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Ohio History Connection
Description: The national flag of the United States of America features thirteen horizontal stripes in red and white, and white stars against a blue square field in the upper left corner of the flag. The silk flag is tattered and shredded at the edges. This flag dates from the Civil War. Emerson Opdycke (1830-1884) was a native of Trumbull County, Ohio. At the beginning of the Civil War, he enlisted as a private in the 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was quickly promoted to captain. At the Battle of Shiloh, Opdycke, despite being wounded, picked up the regiment's fallen flag and led a charge that halted the Confederate advance. Governor David Tod ordered Opdycke home, promoted him to colonel and asked him to recruit and command the 125th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Throughout the rest of the war, this unit was known for its courage and tenacity, earning the name "Opdycke's Tigers." Leonard E. Opdycke of Poughkeepsie, New York, donated this flag to the Ohio Historical Society in 1977. The flag belonged to the donor's grandfather, General Emerson Opdycke. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: index
Subjects: United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865; Stars and Stripes; National Flag--United States; Civil War 1861-1865
Places: Ohio History Connection