New York Patriotic Shield - Nehushtan Antiques

Description

TWELVE STAR SHIELD

This is a rare confederate shield that dates back to C. 1861-1890. It retains its original red, white and blue paint with good surface and wear. It is painted on tin with slots in back for two flags. It has nice squatty form featuring the Cameron trademark of twelve stars. Six white stripes and seven red stripes. May have been a schoolhouse flag holder shield or showcased in a United Confederate Veterans hall. The 12 star confederate flag was only made for a short period of time between 1861 and approx. Arpil 1862. Measures: 24" wide x 23 1/2" tall

Twelve stars commemorates South Carolina being the twelfth land colonized in 1670. Originally part of Carolina Colony. Was separated from North Carolina in 1711, and became a royal providence in 1729.

History behind the 12 star confederate flag:

General Polk was temporarily shifted to Alabama in late 1863 after the Missionary Ridge debacle. However he raised more troops and returned to corps command with refreshed regiments to the Army of Tennessee in the Spring of 1864 with a distinctive new battle flag. Made by James Cameron of Mobile, who may have made most of the Bragg pattern flags, the battle flags were festooned with white battle honors on the red field and featured the Cameron trademark of twelve stars. Equally equipped at this time with smaller flags of this type were the cavalry regiments of Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry corps. Although ordered to adopt a similar thirteen star flag made standard by General Johnston in early 1864 and before the great battles, the regiments of Polk's Corps, although their commander would soon die in battle, normally retained their beauticul new twelve star flag that was, from a distance virtually identical to the Johnston flag anyway. As these flags were chewed up by battle over the next few months, the Johnston battle flags replaced them as needed. The survivors of these flags today, due to their many battle honors, remain as mute reminders of the courage of the soldiers that fought under them.

In November 1861 the first battle flags were issued to regiments. This flag is referred to as the "Southern Cross". It had 12 total stars, 11 stars for the states currently in the CSA and one for Missouri, which had seceded, but was not yet admitted to the Confederacy.

The first flags were made of silk which did not last very long exposed to the harsh weather conditions the army had to live in. Many of these flags faded to a pale reddish pink color. Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) silk flags were used into 1863 by some units. Two were lost at Gettysburg for example. Their borders were yellow and the hoist edge a blue sleeve. The next flag issue was the ANV cotton flags, also of 12 stars. These were made in April, 1862 and given to three brigades as a stop gap measure. The next issue of this flag in 1862 was made of heavy English wool bunting. They would now proclaim 13 stars for 13 states.