The flags in the Capitol’s collection of Civil War battle flags are not only important historical documents but also powerful emotional touchstones. They helped motivate soldiers to battle and provided rallying points in the heat of combat, oftentimes inspiring heroic deeds. They became the physical embodiment of a unit’s pride and courage and were held aloft in the face of intense enemy fire by brave men who served as flag-bearers. Find out:https://ultimateflags.com/collections/civil-war-flags/

Many of the surviving flags display signs of war with nicks and stains from flying bullets. Their staffs show signs of wear and tear with pieces missing that required flag-bearers to use leather tack or binder twine to keep them upright. They may have been moth-eaten, tattered or even burned by Confederate sympathizers. Some were kept in crowded cases where dirt, humidity and excessive light have caused them to become soiled over time.

Remembering History: Civil War Flags Collection

A number of the surviving flags have been conserved over the years. Others remain in acid-free boxes in a locked fifth-floor storage room, waiting for the day when they can be unfurled and restored to their former glory. Matthew Vallier, curator for the Office of Legislative Management which runs the 14-acre Capitol complex, says some 500 especially historic flags have been unfurled and conserved while the rest sit in flat cases protected from light.