Battle of Antietam Chromolithograph, Louis Prang.

A late 19th Century chromolithograph depicting the Battle of Antietam.
This chromolithograph depicts the terror and confusion of an advancing Union regiment, crowned by the Northern flag, during the Battle of Antietam. It was produced by the famed Louis Prang of Boston in the late 19th Century.

This chromolithograph was produced by Louis Prang; the 'father of the American Christmas card'. Prang was a German immigrant who rose to fame after establishing a successful printing and lithography company in Boston during the late 19th century producing all manner of commercial, artistic and even documentary images (Prang became well known for his Civil War battle maps printed in then contemporary newspapers).

This chromolithograph depicts the chaos and terror of the battle of Antietam, referred to as the battle of 'Sharpsburg' in the South and the battle of 'Antietam' in the North. Probably more United States flags flew in combat during the American Civil War than any other conflict, but their use was not merely to identify the nationality of the combatants. They also served a very functional role. In the smoke and din of battle, these large military colors were often all that could be seen on the battlefield. They provided the focal point for guiding a military unit; if the flag advanced, so did the regiment; if the flag fell back, the unit fell back and rallied upon it. Because these flags were important communication tools, they drew an inordinate amount of hostile fire, as testified by the oft-shredded remains that have been deposited in state houses throughout the North after the Civil War.

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 67.

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Sources:

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Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.

Louis Prang, Wikipedia, 20 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Prang

Holzer, Harold, editor, Prang's Civil War pictures: the complete battle chromos of Louis Prang, New York, Fordham University Press, 2001

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	23.5
Length of Fly	17.5

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	22.25
Frame Length	27.75

Stars
Are there stars on obverse?	no
Are there stars on reverse?	no

Stripes
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Documentation
Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

Condition
Condition	Good
Displayable	no

Date
Date	1880s - 1900s