This flag is an early Confederate First National pattern, commonly known as the Stars and Bars, configured with red-white-red horizontal bars and a blue canton. The visible inscriptions identify it with the 13th Arkansas Infantry, with 13TH painted on the upper red field, ARKANSAS across the white center bar, and 1861 appearing both within the blue canton and below the Arkansas designation. Its arrangement places it in the early-war style of Confederate regimental or presentation colors, before the later Confederate battle flag pattern became the more widely recognized design. The canton contains a grouping of stars rendered in a faded gold or tan tone, while the lettering and numerals appear hand-painted in yellow-gold and red pigment.

The flag is constructed from separate sections of fabric rather than being printed as a single textile. The closeup images show visible seam work where the blue canton, white bar, and red bar meet. These seams have rough overlaps, uneven edges, and hand stitching, giving the flag a distinctly hand-assembled appearance. The lower red section appears to have a finer, ribbed, silk-like weave, while the white and blue fabrics appear somewhat coarser. The stars, lettering, and numerals show brush-applied or surface-applied decoration, with irregular edges, pigment wear, and heavy cracking in the gold-colored paint. The red 1861 is especially informal in execution, with uneven strokes and visible absorption into the fabric.

Historically, the 13th Arkansas Infantry was organized in 1861 and served in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The regiment was associated with major Confederate operations and engagements including Belmont, Shiloh, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, and the Atlanta Campaign. The date 1861 on the flag corresponds to the regiments early organization period and reinforces its presentation as an early-war regimental color. The use of the First National pattern, rather than the later square battle flag design, is consistent with flags produced or carried during the opening phase of the war.

The flag survives in fragile relic condition and is now preserved in a wooden frame behind glass. The textile shows extensive age, wear, and material loss. There are numerous holes, shattered or weakened fabric areas, frayed edges, staining, fading, creasing, and losses along the fly end. The white field has darkened to a tan tone, and the red and blue fields show significant fading and uneven discoloration. The painted inscriptions and stars are also worn, with cracking, flaking, and pigment loss visible throughout. Despite this deterioration, the principal identification remains legible, making the flag a visually striking and historically significant Arkansas Confederate regimental display piece.

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• Estimate - Range: 15000-20000