Description: Blue silk flag served as the regimental colors of the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. The flag was manufactured in the United States between 1861 and 1865. The front or obverse (not in this photograph) of the flag features the United States arms painted in the center. The arms consists of a bald eagle holding an olive branch in its right talon and a bundle of arrows in its left talon. The eagle holds in its beak a scroll with the motto "E Pluribus Unum" (Latin for "one out of many"). A shield emblazoned with red and white stripes and a blue upper portion is positioned on the eagle's breast. Just above the eagle is a light blue field featuring thirteen white stars. At the top of this light blue field is a gray cloud with gold rays extending above it. Below the arms is a red painted banner with a gold border. Gold text in the banner reads: "SECOND OHIO VET. VOL. CAVALRY." The flag has gold fringe on its top, left, and bottom sides. The reverse of the flag features battle honors painted in gold. At the top of flag are: "WAYNESBORO DINWIDDIE C.H. FIVE FORKS / HARPER'S FARM. 1865. APPOMATTOX C.H." A gold crest-shaped border encloses the following battle honors: "NEWTONIA MO. 1862. PRAIRIE GROVE. / CANE HILL ARK. / STEUBENVILLE KY. 1863, RICHMOND KY. / BUFFINGTON ISLAND O. CUMBERLAND GAP.KNOXVILLE. / BLUE SPRINGS. RUSSELLVILLE. BEAN STATION. / 1864. / THE WILDERNESS. HANOVER C.H. ASHLAND. CHARLESTOWN VA. / HANE'S SHOP. WHITE OAK SWAMP. SMITH'S STORE. / MOTTAWAY C.H. ROANOKE STATION. STONEY CREEK. / REAM STATION. WINCHESTER. SUMMIT POINT. / KEARNEYSVILLE. OPEQUAN. FRONT ROYAL. / TOM'S BROOK. CEDAR CREEK. BACK ROAD." Listed along the bottom of the flag are: "PETERSBURGH. APPOMATTOX STATION. RICHMOND." The dimensions of the flag are 69 by 74 cm and the fabric is silk. Ohio battle flags were on display at the Ohio Statehouse until the 1960s, when the state formed a committee to oversee the efforts to restore the fragile flags. Some of the battle flags were on display on the Plaza Level of the Ohio Historical Society from 1970 until 1989. For conservation reasons, the flags have been in storage since 1989. In the 1960s, the collection was photographed and commercial artist Robert Needham painted illustrations of many Civil War flags. Photographs of the flags and the paintings are now part of the society's archival collections. The 2nd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry was organized in Cleveland, Ohio, and at Camp Dennison near Cincinnati from August to October 1861. The regiment initially served in Kansas and Missouri before pursuing Confederate General John Morgan on his raid across Ohio. The regiment took part in the siege of Knoxville; the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek; and the Appomattox Campaign. The regiment was mustered out in Missouri on September 11, 1865. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL01856
Subjects: Flags--Ohio; United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Places: Ohio