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Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit ZFC0490) GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER'S HEADQUARTERS COMMAND FLAG, 3RD DIVISION, CAVALRY CORPS Date: 1864 Media: Wool bunting and cotton; all hand sewn Comment: In 1864, when General Sheridan came East with General Grant and assumed command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, he instituted a special headquarters flag for the commanders of each of his three cavalry divisions. The flag emulated the pre-War cavalry guidon in that it was swallow-tailed in form and divided horizontally, red over white. On each of the two horizontal bars, the respective division number was applied in the color of the opposite bar. The 3rd Cavalry Division of Sheridan's Cavalry Corps was initially commanded by Brigadier-General James Wilson. In September of 1864, however, Wilson was transferred to the western theater to command his own Cavalry Corps. Brigadier-General George A. Custer then assumed command of the 3rd Cavalry Division and commanded it until the close of the War. Custer's orderlies carried this flag along with his own personally designed flag with Custer in the campaigns that followed, until the 3rd Division flag became too worn for further use. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0490) in 1995 from the descendants of G. A. Custer, through Butterfield & Butterfield Auction House of San Francisco, CA. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery III (ZFC0490) General George A. Custer's Headquarters Command Flag 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps Date:1864 Media: Wool bunting and cotton; hand-sewn Comment: In 1864 when General Sheridan came East with General Grant and assumed command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, he instituted a special headquarters flag for the commanders of each of his three cavalry divisions. The flag imitated the pre-War cavalry guidon in that it was swallowtailed in form and divided horizontally, red over white. On each of the two horizontal bars, the respective division number was applied in the color of the opposite bar. The 3rd Cavalry Division of Sheridan's Cavalry Corps was initially commanded by Brigadier-General James Wilson. In September 1864, however, Wilson was transferred to the western theater to command his own cavalry corps. Brigadier-General George A. Custer then assumed command of the 3rd Cavalry Division and commanded it until the close of the War. Custer-or rather his orderlies-carried this flag along with his own personally designed flag in the campaigns that followed, until the 3rd Division flag became too worn for further use. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0490) in 1995 from the descendants of G. A. Custer, through Butterfield & Butterfield Auction House of San Francisco, CA. The exhibition text was written by Howard Michael Madaus, Exhibition Director of the ZFC's Flag Center, utilizing Zaricor Flag Collection archives. University of California - Santa Cruz Board of Councilors Meeting, 7 June 2012 Rare Flags Exhibit Santa Cruz, CA, June 7, 2012: The Zaricor Flag Collection exhibited 34 flags and artifacts at the University of California Santa Cruz Campus for the Board of Councilors Meeting. General George A. Custer's Headquarters Command Flag 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps Date: 1864 Media: Wool bunting and cotton; hand-sewn. Comment: In 1864 when General Sheridan came East with General Grant and assumed command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, he instituted a special headquarters flag for the commanders of each of his three cavalry divisions. The flag imitated the pre-War traditional cavalry guidon in that it was swallow-tailed in form and divided horizontally, red over white. On each of the two horizontal bars, the respective division number was applied in the color of the opposite bar. The 3rd Cavalry Division of Sheridan's Cavalry Corps was first commanded by General James Wilson until September 1864, when Wilson was transferred to the western theater to command his own cavalry corps, see ZFC0227. General George A. Custer then assumed command of the 3rd Cavalry Division until the close of the War. Custer's orderlies carried this flag along with his personally designed flag ZFC0489, in the campaigns, until the 3rd Division guidon became too worn form battle damage for further use; on 31 March 1865, when it was retired, souvenirs were taken by Custer's staff. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0490) in 1995 from the descendants of G. A. Custer, through Butterfield & Butterfield Auction House of San Francisco, CA. www.FlagCollection.com

Publications Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.
Publication Copy	Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 85. General George A. Custer's Headquarters Command Flag, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps In 1864 when General Sheridan came East with General Grant and assumed command of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, he instituted a special headquarters flag for the commanders of each of his three cavalry divisions. The flag imitated the pre-War cavalry guidon in that it was swallowtailed in form and divided horizontally, red over white. On each of the two horizontal bars, the respective division number was applied in the color of the opposite bar. The 3rd Cavalry Division of Sheridan's Cavalry Corps was initially commanded by Brigadier-General James Wilson. In September 1864, however, Wilson was transferred to the western theater to command his own cavalry corps. Brigadier-General George A. Custer then commanded the 3rd Cavalry Division until the close of the War. Custer (or rather his orderlies; see photo) carried this flag along with his own personally designed flag in the campaigns that followed, until the 3rd Division flag became too worn out in the last week of the war. Date: 1864 Size: 41" hoist x 32.5" fly Media: Wool bunting and cotton; hand-sewn Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1995 from the descendants of G. A. Custer, through Butterfield & Butterfield Auction House of San Francisco, CA. ZFC0490"
Publication Images	Cover Frontispiece datail Frontispiece P. 140 P. 141 P. 146 P. 147

Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.