NJ CIVIL WAR FLAGS TO BE UNVEILED DECEMBER 30th AT THE STATE MUSEUM
A Chance To See More Battle Flags Carried by NJ Troops During The Civil War As Part of Patriots Week Actives in Trenton
What: New Jersey Civil War Flag Exhibition Unveiling and Flag Lecture
Where: NJ State Museum, Main Building, 205 West State St, Trenton, NJ
When: Saturday, December 30th 2017 at 2:00 PM
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[TRENTON, NJ - December 20, 2017] - New Jersey contributed over 80,000 men to the fight and the New Jersey State Museum has over 100 flags carried by New Jersey's troops in the war in its collection.
Flags served a simple purpose, it allowed commanders viewing the battlefield to identify regiments as well as a rallying point during combat. They also brought unit esprit de corp, binding the soldiers together, inspiring enthusiasm, devotion with a strong regard for their own regimental colors. All NJ regiments were provided two large flags, one which was the United States National colors and a second flag, a blue state regimental color, having an Federal eagle clutching arrows and olive branch in it's talons, on one side and usually the New Jersey State seal on the other side. All flags were cherished by their units, and vigilantly guarded by a color company within the regiment, it being a high honor to be selected as a member of this detail, as it was based on personal courage and steadiness under fire.
Five of these historic flags will be unveiled in specially designed exhibit cases in their new exhibit hall at the New Jersey State Museum, located at 205 West State Street in Trenton, at 2:00 PM on Saturday, December 30, 2017.
The flags to be unveiled are some of the most distinctive in the collection, and they have not been shown for several years:
40th New Jersey Infantry National Colors
2nd New Jersey Infantry State Regimental Colors
4th New Jersey Infantry National Colors
2nd New Jersey Cavalry Guidon
A Confederate flag captured by New Jersey troops on May 3, 1863 at the battle of Chancellorsville. The CSA regiment was never identified so the flag stayed within the collection.
New Jersey troops captured well over twenty Confederate flags in battle during the Civil War. One of them will be included in this exhibit. New Jersey regiments lost six flags which were captured throughout the war. This exhibit will include two of them, from the 2nd and 4th New Jersey Infantry regiments. Those flags were captured at the battle of Gaines' Mill in 1862 and then were recovered after the Civil War.
The flagstaff of the 2nd New Jersey Cavalry, also included in this exhibit, was broken by Confederate fire at the battle of Brice's Cross Road, Mississippi, in 1864.
Each flag has its own amazing story to tell.
Organized by the New Jersey State Museum and the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association, the unveiling event will feature an educational gallery walk by flag historian Dr. David Martin, author of the award winning New Jersey at Gettysburg Guidebook. Dr. Martin is currently preparing a detailed history of the State's Civil War flags for publication.
The gallery is newly installed on the first floor of the main museum building, having been moved from its former location at 225 West State Street last summer. It also features a rotating exhibition including Civil War related photographs, sculptures and related memorabilia, prepared by Nicholas Ciotola, Curator of Cultural History at the New Jersey State Museum, with the aid of members of the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association.
For more information and details about these specific flags
contact David G. Martin at dmartin@peddie.org.
For more information on Trenton's Patriots Week see www.destinationtrenton.com