During the American Civil War, large national and regimental colors were used both ceremonially and tactically. The tradition of distinctive military flags as a rally point can be traced to Antiquity. The modern practice of unit flags originated in medieval Europe, and was carried through to their use by the United States Army.

During the American civil war the U.S. infantry and artillery regiments carried two extremely large silk colors, a national and a regimental flag. A single regimental color of any kind in private hands is a rarity, and the Zaricor Flag Collection has six such flags presented as three stand of colors from that conflict.

In this grouping are two infantry regimentals, one from a U.S. Regular Army regiment, another Pennsylvania Militia unit federalized during the Gettysburg Emergency on 1863; likewise included is an exceptionally rare U.S. Artillery regimental. Accompanying these flags are three 35 star U.S. National Colors.

Included with these colors are flagstaffs, cords and tassels, flag accoutrements not often preserved and rarely encountered in collections as well as two post war ephemera items a book and chart identifying Civil War flags.