Kenneth Hafendorfer; Perryville: Battle For Kentucky

FPT

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Jun 28, 2012
I am reading the above book (Second Edition, 1991) and on page 307 the author, based on the report of Colonel Hume Feild described a Hardee battle flag as such: "which pictured a black ball in the center of a white background".

I am used to a Hardee flag generally being a white sphere somewhat in the center of a blue background. Did a flag as described above actually exist?
If so, how common would it have been in 1862 and are there still any around in a museum or collection.

Thanks.

FPT
 
I am reading the above book (Second Edition, 1991) and on page 307 the author, based on the report of Colonel Hume Feild described a Hardee battle flag as such: "which pictured a black ball in the center of a white background".
Here is that section of Feild's report from the OR's:
" The regiments on our left then opened their fire upon us, killing and wounding a dozen officers and men at each discharge. Just then I discovered Hardee's battle-flag coming up on our left about 500 yards in rear. Expecting that the regiment that carried the flag would engage the enemy that were cross-firing upon us I determined to hold the hill at every cost, thinking they would drive the enemy before them; they failed to do so and fell back before they had arrived in 200 yards of my position; whereupon I ordered my regiment to retire, which it, did in much better order than could have been expected, leaving half their number dead and wounded on the top of the hill." OR SERIES I--VOLUME XVI/1 [S# 22]
OCTOBER 8, 1862.--Battle of Perryville, or Chaplin Hills, Ky.
No. 33.--Report of Col. H. R. Feild, First Tennessee Infantry.
However from Noe's The Grand Havoc of Battle, pg. 254:
"According to some Federals, the Tennesseans carried a black flag, signifying that they
would give no quarter. Starkweather's men probably mistook the 1st Tennessee's navy blue
regimental "Polk flag" for the black flag." Here, no source is given.
 
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Here is that section of Feild's report from the OR's:
" The regiments on our left then opened their fire upon us, killing and wounding a dozen officers and men at each discharge. Just then I discovered Hardee's battle-flag coming up on our left about 500 yards in rear. Expecting that the regiment that carried the flag would engage the enemy that were cross-firing upon us I determined to hold the hill at every cost, thinking they would drive the enemy before them; they failed to do so and fell back before they had arrived in 200 yards of my position; whereupon I ordered my regiment to retire, which it, did in much better order than could have been expected, leaving half their number dead and wounded on the top of the hill." OR SERIES I--VOLUME XVI/1 [S# 22]
OCTOBER 8, 1862.--Battle of Perryville, or Chaplin Hills, Ky.
No. 33.--Report of Col. H. R. Feild, First Tennessee Infantry.
However from Noe's The Grand Havoc of Battle, pg. 254:
"According to some Federals, the Tennesseans carried a black flag, signifying that they
would give no quarter. Starkweather's men probably mistook the 1st Tennessee's navy blue
regimental "Polk flag" for the black flag." Here, no source is given.
Sounds like Kenneth Hafendorfer, or his editors/proofreaders may have gotten the description wrong.

Thanks.

FPT
 
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Wonder if Hafendorfer had known about the Federals that thought they saw a black flag and somehow read it into Feild's report when writing that section. He would have used the print ORs, so he didn't recheck the order, as the guild press digital issue didn't come out until 1997, while his book came out in 1991. And we can't ask him as he died in 2017.
 
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