Photo from State Historical Society of Iowa
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/oct/02/historic-find-in-a-storage-closet/
“”After seeing a photograph of the original flag, Citadel leaders now know that the replica they have been using has historical inaccuracies, Curtis said.
A committee of the school’s Board of Visitors voted Thursday to begin using the historically correct version of the flag as its “spirit flag,” and to assign intellectual property rights in “Big Red” to The Citadel Alumni Association. The full board will take a final vote on the matter today.
The flag in the Iowa museum has a red background with a large white palmetto tree in the center and an inward- facing white crescent in the upper-left corner.
The replica the school has been using has a smaller white palmetto tree on a red background, with a white outward-facing crescent in the upper-left corner. The direction of the crescent is important, Curtis said, because an inward-facing crescent was, at the time, a common symbol of secession in the Charleston area.
The fact that the flag in Iowa carries the secession symbol makes it more likely that it is the flag that flew on Morris Island, he said.””
Ping!
Spoil of war. Hang on to it, Hawkeyes.
http://media.charleston.net/2009/pdf/bigredreport_100109.pdf
Big Red Report: 22 page pdf
That’s pretty neat.
Looks to be in remarkable shape for it’s age. Great find. Thanks for posting.
Cool
Ping!
I say give the flag back, The Citadel is a good school and upholds the finest traditions of a war college. They produce officers and gentlemen, not just college graduates. This thing could be like a holy relic to them.
I agree with Cotton
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??
Ping
It is the rightful property of the Citadel. Iowa will return the flag.