The Union Flag During The American Civil War

As dawn broke over the blood-soaked fields of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863, a tattered yet defiant American flag fluttered in the morning breeze. Its stars and stripes, though dimmed by gunpowder and torn by shot, still gleamed with the promise of a united nation. This was the Union flag during the Civil War– a powerful symbol of hope, determination, and national identity during one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. Throughout the Civil War, this banner would come to represent not just a country, but an ideal worth fighting for, a cause that would reshape the very fabric of American society.

The Union Flag: A Banner Born of Revolution

The Union flag of the Civil War era traced its lineage back to the earliest days of the American republic. Born from the crucible of the Revolutionary War, the original Stars and Stripes had undergone several transformations by the time Southern states began to secede in 1860. What started as a modest banner of thirteen stars and stripes had grown to encompass thirty-three stars, each representing a state in the expanding nation.

The flag's evolution mirrored the country's growth, with new stars added as territories became states. This practice, codified by Congress in 1818, ensured that the flag remained a living symbol of the nation's development. The Act of April 4, 1818, stipulated that a new star would be added on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state, while the number of stripes would remain fixed at thirteen, honoring the original colonies.

This dynamic design reflected the young nation's aspirations for growth and unity. As America expanded westward, the flag grew with it, from the original 13 stars to 15 in 1795, 20 by 1818, and 31 by 1851. With each new star, the flag told a story of national ambition and manifest destiny.

By the eve of the Civil War, the Union flag had become a tapestry of American expansion and unity – a unity soon to be tested by the fires of secession and war. The 33-star flag, which became official on July 4, 1859, after the admission of Oregon, would be the standard that Union troops would rally around in the early years of the conflict. Its very design – stars representing individual states united on a common field of blue – became a powerful argument for the preservation of the Union.

What The Union Flag Meant To Soldiers 

To Union soldiers and civilians alike, the flag represented far more than just the sum of its parts. It was the physical embodiment of the principles they were fighting to uphold: democracy, liberty, and national unity. For many Northerners, the sight of the Stars and Stripes stirred deep patriotic feelings and a sense of purpose.

Union General Benjamin Butler expressed this sentiment eloquently when he said, "That piece of striped bunting flung abroad from the halls of the Capitol, has been consecrated as a new Messiah, not alone of freedom for our race, but for the freedom of all men." His words captured the almost religious reverence with which many viewed the flag, seeing in its folds not just a national symbol, but a sacred emblem of liberty and equality.

The flag's symbolism was particularly poignant for African American soldiers fighting for the Union. For them, the Stars and Stripes represented a promise of freedom and full citizenship, a promise they hoped would be fulfilled through their service and sacrifice. Frederick Douglass, the famous abolitionist, noted, "Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States."

Yet, to Confederate forces, this same flag represented a threat to their way of life and the overreach of federal power. The complex emotions evoked by the Union flag underscored the deep divisions tearing the nation apart. For Southerners who had once pledged allegiance to the Stars and Stripes, its appearance on the battlefield stirred conflicting feelings of nostalgia, betrayal, and resolve.

This dichotomy was perhaps best illustrated by Robert E. Lee, who agonized over his decision to resign his commission in the U.S. Army. In a letter to his sister, he wrote, "With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home." For Lee and many others, loyalty to state ultimately trumped loyalty to the flag of the Union.

Valor Unfurled: The Union Flag in Battle

On Civil War battlefields, the Union flag took on a role of supreme importance. Flag bearers, charged with carrying the national colors into battle, were both a prime target for enemy fire and a rallying point for their own troops. The position was one of great honor and extreme danger.

The significance of the flag in battle cannot be overstated. In the smoke and confusion of combat, the flag served as a crucial point of orientation. Soldiers looked to the colors to maintain formation and rally if their lines were broken. As a result, the fate of the flag often determined the outcome of an engagement.

One of the most famous flag-bearing exploits of the war occurred during the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863. When the flag bearer of the 54th Massachusetts, one of the first African American regiments, was shot down, Sergeant William H. Carney grabbed the colors before they could touch the ground. Despite being wounded multiple times, Carney managed to return the flag safely to Union lines, declaring, "Boys, I did but my duty; the old flag never touched the ground!" For his bravery, Carney became the first African American to be awarded the Medal of Honor, though the recognition would not come until 1900.

Such acts of bravery surrounding the flag were not uncommon. At the Battle of Gettysburg, during Pickett's Charge, Union color-sergeant Benjamin Crippen of the 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry stood his ground against the Confederate advance. When ordered to retreat, he refused, saying, "I will not take the colors from the field!" Crippen was killed, but his devotion to the flag inspired his comrades.

The capture of an enemy's colors was considered a great prize, while the loss of one's own was a source of deep shame. This led to fierce struggles centered around the flags, adding another layer of intensity to already brutal battles. In many cases, multiple color bearers would fall in succession as soldiers fought desperately to keep their flag aloft.

The flag's role in battle was so critical that by the end of the war, 1,522 Medals of Honor had been awarded for flag-related acts of bravery. These included capturing enemy flags, rescuing the national colors, or carrying the flag in particularly dangerous situations.

The Home Front: Stars, Stripes, and Sentiment

Away from the battlefields, the Union flag became a powerful tool for rallying support for the war effort. It adorned the streets of Northern cities, flew from the windows of supporters' homes, and featured prominently in patriotic artwork and literature.

The flag's presence on the home front served multiple purposes. It was a constant reminder of the ongoing conflict and the need for citizens to support the war effort. Flags flying from public buildings, shops, and homes created a visual landscape of patriotism, reinforcing a sense of common purpose among Northern civilians.

Women played a significant role in this flag-centric expression of patriotism. Sewing circles across the North produced flags for local regiments, often embroidering them with the unit's name and motto. These homemade flags created a tangible connection between the soldiers at the front and the communities they left behind.

The flag also became a central motif in the era's popular culture. Patriotic songs like "Rally 'Round the Flag" and "The Battle Cry of Freedom" invoked the Stars and Stripes as a call to arms. Sheet music covers often featured elaborate illustrations of the flag, sometimes accompanied by eagles, cannons, and other martial imagery.

Poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. captured the flag's emotional resonance in his poem "Union and Liberty," writing:

"Flag of the heroes who left us their glory, Borne through their battle-fields' thunder and flame, Blazoned in song and illumined in story, Wave o'er us all who inherit their fame."

Holmes's words exemplified how the flag had become intertwined with notions of heroism, sacrifice, and national destiny in the Northern imagination.

The flag's symbolism was also leveraged in recruitment efforts, with posters often depicting heroic soldiers bearing the Stars and Stripes into battle. This imagery proved effective in stirring patriotic fervor and encouraging enlistment. One famous poster showed Lady Liberty holding the flag aloft, with the caption "Rally Round the Flag," tapping into both patriotic and chivalric ideals to motivate young men to join the cause.

Even in the realm of commerce, the flag found its place. Enterprising merchants produced a wide array of flag-themed goods, from handkerchiefs and pins to elaborate presentation swords for officers, their hilts often adorned with enameled flags. While some criticized this commercialization, it nevertheless spoke to the flag's central place in wartime culture.

For all its public display, the flag also held deeply personal meaning for many. Soldiers carried small flags as talismans, while families at home treasured flags as connections to loved ones fighting at the front. The flag draped the coffins of fallen soldiers, providing a final honor and transforming the banner of national unity into a symbol of personal sacrifice.

A Growing Constellation

As the war raged on, the Union flag continued to evolve, a testament to the Northern view that the nation remained whole despite the secession of Southern states. This evolution of the flag during wartime carried profound symbolic weight, representing the Union's resilience and continued growth even in the face of existential threat.

In 1863, West Virginia was admitted to the Union as the 35th state, necessitating the addition of another star to the flag. This change, implemented on July 4, 1863, coincided with the Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, infusing the new design with added significance. The timing seemed providential to many Northerners, who saw in the new 35-star flag a sign of divine favor for the Union cause.

The process of adding the 35th star highlighted the logistical challenges of wartime governance. Despite the ongoing conflict, the machinery of government continued to function, with the Army Quartermaster General ordering the production of new 35-star flags to be distributed to military units and government buildings.

The admission of Nevada as the 36th state in 1864 brought about another alteration, creating a six-by-six grid of stars. This change came at a crucial moment in the war, as the conflict entered its final stages and the Union's ultimate victory seemed increasingly assured. The new star served as a powerful reminder that the nation continued to expand and strengthen, even as it fought for its survival.

These changes during wartime served as a powerful statement – even as the nation was torn by conflict, the Union continued to grow and strengthen. It was a repudiation of the Confederate claim that the Union had been dissolved, and a reaffirmation of the federal government's authority over the entire national territory.

The expanding flag also played a role in wartime diplomacy. As new stars were added, updated flags were sent to American embassies and consulates around the world, silently asserting the Union's continued vitality to foreign observers. This was particularly important in Europe, where both the Union and Confederacy sought diplomatic recognition and support.

For soldiers in the field, the new stars were a source of pride and motivation. Private Elisha Hunt Rhodes of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry recorded in his diary upon receiving a new 35-star flag: "Our new flag has thirty-five stars now that West Virginia has come into the Union. We have nailed it to a tall pine tree in front of Headquarters. How beautiful it looks and how proud we are of it."

A New Dawn: The Flag in Reconstruction

As the guns fell silent and the long process of reunification began, the Union flag took on yet another role. Now, it served as a symbol of reconciliation and the promise of a reunited nation. During the Reconstruction era, the reintroduction of the Stars and Stripes in Southern states was a visible sign of the return to federal authority.

The raising of the Union flag over former Confederate territory was a powerful symbol of reunification, but it was often a fraught process. In some areas, the flag's reappearance was met with jubilation, particularly among freed slaves and Unionists. In Charleston, South Carolina, for instance, the raising of the Stars and Stripes over Fort Sumter on April 14, 1865 – exactly four years after it had been lowered – was cause for celebration among the city's African American population.

However, this process was not without controversy. For many Southerners, the flag remained a painful reminder of defeat, while for freed slaves and their descendants, it represented the promise of freedom and equal rights – a promise that would remain unfulfilled for generations to come.

The flag's role in Reconstruction was complex and often contradictory. While it symbolized the restoration of the Union and the promise of freedom for formerly enslaved people, it also flew over a deeply divided nation struggling to redefine itself. The presence of the Union flag in the South during this period was often backed by the presence of federal troops, a reminder of the region's defeat and occupation.

In the immediate aftermath of the war, many Southern states incorporated elements of the Confederate battle flag into their state flags, a trend that would continue well into the 20th century. This was part of a broader cultural resistance to Reconstruction, often referred to as the "Lost Cause" narrative, which sought to romanticize the Confederacy and its symbols.

The tension between the Union flag as a symbol of reunification and as a reminder of defeat would persist long after the end of Reconstruction. This ambivalence was captured by Southern diarist Sarah Morgan, who wrote in 1867: "I see the U.S. flag floating everywhere, and cannot yet believe it waves over me, too."

Despite these challenges, the flag gradually reclaimed its place as a national symbol. The process of reconciliation was slow and often painful, but events like the Spanish-American War in 1898 provided opportunities for shared national purpose, helping to heal some of the lingering divisions of the Civil War era.

The Enduring Legacy of The Union Flag 

Today, the flag that flew over Union forces during the Civil War holds a hallowed place in American history. It stands as a testament to the nation's resilience in the face of its greatest internal challenge. The 35-star flag, in particular, has become an iconic image of the Civil War era, featured in museums and reenactments across the country.

The preservation of Civil War-era flags has become a significant undertaking for many institutions. These fragile pieces of history, often bearing the scars of battle, provide tangible links to the conflict and those who fought under them. Museums and historical societies across the country have invested in careful conservation efforts to ensure that these flags can continue to tell their stories for generations to come.

The Union flag's journey through the Civil War embodies the broader American story – one of growth, conflict, and ultimate unity. From the blood-soaked fields of Gettysburg to the halls of power in Washington, it flew as a beacon of hope and a promise of a united future. Its evolution during the war years – from 33 stars to 36 – serves as a reminder of the nation's capacity for growth and change, even in times of profound crisis.

The legacy of the Civil War-era flag continues to resonate in modern America. The debates over flag desecration, the use of the flag in protest movements, and the ongoing controversies surrounding Confederate symbols all have their roots in the complex history of the Stars and Stripes during the Civil War and Reconstruction.

As we reflect on this turbulent period in our nation's past, the Stars and Stripes of the Union flag continue to wave, a living link to the sacrifices made to preserve the United States and the ongoing journey toward fulfilling its ideals. The flag remains, as it was during the Civil War, a powerful symbol of national identity – complex, sometimes contradictory, but always central to the American story.

In the words of American poet Walt Whitman, who served as a nurse during the Civil War: "The flag of the United States has not been created by rhetorical sentences in declarations of independence and in bills of rights. It has been created by the experience of a great people, and nothing is written upon it that has not been written by their life. It is the embodiment, not of a sentiment, but of a history."