South CarolinaPing
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Posted on 10/02/2009 10:35:25 AM PDT by iowamark
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – Researchers seem to have solved the mystery of what happened to the “Big Red” flag flown by Citadel cadets when they fired on a ship trying to resupply Fort Sumter three months before the Civil War.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports a 10-by-7-foot flag with a large white Palmetto tree and a white crescent on a red field has been located in storage at an Iowa museum.
Researchers think it is the same flag that flew over Morris Island when cadets fired on the supply ship Star of the West, forcing the ship to turn away, in January of 1861.
The Civil War began that April with a Confederate bombardment of Union-held Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
The Citadel adopted a replica of the red flag as a spirit flag almost 20 years ago. But it was unclear what happened to the original.
A woman, who was not identified, posted information on the flag on the Internet two years ago. The Citadel Historical Council began researching and it led to the discovery of the flag at the State Historical Society of Iowa is Des Moines.
Council chairman Tex Curtis, a 1964 graduate of the state military college, calls the flag “a priceless historic artifact. It literally is The Citadel. It goes right to the beginning.”
The school is discussing bringing the flag back to Charleston from the Iowa museum on a long-term loan.
Michael O. Smith, director of the Iowa museum, said the flag was donated by a Union Civil War veteran, Willard Baker, in 1919. Baker said he got the flag in Mobile, Ala.
Researchers think the flag was taken from Charleston to Mobile by Confederate Capt. James F. Culpepper, an 1854 Citadel graduate, and fell into Baker’s hands when Union troops captured Fort Blakeley near Mobile in April 1865. Both Culpepper and Baker fought in that battle.
Smith said the flag has been in storage since 1919. He said officials knew it was from South Carolina because of the palmetto, the state symbol, but did not know the flag’s significance.
It not art... it a battle flag won
The unit which fought under the flag was not defeated in battle nor was it at Mobile although a former member was. In fact, I doubt if the unit was still even in existence by that time. As such, it was a historical artifact carried by an individual soldier.
But what else would you expect of those people who looted George Washington historical artifacts from the home of Robert E. Lee?
Totally agree.
I agree with Cotton
>> Spoil of war. Hang on to it, Hawkeyes.
I take this to mean that you remain in favor of a large federal government vs. states rights?
If I was in favor of a large central government then I'd be a Jeff Davis supporter.
I’m sorry but what sort of a museum curator are you if you fail to research a flag donated by a Civil War vet??
Obviously artwork is not military property.
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Thanks MNJohnnie. Ordinarily not a ping (because modern), but I think this will be of interest to a great many, so... |
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Interesting.
Ping
Talk about stupid comparisons. Of course you just think that being that I mentioned giving Germany back Nazi art and the flag should be returned to the Citidal, you automatically ASSume the I must be from the south. Honestly, I live in North Carolina and love it here. However, I was born and raised in New York City, schmuck. Nor am I Jewish.
The Hawkeyes don't have it.
Only a few uneducated, low income people could be described as “Hawkeyes” in the great state of Iowa.
And my opinion is that we should give the flag back to SC if it is that much of their heritage.
I would expect the same.
It is the rightful property of the Citadel. Iowa will return the flag.
“I’m sure that you also believe that the Germans should hang on to the art works stolen by the Nazis.”
You compared the North to Nazi’s.
I made you look stupid.
Must have left a mark.
I never said that the NORTH is comparable to the NAZI’s. If you had read my reply correctly, I said that it would be a kind gesture for Iowa to return the flag to the Citadal. However it sounds to me that you are speaking with a, as my father would say, “speaking with a paper a$$hole”.
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