Franklin The Battle of Franklin - 65th Georgia Battle Flag

Buckeye Bill

Captain
Forum Host
Annual Winner
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
@gunny : Please share with Thomas Cartwright..........

I just finished reading your book entitled, "Twenty-Five Hours to Tragedy."

Awesome, Marine!

Bill

CHEATHAM'S CORPS

Maj. Gen. BENJAMIN F. CHEATHAM



BROWN'S (CHEATHAM'S OLD) DIVISION

Maj. Gen. JOHN C. BROWN (w)
Brig. Gen. MARK P. LOWREY


Gist's Brigade
Brig. Gen. STATES RIGHTS GIST (k)
Lieut. Col. ZACHARIAH L. WATTERS


  • 2nd Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters
  • 46th Georgia
  • 65th Georgia Regiment & 8th Georgia Battalion
  • 16th South Carolina
  • 24th South Carolina
CivalWar_MGBenjaminFranklinCheatham.jpg


* The Southerm Museum of the Civil War and Locomotive History (65th Georgia Battle Flag)

DSC_0574.JPG


* Photo courtesy of William Bechmann (2014)
 
http://www.southernmuseum.org/2010/...ans-help-preserve-65th-georgia-infantry-flag/


"the flag ended up being issued to the 65th Georgia Infantry Regiment up in Dalton, where it then went through the Atlanta campaign and up into Tennessee." The flag was carried into the heat of several battles, including the Battles of Resaca, New Hope Church/Dallas/Pickett's Mill, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek and Atlanta. It's the only known surviving example of an Army of Tennessee flag that has both the unit and state designations sewn onto both sides."
 
The 65th Georgia's flag is one of the standardized 'Army of Tennessee pattern' battle flags that were issued to the AoT while winter quartered at Dalton, Georgia in early 1864. Most are thought to have been manufactured in Augusta, Georgia.

Here's another post-war photo of Pvt. John Davis with the 65th Georgia's colors. He was the regiment's last color bearer.
65-d-davis.jpg

https://battleoffranklin.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/65thga/

Davis, John -- Private in Inf. Battn., Smith's Legion, Ga. Vols., May 6, 1862. Transferred to Co. D, 65tb Regt. Ga. Inf., Mar. 1863. Sick in hospital Oct. 20, 1863. Roll for Aug. 31, 1864, last on file, shows him present. Pension records state he surrendered with his command at the close of the war. Died in Floyd Co., Ga., Mar. 24, 1922.
http://www.izzy.net/~michaelg/65-d.htm

Also a comment from descendant of John Davis, Darla Davis Brown, at the above linked site:

"My GGG Grandfather was Pvt John Davis of Co D. I wanted to let you know that I have pictures of the flag of Company D. This flag has been in my family for 140+ years. After the first color bearers were killed, John carried the flag until the Battle of Franklin was over. He then stuffed the flag into his boot to protect it. He then brought it back home with him. My grandfather died last year, and my father decided it was selfish to continue to hide this important piece of history away. He donated it to the Southern Museum of Civil War in Kennesaw Georgia. They said it would be a while before it could be displayed because they wanted to make sure it was properly preserved. It was in fine shape when we handed it over. The appraiser counted over 40 bullet holes, and you can see the bloodstain of what is assumed to be William Martin, who was the color bearer killed at the Battle of Franklin and fell on top of the flag."
 
Last edited:
The 65th Georgia's flag is one of the standardized 'Army of Tennessee pattern' battle flags that were issued to the AoT while winter quartered at Dalton, Georgia in early 1864. Most are thought to have been manufactured in Augusta, Georgia.

Here's another post-war photo of Pvt. John Davis with the 65th Georgia's colors. He was the regiment's last color bearer.

https://battleoffranklin.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/65thga/

Davis, John -- Private in Inf. Battn., Smith's Legion, Ga. Vols., May 6, 1862. Transferred to Co. D, 65tb Regt. Ga. Inf., Mar. 1863. Sick in hospital Oct. 20, 1863. Roll for Aug. 31, 1864, last on file, shows him present. Pension records state he surrendered with his command at the close of the war. Died in Floyd Co., Ga., Mar. 24, 1922.
http://www.izzy.net/~michaelg/65-d.htm

Also a comment from descendant of John Davis, Darla Davis Brown, at the above linked site:

"My GGG Grandfather was Pvt John Davis of Co D. I wanted to let you know that I have pictures of the flag of Company D. This flag has been in my family for 140+ years. After the first color bearers were killed, John carried the flag until the Battle of Franklin was over. He then stuffed the flag into his boot to protect it. He then brought it back home with him. My grandfather died last year, and my father decided it was selfish to continue to hide this important piece of history away. He donated it to the Southern Museum of Civil War in Kennesaw Georgia. They said it would be a while before it could be displayed because they wanted to make sure it was properly preserved. It was in fine shape when we handed it over. The appraiser counted over 40 bullet holes, and you can see the bloodstain of what is assumed to be William Martin, who was the color bearer killed at the Battle of Franklin and fell on top of the flag."
thumbsup.gif
thumbsup.gif
thumbsup.gif
thumbsup.gif
thumbsup.gif
 
The 65th Georgia's flag is one of the standardized 'Army of Tennessee pattern' battle flags that were issued to the AoT while winter quartered at Dalton, Georgia in early 1864. Most are thought to have been manufactured in Augusta, Georgia.
You are a very lucky man to have this.
Here's another post-war photo of Pvt. John Davis with the 65th Georgia's colors. He was the regiment's last color bearer.
65-d-davis.jpg

https://battleoffranklin.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/65thga/

Davis, John -- Private in Inf. Battn., Smith's Legion, Ga. Vols., May 6, 1862. Transferred to Co. D, 65tb Regt. Ga. Inf., Mar. 1863. Sick in hospital Oct. 20, 1863. Roll for Aug. 31, 1864, last on file, shows him present. Pension records state he surrendered with his command at the close of the war. Died in Floyd Co., Ga., Mar. 24, 1922.
http://www.izzy.net/~michaelg/65-d.htm

Also a comment from descendant of John Davis, Darla Davis Brown, at the above linked site:

"My GGG Grandfather was Pvt John Davis of Co D. I wanted to let you know that I have pictures of the flag of Company D. This flag has been in my family for 140+ years. After the first color bearers were killed, John carried the flag until the Battle of Franklin was over. He then stuffed the flag into his boot to protect it. He then brought it back home with him. My grandfather died last year, and my father decided it was selfish to continue to hide this important piece of history away. He donated it to the Southern Museum of Civil War in Kennesaw Georgia. They said it would be a while before it could be displayed because they wanted to make sure it was properly preserved. It was in fine shape when we handed it over. The appraiser counted over 40 bullet holes, and you can see the bloodstain of what is assumed to be William Martin, who was the color bearer killed at the Battle of Franklin and fell on top of the flag."
 

Attachments

  • 65-d-davis.jpg
    65-d-davis.jpg
    44.7 KB · Views: 35
Back
Top