Confederate Battle of Franklin flag losing fight with time
‘Battle of Franklin,’ chromolithograph published in 1891 by Kurz and Allison, Chicago. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Preservationists need $6,500 to restore and conserve a 2-foot-by-3-foot flag last flown by Confederate Gen. John Adams during the Battle of Franklin. Adams, along with five other Confederate generals, was killed during the battle on Nov. 30, 1864, when Confederate and Union forces collided in Franklin.
The Tennessean reported that members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans are seeking $6,500 needed to preserve the flag and slow the march of time.
The flag was made by an unidentified Mississippi woman in 1863, but little else is known about its history or markings. The Confederate flag was known as a headquarters flag because it was flown specifically to mark where a general’s headquarters were located.
Donated by Adams’ widow to the Tennessee Historical Society in 1907, the flag is kept today at the Tennessee State Museum, where curators hope they can restore the flag and keep a tie to the battle, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary later this year.
Made of wool and silk, the flag’s silk fringe has begun deteriorating more than expected during the past decade.
“We care about these tangible heirlooms from our ancestors,” Michael Beck, commander of the Tennessee Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, said in a statement. “We intend to do everything we can to be sure they remain intact for future generations.”
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Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com
Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
AP-WF-07-21-14 1233GMT
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
‘Battle of Franklin,’ chromolithograph published in 1891 by Kurz and Allison, Chicago. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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