PERSONAL BATTLE FLAG OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL WALTER STEVENS, CHIEF ENGINEER, CONFEDERATE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, 1864.

PERSONAL BATTLE FLAG OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL WALTER STEVENS, CHIEF ENGINEER, CONFEDERATE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, 1864. Small, nearly square (19” hoist by 20-3/4” fly- exclusive of the fringe). Silk, personal battle flag of Brigadier-General Walter Husted Stevens, May 2nd, 1861 became captain of engineers assigned to B.G. T. Beauregard, later General J. E. Johnston appointed Stevens, Chief Engineer of the Army with rank of major. May of 1862, Stevens with the rank of Colonel was assigned to the defenses of Richmond. Spring of 1864, Lee appointed Stevens Chief Engineer, Amy of Northern Virginia. When Petersburg fell and Richmond was abandoned in April 1865, Stevens was reportedly the last uniformed man to cross the Mayo Bridge during the evacuation. In addition to the new headquarters flag ordered for him in August of 1864, Stevens was presented with this small, silk Army of Northern Virginia battle flag (probably made by a Richmond sewing circle), which he is thought to have used as a personal flag (as opposed to his camp headquarters). Red silk field of this flag is bordered on three sides with a heavy, 2” deep, metallic, gold fringe and is traversed, corner to corner, by a dark blue, 2-1/2” wide silk St. Andrew’s cross upon which thirteen, 5-pointed stars (each about 1-5/8” across their points) are embroidered in white silk. A 1-3/4” diameter, dark blue, silk sleeve for the flag’s staff completed the flag for field use. Flag is accompanied by a conservation report by Fonda Thomsen and a letter of authentication dated 1998 from H.M. Madaus in which he states “It is the smallest flag that I have encountered (among some 1500 flags examined over the past 30 years) of the battle flag type that was intended for field usage”. CONDITION: Flag has been professionally conserved and framed. While much of the original, red, silk field has deteriorated, the missing portions have been underlined with a similar-colored and appearing fabric to provide an accurate representation of the flag’s orig appearance. Cross, its stars, the fringe, and the heading are all intact and orig and are in excellent condition. 4-56850 HMM (18,000-23,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	3103	$21,850.00	PERSONAL BATTLE FLAG OF BRIGADIER-GENERAL WALTER STEVENS, CHIEF ENGINEER, CONFEDERATE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, 1864. Small, nearly square (19” hoist by 20-3/4” fly- exclusive of the fringe). Silk, personal battle flag of Brigadier-General Walter Husted Stevens, May 2nd, 1861 became captain of engineers assigned to B.G. T. Beauregard, later General J. E. Johnston appointed Stevens, Chief Engineer of the Army with rank of major. May of 1862, Stevens with the rank of Colonel was assigned to the defenses of Richmond. Spring of 1864, Lee appointed Stevens Chief Engineer, Amy of Northern Virginia. When Petersburg fell and Richmond was abandoned in April 1865, Stevens was reportedly the last uniformed man to cross the Mayo Bridge during the evacuation. In addition to the new headquarters flag ordered for him in August of 1864, Stevens was presented with this small, silk Army of Northern Virginia battle flag (probably made by a Richmond sewing circle), which he is thought to have used as a personal flag (as opposed to his camp headquarters). Red silk field of this flag is bordered on three sides with a heavy, 2” deep, metallic, gold fringe and is traversed, corner to corner, by a dark blue, 2-1/2” wide silk St. Andrew’s cross upon which thirteen, 5-pointed stars (each about 1-5/8” across their points) are embroidered in white silk. A 1-3/4” diameter, dark blue, silk sleeve for the flag’s staff completed the flag for field use. Flag is accompanied by a conservation report by Fonda Thomsen and a letter of authentication dated 1998 from H.M. Madaus in which he states “It is the smallest flag that I have encountered (among some 1500 flags examined over the past 30 years) of the battle flag type that was intended for field usage”. CONDITION: Flag has been professionally conserved and framed. While much of the original, red, silk field has deteriorated, the missing portions have been underlined with a similar-colored and appearing fabric to provide an accurate representation of the flag’s orig appearance. Cross, its stars, the fringe, and the heading are all intact and orig and are in excellent condition. 4-56850 HMM (18,000-23,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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