During the Civil War, soldiers spent only a fraction of their time in frontline combat. For the most part, they were based in camps. In the summer months, soldiers lived in simple tents made of a single piece of cloth draped over two sticks and pinned to the ground. Log huts were constructed for the winter.
This flag from the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection was likely hung vertically outside the tent of a Union unit commander. Made of wool and cotton bunting with a printed design, it was constructed for military use. The open weave allowed wind and water to pass through easily, making it durable in all weathers.
When this flag was made in the early 1860s, it was up to individual flag-makers to determine the composition of stars. There were no regulations for stars on the U.S. flag until 1912, when President Taft passed an executive order specifying their arrangement and orientation. According to James M. Goode, late curator of the Washingtoniana collection, the arrangement that you see here — 34 stars in a “circle-in-a-square” medallion — is very rare. Why 34? Kansas was admitted as the 34th state to the Union in 1861. This informed the design and also dates the flag.
