Looking for the Last Flag flying

[Rusk County Avengers]

(Picture from a long dead reenactment with a flag to grab attention. You can see yours truly below the flag in the dark uniform. If I had a picture of artillery under a flag I'd have used it.)

"Soldiers, from all the information I can gather the Trans-Mississippi Department has been surrendered. We are the last organized body of Confederate soldiers in existence. I must now thank you officers and private soldiers for the great confidence you have always shown me as your commander. The citizens have tendered you a picnic and I have accepted the courtesy in your behalf. Government property is not mine to give, nor can I retain it. A word to the wise is sufficient."

Major Charles W. Squires made that address to his artillerymen in June of 1865 as he disbanded them on a prairie west of Tyler, TX. His short memoir is a very interesting read, especially as he notes they were in brand new red trimmed uniforms on their march to disbandment, him disbanding his command when they were en-route to the Texas coast and not receiving any further orders or replies to telegrams. His command was out of communication, and the local telegraph operator letting him know he thought the war was over. As far as they knew, they were the last organized body of Confederate troops in the field.

Whether they were or not is open to debate, but he makes mention in his memoir that his flag was still flying above his tent and flew till he got tired of waiting all alone for Federals to show up and him surrender what Government property left after his men disbanded taking the horses and mules and other stuff they could carry. When he gave up waiting, he took down the flag and went home.

Can anyone help me figure out what flag that was?

He was chief of artillery for Forney's Division, also known as the Texas Division, Walker's Greyhounds, and so on. His artillery battalion wasn't just Texan though, he was a Louisianian, a veteran of the Washington Artillery in Virginia, and one battery under his command I think was the 1st CS Regular Battery, a Louisiana outfit.

I can't figure out what they were flying in June 1865, near as I can tell it could've been a 1st National or 2nd National. I hope someone has better luck than me.

 

[Library Lady]

This should help you out, @Rusk County Avengers .

LibGuides: First National Pattern Confederate Flag: History of Confederate Flags

LibGuides: First National Pattern Confederate Flag: History of Confederate Flags

library.rockinghamcc.edu

 

[archieclement]

Thought Stand Watie is generally considered last organised Confederate troops in field, who surrendered on June 23rd. What day did Squires disband?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Thought Stand Watie is generally considered last organised Confederate troops in field, who surrendered on June 23rd. What day did Squares disband?

You want me to go back to that memoir while reading another book? C'mon man...

He doesn't mention the exact date, but he was writing it a few years later. He believed his was the last organized command in existence, he may have been, may have not. Till I find more references on this event, we got to stick with it being his belief instead of fact.

Gotta admit, I'm thoroughly surprised at you considering Stand Watie's troops the last on the field under the colors. I would think you of all people would consider Jo Shelby's Expedition to Mexico the last command. I know I do, even if the main account by Edwards is garbage in my opinion.

Perhaps Squires' command was just the last organized one in Texas? Texas and by extent the entire Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department was in thrown into such chaos and lawlessness by events back east, and in Shreveport we may never know the true answer.

Still, a CS command in brand new matching uniforms enjoying a picnic, possibly under the Stars & Bars and learning the war and they're country was lost is in such contrast to the popular image of ragged, barefoot and starving Confederates under the Battleflag surrendering that I absolutely love it. Have for a long while, kind of been sitting on it for research reasons.

But lets not allow this to take away from the CSS Shenandoah's title.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

A top notch online resource:

Battle Flags in the Trans-Mississippi Department - Confederate Flags

CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE: The Missouri State Guard and other “Secession” Flags in Missouri State Flags and Company Flags in the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy The Confederate 1st National Flag in the Trans-Mississippi The Confederate 1st National Flag and Their Indian Allies The Second National Flag...

confederateflags.org

 

[archieclement]

You want me to go back to that memoir while reading another book? C'mon man...

He doesn't mention the exact date, but he was writing it a few years later. He believed his was the last organized command in existence, he may have been, may have not. Till I find more references on this event, we got to stick with it being his belief instead of fact.

Gotta admit, I'm thoroughly surprised at you considering Stand Watie's troops the last on the field under the colors. I would think you of all people would consider Jo Shelby's Expedition to Mexico the last command. I know I do, even if the main account by Edwards is garbage in my opinion.

Perhaps Squires' command was just the last organized one in Texas? Texas and by extent the entire Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department was in thrown into such chaos and lawlessness by events back east, and in Shreveport we may never know the true answer.

Still, a CS command in brand new matching uniforms enjoying a picnic, possibly under the Stars & Bars and learning the war and they're country was lost is in such contrast to the popular image of ragged, barefoot and starving Confederates under the Battleflag surrendering that I absolutely love it. Have for a long while, kind of been sitting on it for research reasons.

But lets not allow this to take away from the CSS Shenandoah's title.

Most accounts I've seen of Shelby don't attach a date to his crossing at Eagle Pass, which always seemed curious. I find it a little curious a artillery unit wouldn't have surrendered with an infantry command as well. Watie offhand seems the most definite organized unit with a specific date I was aware of.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Most accounts I've seen of Shelby don't attach a date to his crossing at Eagle Pass, which always seemed curious.

It was after the surrender in New Orleans, Shelby and co passed through Austin on June 12th, the day after the Great Texas Treasury Robbery that Edwards falsely claimed they intervened in, it was after General Granger landed in Galveston, and I think there was an incident with pursuing Federal troops where they refused to give battle and let them go.

Considering distance and so forth, I'm assuming between June 20th and July 1st. According to the book "The Flags of Civil War Missouri" by Glenn Dedmondt it was on July 4th where he has a write up on the flag of Shelby's command. It may have been the 4th, but that seems a little too poetic to me.

Which that flag was obviously never buried in the Rio Grande as it was falsely claimed! It still exists in the Oklahoma Historical Society. Dedmondt hypothesizes that the donor picked it up out of the river in 1867 on his way back and it was buried under a rock in the water or something, but it being made of silk that's ludicrous to me.

But folks love their myths, even as fact stares them in the face. Major aggravation to me as I'll prepare a program thoroughly researched and the crowd will argue because it destroys a cherished myth. Like Forrest at Fallen Timbers, I REALLY ticked off folks saying he may not have been shot. The evidence didn't matter though.

 

[danny]

View attachment 441366
(Picture from a long dead reenactment with a flag to grab attention. You can see yours truly below the flag in the dark uniform. If I had a picture of artillery under a flag I'd have used it.)

"Soldiers, from all the information I can gather the Trans-Mississippi Department has been surrendered. We are the last organized body of Confederate soldiers in existence. I must now thank you officers and private soldiers for the great confidence you have always shown me as your commander. The citizens have tendered you a picnic and I have accepted the courtesy in your behalf. Government property is not mine to give, nor can I retain it. A word to the wise is sufficient."

Major Charles W. Squires made that address to his artillerymen in June of 1865 as he disbanded them on a prairie west of Tyler, TX. His short memoir is a very interesting read, especially as he notes they were in brand new red trimmed uniforms on their march to disbandment, him disbanding his command when they were en-route to the Texas coast and not receiving any further orders or replies to telegrams. His command was out of communication, and the local telegraph operator letting him know he thought the war was over. As far as they knew, they were the last organized body of Confederate troops in the field.

Whether they were or not is open to debate, but he makes mention in his memoir that his flag was still flying above his tent and flew till he got tired of waiting all alone for Federals to show up and him surrender what Government property left after his men disbanded taking the horses and mules and other stuff they could carry. When he gave up waiting, he took down the flag and went home.

Can anyone help me figure out what flag that was?

He was chief of artillery for Forney's Division, also known as the Texas Division, Walker's Greyhounds, and so on. His artillery battalion wasn't just Texan though, he was a Louisianian, a veteran of the Washington Artillery in Virginia, and one battery under his command I think was the 1st CS Regular Battery, a Louisiana outfit.

I can't figure out what they were flying in June 1865, near as I can tell it could've been a 1st National or 2nd National. I hope someone has better luck than me.

6/1/65 Report of field Arty, Trans-Miss Dept
3d Bn Field Arty (mounted), Maj Charles W. Squires cdg:
1st Regular Btry, Capt J. T. M. Barnes 3 x 3-in. rifles; 3 x 6-pounder guns
1st La Field Btry, Capt M. T. Gordy 2 x 24-pounder field howitzers; 2 x 12-pounder field guns.
3d La Field Btry Capt T. O. Benton no Btry; serving heavy guns at Grand Ecore & Alexandria
5th La Field Btry, Capt B. F. Winchester 6 x 3-in. rifles.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

6/1/65 Report of field Arty, Trans-Miss Dept
3d Bn Field Arty (mounted), Maj Charles W. Squires cdg:
1st Regular Btry, Capt J. T. M. Barnes 3 x 3-in. rifles; 3 x 6-pounder guns
1st La Field Btry, Capt M. T. Gordy 2 x 24-pounder field howitzers; 2 x 12-pounder field guns.
3d La Field Btry Capt T. O. Benton no Btry; serving heavy guns at Grand Ecore & Alexandria
5th La Field Btry, Capt B. F. Winchester 6 x 3-in. rifles.

Thank you for saving me from a trip to the library to refresh my memory.

 

[danny]

Thank you for saving me from a trip to the library to refresh my memory.