NEW BERN — The largest Civil War re-enactment group in the state has begun a preservation project for a North Carolina state flag that flew during the Battle of New Bern in 1862.
The Society for the Historical Preservation of the 26th Regiment North Carolina Troops and the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh work to save the state’s Civil War artifacts.
The flag is that of the 33rd Regiment North Carolina Troops and was captured by the Union army at the New Bern battle on March 14, 1862.
The estimated cost to restore the regimental flag, now at the Museum of History, is nearly $8,000.
“We have a very significant and large Civil War flag collection and flags, being a textile, deteriorate over time,” said Joe Porter, chief curator and curator of 20th and 21st century militaria at the Raleigh museum. “These are all in the range of being 150 years old. The museum created an adopt-a-flag program and various groups of re-enactors in the state of North Carolina adopt a specific flag to have it conserved and receive the most modern of textile conservation treatments.”
The groups raise money for the restoration and conservation treatment, which Porter said could range from $7,500 to $10,000.
“We have had a significant number of flags conserved in this fashion over the last decade,” he said. “Also, some re-enactment groups have identified parts of uniforms from the Civil War that need similar treatment.”
The 33rd Regiment of North Carolina Troops was organized at the old fairground in Raleigh in September 1861 and experienced its first battle action in New Bern.
At the Battle of New Bern, the 33rd suffered the greatest number of casualties of any Confederate regiment, with 32 men killed and 28 wounded.
Along with the capture of its flag, the 33rd had more than 100 men taken prisoner, including its commander, Col. Clarke M. Avery.
The 33rd and the 26th were the last two units to withdraw from the New Bern battlefield.
In the official after-action report, Lt. Col. William S. Clark, commander of the 21st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, wrote, “These two regiments were the best armed and fought the most gallantly of any of the enemy’s (Confederate) forces. They kept up an incessant fire for three hours, until their ammunition was exhausted and the remainder of the rebel forces had retreated.”
According to the Museum of History’s information file on the 33rd flag, “This flag is a standard wool bunting state flag, although it lacks any method of attachment to a staff. Union brigadier general John G. Foster reported the capture of the Thirty-third’s regimental commander, Colonel Clark M. Avery, and 150 of his men at New Bern on March 14, 1862. It seems likely that the flag was captured at the same time …
“According to a 1917 article in the Raleigh News & Observer, Foster gave the flag to his friend Colonel John L. Lay, who kept it in his possession until he gave it to his sister, Mrs. Mary A. Ensign of Buffalo, New York. Eventually, the flag came to the attention of the Reverend Charles A. Jessup, rector of Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Buffalo and a friend of Mrs. Ensign. Jessup urged that it be returned to North Carolina. He contacted Mrs. Mary Eugene Little of Wadesboro, an officer in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who then notified North Carolina governor Thomas W. Bickett of Mrs. Ensign’s wish to return the flag. Mrs. Ensign died in September, and Jessup subsequently returned the flag in a ceremony at the Hall of History on October 14, 1917.”
Through a partnership with the N.C. Museum of History, the 26th N.C. has raised funds to restore battle flags belonging to seven other Civil War regiments — 1st N.C. State Troops, 16th N.C., 22nd N.C., 26th N.C., 47th N.C., 52nd N.C. and the 58th N.C.
The 26th also raised the funds to place a monument to the 26th N.C. at the New Bern Battlefield.
Once the 33rd flag project is completed, a special ceremony re-dedicating the flag will be held at the museum.
The New Bern Battlefield Park on U.S. 70 East is owned by the New Bern Historical Society.
Information is available at newbernhistorical.org. Select “Battlefield” and click for a battlefield brochure and/or a self-guided tour brochure.
The battlefield has six pristinely preserved redans. For a guided tour, call 252-638-8558.
Charlie Hall can be reached at 252-635-5667 or charlie.hall@newbernsj.com