light the plight of New York’s deteriorating battle flags. Many of the flags were put on display for the first time in decades, while others were slated for preservation. Unfortunately, these attempts to display and restore the flags may ultimately have proved more harmful to their overall condition.

However well intentioned the preservation efforts, they were shockingly crude by today’s standards. And, certainly just as bad, those flags which were in good condition were often displayed unprotected from harmful environmental effects. Those flags which were tattered were preserved using a method known as “netting”. In this process the flags were sewn onto a net backing which held the fragments together and provided sturdy support for the decayed fabric. Unfortunately this method also introduced hundreds of tiny needle holes in the fragile material.

Today the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees one of the most advanced material restoration efforts in the country. New York’s 1700 battle flags are slowly, painstakingly being preserved using the latest methods available. Much of the restoration work has involved undoing the results of previous, crude restorations. While the results so far have been good, for many flags the effort is tragically too late.

The following examples illustrate some of the Centennial events which unintentionally contributed to the deterioration of the flags:

May 24, 1961 was designated by Gov. Rockefeller as Elmer E. Ellsworth Day. In Ellsworth’s hometown of Mechanicville, NY his funeral procession was reenacted while the huge 14’ x 24’ flag which he was carrying when he was shot was displayed at the local school. This photo shows two officers of the National Guard holding the tattered flag in their hands while the bulk of the flag rests on the bare floor.

On April 17, 1961 the first state-wide Centennial assembly was held in Albany. At the assembly the New York Army National Guard furnished eight color guards, several dressed in Civil War uniforms. According to the Centennial Commission bulletin “The color guards carried the original battle flags borne by New York regiments in the conflict 100 years ago.” In the accompanying photo National Guard color guards pose outside with original flags exposed to sun, wind and pollution.

In an article touting the restoration of New York’s battle flags, Centennial Commission Bruce Catton commented: “There is real meaning in the preservation of these symbols under which thousands of New York men fought and died to extend human freedom upon earth. Let us never forget that our flag means freedom, real freedom.” The restoration was made possible through legislation which appropriated $15,000 to begin the work. The first flag chosen for restoration was the regimental colors of the 20th New York State Militia, a regiment which fought with distinction at Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and Petersburg. The method of restoration, netting, “consists of painstakingly closing the flag between two layers of specially prepared and dyed nylon netting.” To illustrate this method of preservation, the accompanying photo depicts Mrs. Josephine Roser striking her best Betsy Ross pose while sewing the netting to the regimental colors. Meanwhile the colors  lie draped across her lap as well as the floor.

In March of 1962 the Centennial Commission proudly announced that “Employing a unique process learned from her mother, Mrs. Roser has so far completed the restoration of more than 20 of the state’s Civil War flags.” Several of the flags were hung on flagpoles and displayed in a ceremony attended by the governor and other important politicians. The first photo shows Mrs. Roser and descendants of Lt. Matthew Wilson of the 140th New York holding the regimental flag. The second photo shows Gov. Rockefeller and other politicians proudly standing before the flags of the 144th New York Infantry (both national and regimental), 6th New York Heavy Artillery, 11th New York Cavalry and 140th New York Infantry.

 

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