Flag: 43rd Alabama Infantry (Probable)
This flag is an Army of Northern Virginia, 6th wool bunting issue. It was manufactured at the Richmond Depot during the winter of 1864-1865. It was returned to the State of Alabama in June 1943 by Mrs. Rosamond Allen, South Duxbury, Massachusetts. Mrs. Allen was representing the heirs of Joshua L. Chamberlain of Maine. The flag of the 5th Alabama Battalion, captured during "Picketts Charge" at Gettysburg was returned at the same time. It is unclear as to how Chamberlain came into the possession of either flag. While this flag was listed as "Alabama flag not positively identified," by Department staff, evidence suggests that it may be the flag of the 43rd Alabama Infantry.
In Major General A. A. Humphrey's report concerning the action near
Hatcher's Run, Virginia, March 25, 1865 he states that "we captured the battle
flags of the Forty-third and Sixty-ninth1 Alabama." At the time of the engagement
Brigadier General Joshua Chamberlain commanded the First Brigade, First
Division, Fifth Army Corps. During the engagement Chamberlain placed the
185th New York Infantry (Colonel Gustavus Sniper commanding) in the front line
in a space between the Divisions of General Miles and General Mott. The men at
Colonel Sniper's front consisted of the 43rd, 59th and 60th Alabama Infantry. Lt.
Col. Charles H. Weygant, 124th New York Volunteers, also reported engaging
these regiments and capturing the flag of the 59th Alabama Infantry. While the
flag of the 59th Alabama was forwarded to the War Department, there is no record of the disposition of the flag of the 43rd Alabama. Since General Humphrey does report the capture of the 43rd Alabamas flag and there is no record of its having been sent to the War Department it is possible that the flag was taken (picked up) by the men under Snipers command and retained by Chamberlain as a trophy.
1This was the flag of the 59th Alabama Infantry. Either Humphrey was mistaken or there was an error in transcription at the time the Official Records were compiled.
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Updated: October 25, 2006