Editing Flag of the United States (section)

== Surviving historical flags ==
This is a list of surviving flags that have been displayed at or otherwise associated with notable historical battles or events.

=== Revolutionary War ===
* '''Forster Flag''' (1775) – Historians believe the Manchester Company of the First Essex County Militia Regiment carried this flag during the battles of [[Battles of Lexington and Concord|Lexington and Concord]] on April 19, 1775. The militia unit was activated but was not involved in the day's fighting. This flag is historic because it is the oldest surviving flag depicting the 13 colonies. This flag may have been a British ensign flag that had its Union Jack removed and replaced with 13 white stripes before or after the battles of [[Battles of Lexington and Concord|Lexington and Concord]]. The slight variation in the canton area suggests something else might have been sewn into place before.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Studio|first=Inside The Conservator's|date=April 2, 2014|title=The Forster Flag, and the conservation of a Revolutionary War textile|url=http://insidetheconservatorsstudio.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-forster-flag.html|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=Inside the Conservator's Studio}}</ref> The flag gets its name from Samuel Forster, a First Lieutenant in the Manchester Company. He took possession of the flag, and his descendants passed it down until donating it to the American Flag Heritage Foundation in 1975, two hundred years later.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Historic Forster Flag Auction in New York |url=https://doyle.com/auctions/14ff01-forster-flag/historic-forster-flag|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=Doyle Auction House }}</ref> In April 2014, the foundation sold the flag at auction.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Forster Flag sold |url=https://www.flagheritagefoundation.org/news/forster-flag-sold/|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=The Flag Heritage Foundation }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Forster Flag |website=Manchester Historical Museum|url=https://manchesterhistoricalmuseum.org/forsters-flag/|access-date=October 8, 2021|language=en-US|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423013345/https://manchesterhistoricalmuseum.org/forsters-flag/}}</ref>
* '''Westmoreland Flag''' (1775?) – Flag used by the 1st Battalion of [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]]. In 1774 the town of Hanna, the county seat of Westmoreland County, began preparations for a conflict with the mother country as tensions between the two sides began to heat up. The town decided in May 1775, following the battles of Lexington and Concord, to create two battalions. The town sheriff, John Proctor, would have command over the 1st, and the unit would see action at Trenton and Princeton. Due to the flag's remarkable condition, it is speculated that it never flew in many battles, if at all. The flag is said to have been made in the fall of 1775 from a standard British red ensign. This flag is one of two surviving revolutionary flags that feature a coiled rattlesnake, along with the flag of the United Company of the Train of Artillery. After the war in 1810, Alexander Craig, a captain in the 2nd battalion, was given the flag. It would stay with the Craig family until donated to the Pennsylvania State Library in 1914.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Burke|first=Mike|date=June 14, 2018|title=Don't Tread on Me: The Flag of Colonel John Proctor's 1st Battalion of Westmoreland County, Pa.|url=https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/fort-pitt-museum/dont-tread-on-me|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=Home|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 23, 2015|title=Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (U.S.) Colonel John Proctor's 1st Battalion Flag 1791–1793|url=https://americanrelichysteries.wordpress.com/westmoreland-county-pennsylvania-u-s-colonel-john-proctors-1st-battalion-flag-1791-1793/|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=American Relic Hysteries|language=en}}</ref>
* '''[[Brandywine flag]]''' (1777) – This flag is stated in most research as being the flag of the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment. However, the [[Independence National Historical Park]], which currently owns the flag, states it is the flag of the Chester County Militia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=In honor of #FlagDay|work=X (formerly Twitter) |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/independencenhp/status/1270763620960534543|access-date=October 8, 2021|via=Twitter|language=en}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=April 2025}} The flags gets its name for being used at the [[Battle of Brandywine]] which took place on September 11, 1777, less than three months after the passage of the first [[Flag Acts|flag act]] making it one of the earliest stars and stripes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Brandywine flag used by the Chester County Militia|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/independencenhp/status/776074784329326592|access-date=October 8, 2021|via=Twitter|language=en}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=April 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 4, 2012|title=Textile Conservation of the Brandywine Flag|url=http://insidetheconservatorsstudio.blogspot.com/2012/07/red-white-and-not-blue.html|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=Inside the Conservator's Studio}}</ref>
* '''Dansey Flag''' (1777) – Flag used by a Delaware militia early in the war. Before the Battle of Brandywine, a soldier with the British 33rd Regiment of foote named William Dansey captured the militia's flag during a skirmish in Newark, Delaware. Dansey would take the flag back to England as a war trophy. It would remain in his family until 1927, after being auctioned off to the Delaware Historical Society. This flag would have been one of the earliest to use 13 stripes to represent the united colonies. Another interesting note about this flag is that it was most likely a Division color instead of being used by one militia regiment.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Byrne|first=Tom|title=Enlighten Me: Reuniting pieces of the First State's Revolutionary history|url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/post/enlighten-me-reuniting-pieces-first-state-s-revolutionary-history|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=delawarepublic.org|date=August 30, 2019|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Object Record|url=https://dehistory.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/D72D47FD-4FA1-4FEA-AED8-711438271400 |website=Delaware Historical Society}}</ref>
* '''First Pennsylvania Rifles Flag''' (1776?) – Battle colors for the First Pennsylvania Regiment This regiment, also known as the First Pennsylvania Rifles, was formed in 1775 following an act passed by the Continental Congress calling for ten companies of marksmen. The regiment would participate in many significant battles during the Revolution, such as the siege of Boston, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and Monmouth. They would be dissolved in November 1783 following the treaty of Paris. The earliest mention of this flag was mentioned in a 1776 letter by one of its soldiers. The flag would be with the unit until the end of the war.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Weathered Revolutionary War flag to unfold its story {{!}} The State Museum of Pennsylvania|url=http://statemuseumpa.org/pennsylvania-icons-revolutionary-war-flag/|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=statemuseumpa.org|archive-date=October 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009001441/http://statemuseumpa.org/pennsylvania-icons-revolutionary-war-flag/}}</ref>
* '''Third New York Regiment Flag''' (1779) – The Third New York was formed in 1775 on five-month enlistments that expired later that year. In 1776 however, the regiment would be re-established twice, once in January and the other in December. During the war, the Third New York saw action in Canada, White Plains, and New York, during which it participated in the [[Siege of Fort Stanwix|defense of Fort Stanwix]]. In 1780 the soldiers of the third were transferred over to the 1st New York Regiment. While not the most famous of regiments in turns of battles fought, it does leave behind a legacy that can be seen in the flag of New York. In 1778 New York adopted a [[Coat of arms of New York|coat of arms]] for the state. The following year, the regiment's colonel [[Peter Gansevoort]] gifted the unit a blue regimental flag bearing the newly adopted arms. This flag would serve as the basis of the current [[Flag of New York (state)|flag of New York]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The 3rd New York Regiment of the Continental Line 1777–1781 – Fort Stanwix National Monument |url=https://www.nps.gov/fost/learn/historyculture/the-3rd-new-york-regiment-of-the-continental-line-1777-1781.htm|access-date=October 8, 2021|website= U.S. National Park Service |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 3rd New York Regiment of the Continental Line 1777–1781 (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-3rd-new-york-regiment-of-the-continental-line-1777-1781.htm|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=nps.gov|language=en}}</ref>

=== War of 1812 ===
* [[Star-Spangled Banner (flag)|'''Star Spangled Banner Flag''']] (1814) – Flag that flew over [[Fort McHenry]] during a British bombardment in the War of 1812. This flag is depicted by [[Francis Scott Key]] in the song "Star-Spangled Banner" which would later become the national anthem of the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Star-Spangled Banner|url=https://www.si.edu/spotlight/flag-day/banner-facts|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=Smithsonian Institution|language=en}}</ref>                                                                                                                                  Details :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           30 x 34&nbsp;ft. (Currently)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      15 horizontal stripes alternating red and white stripes 14 stars (one missing)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Stars arranged in a staggered 3-3-3-3-3 pattern

=== Antebellum Period ===
* '''Fillmore Flag''' — A historic [[Bennington flag]] currently maintained by the [[Bennington Museum]], held to be an heirloom from president [[Millard Fillmore]]'s family. Though it is sometimes taken to be an authentic artifact of the [[Battle of Bennington]], curators date it no earlier than the 19th century based on its construction. The Bennington Museum estimates it was made sometime between 1812 and 1820, though one estimate places it as late as 1876.<ref name="Bennington">{{cite web|title=A60 Flag |work=Highlights From The Collection |url=http://www.benningtonmuseum.com/vewebsite/exhibit1/e10002a.htm |date=March 6, 2007 |publisher=Bennington Museum |access-date=March 14, 2008 |quote=''Early Date'' 1812, ''Late Date'' 1820 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201256/http://www.benningtonmuseum.com/vewebsite/exhibit1/e10002a.htm |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="Cooper">{{cite book |last=Cooper |first=Grace Rogers |title=Thirteen-Star Flags: Keys to identification|url=https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/2420|access-date=March 14, 2008 |series=Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology • Number 21 |date=November 6, 1973 |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] Press |location=Washington, D.C. |id=(GR113.072 929.9'0973 72-8229) |pages=29–30|hdl=10088/2420 }}</ref>
* '''[[Old Glory|Old Glory Flag]]''' – This flag was the first American Flag to be given the name "Old Glory". The flag was made in 1824 and was a gift to William Driver, a sea captain, by his mother. He named the flag 'Old Glory' and took it with him during his time at sea. In 1861 the flag's original stars were replaced with 34 new ones, and an anchor was added to the corner of the canton. During the Civil war, Driver hid his flag until Nashville became under union hands, to which he flew the flag above the Tennessee capitol building.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Old Glory flag|url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_463145|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=National Museum of American History|language=en}}</ref>
* '''Matthew Perry Expedition Flag''' (1853) – On July 14, 1853, this flag was raised over [[Uraga, Kanagawa|Uraga]], [[Japan]], during the [[Perry Expedition]], in doing so it became the first American Flag to officially fly in mainland Japan. In 1855 it was presented to the [[United States Naval Academy|US Naval Academy]]. In 1913 it received a linen backing during preservation treatments by [[Amelia Fowler]], who would also work on restoring the Star-Spangled Banner. Nearly a century after its historic voyage to Japan, in 1945, the flag once again returned and was present at the formal [[surrender of Japan]] on board the [[USS Missouri (BB-63)|USS ''Missouri'']] on September 2, 1945. Owing to its condition, it had to be presented on its reverse side. As of 2021, the U.S. Naval Academy possesses the flag.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Object 89: Perry's Flag, Present at Japanese 1853 Opening & WWII Surrender|url=https://www.usna.edu/100Objects/Objects/object-89.php|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=usna.edu|language=en}}</ref>

=== Civil War ===
* '''[[Fort Sumter Flag]]''' (1861) – During the bombardment of [[Fort Sumter]] in April 1861, the flagpole was hit by artillery fire. The flag was raised again from a makeshift pole and was taken down after the Union garrison surrendered. The terms of surrender allowed the U.S. artillery to fire a salute for the flag. The flag was taken by the departing commander of the fort and was displayed to the public on a tour of the northern states. From this point, private citizens' display of the United States flag became much more common. Four years after the flag was lowered at Fort Sumter, it flew over the fort again on April 14, 1865, following the Confederate surrender. Later that day, [[Abraham Lincoln]] was assassinated.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Battle of Fort Sumter, April 1861 (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/battle-of-fort-sumter-april-1861.htm|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=nps.gov|language=en}}</ref>
* '''Abraham Lincoln Assassination Flag''' (1865) – Flag that was placed under the head of President Abraham Lincoln following his [[Assassination of Abraham Lincoln|fatal shooting]] while he was still in the presidential box.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Artifact of the Assassination: The Lincoln Flag and the Gourlay Family|url=https://tess.fords.org/artifact-of-the-assassination-the-lincoln-flag-and-the-gourlay-family/|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=Fords Theatre|date=May 21, 2015 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Reconstruction ===
* '''Little Big Horn Guidon''' – Guidon used by the [[7th Cavalry Regiment|7th U.S. Cavalry]] during the [[Battle of the Little Bighorn|Battle of Little Big Horn]] in 1876. The battle is infamous, for all U.S. cavalry troops engaged in battle were killed, including Lt. Col [[George Armstrong Custer|George A. Custer]]. Sgt. Ferdinand Culbertson discovered this flag under the body of one of the slain soldiers. In 2010, this flag was sold for $2.2 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Matthew|title=Custer's 'Last Flag' sells for $2.2 million|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40608795|access-date=October 8, 2021|publisher=NBC News|date=December 10, 2010 |language=en}}</ref>

=== World War II ===
* '''[[Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima Flag]]''' (1945) – American flag that was raised above [[Mount Suribachi]] during the [[Battle of Iwo Jima]] in WW2. The photo of this flag being raised by U.S. Marines was captured in the 1945 Pulitzer Prize-winning photo ''[[Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iconic Artifacts|url=https://www.usmcmuseum.com/iconic-artifacts.html|access-date=October 8, 2021|website=National Museum of the Marine Corps|language=en}}</ref>

=== Cold War ===
* '''''Freedom 7'' Flag''' (1961) – This American Flag flew on the ''[[Mercury-Redstone 3|Freedom 7]]'' mission to space, becoming the first American flag to leave the Earth's atmosphere. The flag was a last-minute addition after a local student council president asked a reporter if this flag could be taken on board. The reporter took it to the head of the NASA space task group, to which he agreed. In 1995, the flag was again taken to space to commemorate the [[STS-71|100th American crewed space mission]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Flag, United States, Freedom 7 Flight|url=https://www.si.edu/object/flag-united-states-freedom-7-flight%3Anasm_A19840955000|access-date=October 9, 2021|website=Smithsonian Institution|language=en}}</ref>

=== Modern day ===
* '''[[Raising the Flag at Ground Zero|9/11 Flag]]''' (2001) – Flag is believed to have been from a [[yacht]] called ''Star of America'' owned by Shirley Dreifus and her late husband Spiros E. Kopelakis. The yacht and its flag were docked in the [[Hudson River]] on the morning of 9/11. The flag was later found by three members of the New York Fire Department, George Johnson, Billy Eisengrein, and Dan McWilliams, who raised it over the rubble on a tilted flag pole (thought to be from the grounds of the Marriot hotel). This was captured in a photograph taken by [[Thomas E. Franklin|Thomas Franklin]], who worked for the New Jersey–based newspaper ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]''. The photograph soon made its way to the Associated Press, and from there, it became shown worldwide on many newspapers' front pages. The photo has been compared to Joe Rosenthal's WW2 "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima". Lori Ginker and Ricky Flores captured other photos of the same event from different angles. Shortly after the famous photograph was taken, the flag disappeared. Another flag, thought to be the real one, was toured around the country, but it was later found that the size of this flag was not the same as the one in the photograph. The one in the photo was 3x5, while the one the city possessed was larger. The flag would remain missing for nearly 15 years until a man named Brian turned an American flag into a fire station along with its halyard. Investigators determined that his flag was genuine after comparing dust samples and event photographs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Returning the Ground Zero flag: How detectives solved the mystery of the missing Stars and Stripes|url=https://www.police1.com/sept11-20years/articles/returning-the-ground-zero-flag-how-detectives-solved-the-mystery-of-the-missing-stars-and-stripes-NL9stzsg777wgUkZ/|access-date=October 9, 2021|website=Police1|date=September 9, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Today the [[National September 11 Memorial & Museum|9/11 Memorial Museum]] possesses the flag.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iconic Ground Zero Flag Donated to 9/11 Memorial Museum {{!}} National September 11 Memorial & Museum|url=https://911memorial.org/connect/blog/iconic-ground-zero-flag-donated-911-memorial-museum|access-date=October 9, 2021|website=911memorial.org}}</ref>