Exhibits 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.

Exhibition Copy

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. Photo of General Custer, his wife Libbie, his staff and his 2 guidons Date: 1864 Media: Photographic paper. Comment: This is a print taken directly from the historic William H. Bowlsby photograph of General George A. Custer with his wife and staff at the M.Y. Mason mansion, Winchester, Virginia, on the 25th of December, 1864. Custer had made this house his headquarters in Winchester. His two guidons are clearly visible in this photo. On the left is his 3rd Personal Gudion ZFC0489 and the 3rd Cavalry Division designating flag ZFC0490. Shortly after receiving his commission as a brigadier general and closely following the Battle of Gettysburg, George Armstrong Custer had made a swallowtailed guidon, divided horizontally red over blue with white crossed sabers. This served as his personal guidon to mark his location in the field of battle and in camp. The first one was crude, but it was replaced in the winter of 1863 - 1864 by an elaborate flag of the same design made of silk, fringed, and decorated with battle honors from Custer's 1863 service. In June 1864 this second personal flag was nearly captured; it was saved only by tearing it from its staff. As it was too damaged in the process for further use, in the summer of 1864 Custer's wife made yet a third personal flag, which was his most famous. Custer's third personal guidon, his most famous, was carried by him through the remaining campaigns of 1864, including the Shenandoah Valley campaign, where Custer was photographed with it, and his 3rd Division guidon, in front of his headquarters. Provenance: Acquired by Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1492) in 1970 by purchase from photographic archival collections of The Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Crow Agency, Montana. 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	Katz, D. Mark, Custer in Photographs, New York, Bonanza Books, 1985. P. 35. Image of photograph. Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p.87. General George A. Custers Third Personal Cavalry Headquarters Guidon (PHOTO) Shortly after receiving his commission as a brigadier general and closely following the Battle of Gettysburg, George Armstrong Custer caused to be made a swallow-tailed guidon, divided horizontally red over blue with white crossed sabers. This served as his personal guidon to mark his location in the field of battle and in camp. The first one was crude, but it was replaced in the Winter of 1863 1864 by an elaborate flag of the same design made of silk, fringed, and decorated with battle honors from Custer's 1863 service. In June 1864 this second personal flag was nearly captured; it was saved only by tearing it from its staff. As it was too damaged in the process for further use, in the Summer of 1864 Custer's wife made yet a third personal flag, which was his most famous. This is that very flag. Custer's third personal flag was carried by him through the remaining campaigns of 1864, including the Shenandoah Valley campaign, where Custer was photographed with it, and his 3rd Division guidon, in front of his headquarters. It also started with him on the Spring 1865 campaign south of Petersburg and was only replaced by another fine silk example, crafted by his wife, Libbie, as Custer began the final battles on April 1, 1865, that culminated at Appomattox Court House in April 9, 1865. Date: 1864 Medium: Black and white photograph by William H. Bowlsby. ZFC1241
Publication Images

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.