UCV Camp No.19, Farmville, Va.

Posted: 1/30/2023

Finial Style: Wood

Location Housed: National Park Service, Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia

Measurements: Pole size: 7.50" X 1.25" diameter, both pieces.

Finial Attribution: Unknown

Photograph Attribution: APCP 3517, APCO 3518, NPS Appomattox, Virginia

Additional Information: These two wood finials came to me from the National Park Service in Appomattox, Virginia, where both pieces are found in their collections.

Both finials along with the staffs were donated to the National Park Service in 1969, along with two flags that appear to be post war, used by a United Confederate Veteran organization. All the pieces were donated by an unknown woman from Farmville, Virginia, who reported the pieces came from the United Confederate Veterans {UCV} in Farmville, Virginia. Both flags, according to the NPS records APCO 3417 are described as follows: resembles battle flag, but black cross, white stars on red background, 26" X 33."

What I found very odd after inspecting the images furnished by the NPS was found on the staff of APCO 3518. There is found a very old, yellowed glue on piece of paper that has in writing "5359." Typed is found,"122," below that in type is, "Guttenberg, N.J." Below that typed is, "57478." On a separate old tie-on tag in writing is the following: "ACC.378, Two Conf. flags & Staffs, no photos." The last information is believed to be an early NPS tag for the pieces. The last activity I could find on the world wide web for Camp 19 UCV in Farmville, Virginia, was in 1926 where a 31st reunion was held.

I immediately began to think the two staffs were actually Civil war Virginia flagstaffs. My initial theory was, and still is, that the Virginia flags that had been captured on these two staffs by New Jersey troops were returned to the state of Virginia in the early 1900's then the original staffs were given to the UCV camp at Farmville, while the original returned flags were kept in Richmond. Sounds logical to me.

In the 1905 New Jersey Adjutant Generals report on the captured Confederate flags by New Jersey troops during the Civil War, the General addresses the need to return the captured flags due to a Joint resolution of Congress passed on February 28, 1905. The New Jersey Adjutant report lists 10 Confederate flags in the hands of the State of New Jersey, of which two can be identified to the State of North Carolina. The others could not be identified at that time. The flags are listed as follows:

1. Confederate National Flag, {torn}

2. Confederate National Flag, {capture location not mentioned}

3. Confederate Flag, captured at Manassas Junction, Virginia, March 11, 1862.

4. Confederate National Jack, captured at Chancellorsville, May 1863

5. Confederate flag captured at Manassas Junction, March 11, 1862.

6. Confederate National Flag, torn.

7. Confederate National Flag torn, silk.

8. Confederate National Flag, North Carolina troops, May 1863.

9. Confederate State Flag, "State Rights, -----Tyrannis, Manassas Junction, March 11, 1862.

10. North Carolina flag, "Beaufort Plowboys"

Were any of the returned flags in 1905 on staffs which were subsequently given to UCV No. 19 camp in Farmville? I don't think we will ever know.

One last thing, I checked with the state of New Jersey state Museum who has so kindly helped me with images of New Jersey Civil War period flagstaff finials. That museum has no information on the numbers found on the paper tag on the staff of one of the post war flags. It should also be known that this style wood finial has been seen by the author at museums that were assigned to Confederate battle flags.

Sources:

National Park Service, Appomattox, Courthouse, Virginia

1905 New Jersey Adjutant General's Report