a history of flag preservation in nh

A HISTORY OF FLAG PRESERVATION EFFORTS IN

TIMELINE 1861-1865

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The State of New Hampshire furnished 36000 soldier, sailors and marines in the effort to preserve the Union.

The 32000 soldiers comprised:

•

18 Infantry regiments

•

1 Cavalry regiment

• 1 Light artillery battery

•

I Heavy artillery regiment

• 3 companies of Berdan

Sharpshooters.

Co.E 1 st USSS

Co.’s F,G USSS

14000 would become casualties of the war.

Historian William P. Fox studied all 2200 regiments that served in the army and categorized them into 300 “Fighting Regiments”. New Hampshire had 8.

Rally Round the Flag

Preserving New Hampshire’s Civil War Heritage

TIMELINE 1861-1865

Every Civil War Volunteer regiment typically carried two stands of colors into battle. These served as focal points and rallying points for soldiers. They also served as magnets for bullets as the enemy fire often concentrated on the center of a regiment where the colors were carried.



TIMELINE 1861-1865

Not too surprisingly the color bearers were often casualties as one can easily observe by looking at the original flags in the state house. One can see round and jagged holes in the flags and staffs and in some cases dark brown stains which is the blood of the color bearers.


Preserving New Hampshire’s Civil War Heriitage

TIMELINE 1861-1865

In 1865 when New Hampshire’s regiments returned from the war they were greeted by the governor in Concord and treated to a reception and dinner.

As a final ceremony the regiments returned the flags they had fought under to the state.



TIMELINE 1865

For a time period of about one year the flags were on display at

Concord City Hall.

In 1866 they returned to the state house where they stood in pedestals around the walls of the lobby.

In 1866 veterans in the legislature lobbied to have suitable cases made for them and they were housed in four long cases.



TIMELINE 1888-1900

In 1888 there was an another call for newer and larger cases that would allow for easier viewing.

This proposal seems to have languished for more than a decade.

In 1900 the legislature appropriated $3000 for new cases to be made and are the same that we see today in the state house.

NHBFPC



TIMELINE 1992

For the next 90 years the flags remained in their cases virtually untouched.

In 1989 the legislature appointed a joint commission to study the restoration and preservation of the flags.

A survey of the flags was conducted by the Textile

Conservation Center of the

Museum of Textile History.

It should be noted that this survey was done only by observation as the cases were not opened.



Report of the Textile Conservation

Center



107 flags were examined. 15 were classed in very poor condition, 33 in poor condition and 59 in fair or good condition.



The conservators recommended that the flags be flat mounted in a suitably stable environment.



The conservators estimated at the time that the remaining life of the flags in the poorest condition was at most 50 years.



The committee also considered what to do with the Hall of Flags if the flags were removed. Reproductions were considered as an option.



The Textile Conservation Committee proposed several possible options of conservation treatments for exhibition and storage.

A estimate of today’s costs to accomplish this is $250,000



TIMELINE 1992

In 1992, a report was presented to then, Governor Judd Gregg by

Representative Welch, then chairman of the Committee to Study the

Restoration, Conservation and

Preservation of State Historic Flags

This report included the survey and recommendations of the Textile

Conservation Center



TIMELINE 1992

Extracts of The Committee recommendations:

• Enlist the aid of military historians interested in documenting the history of each flag.

•

Establish a temporary space where the flags can be photographed by a professional photographer and conservator.

• Arrange for temporary displays

•

Establish a place where the flags can be permanently stored yet accessible to the public for study.



TIMELINE 1992

After these recommendations for preservation, the committee apparently reversed themselves:

“Because technology was not available at a reasonable cost to treat the flags for conservation and because the committee found that the visual appearances of the flags had not radically changed from the photographs taken by Kimball in 1866 ( this statement is in conflict with the

Textile Conservator’s report), the committee proposed only to alter the display cases to provide improved environmental conditions for the flags that would protect the flags from ultraviolet light and decrease air currents and airborne particles….”



TIMELINE 1992

Summary of Preservation

Improvements:

1) An ultraviolet filtering film was applied to the glass on the front of the display cases.

2) After one of the glass panels was broken , a railing was attached to the front of the cases to prevent breakage.

FLAG



TIMELINE 2004

In the 15 years since the report of the committee to the governor there has been little further effort at preservation of the flags yet to recall the report of the Textile Conservation

Center the flags the 50 years of remaining life of the flags has been significantly reduced. The clock is ticking.

In 2004 the New Hampshire Joint

Legislature Historical Committee authorized the creation of FLAG

( F lag L egacy for A dditional

G enerations) to raise funds for the development and implementation of a preservation plan.



TIMELINE 2004

FLAG

The New Hampshire FLAG initiative is a volunteer, citizen fund-raising effort to raise sufficient funds to ensure that New

Hampshire’s flags are preserved for future generations.

All donations are held in a special Flag

Restoration and Care Fund managed by the State House Visitors

Center and maintained by the

New Hampshire State Treasurer.



TIMELINE 2004

FLAG

•

Is still in existence

•

In the five years since the formation of FLAG, efforts to raise sufficient funds have stagnated because of a lack of a dedicated proactive team to lead.

•

Approximately six thousand dollars have been raised. This is probably about 1 % of the amount needed for preservation.



Timeline 2007

New Hampshire Battle Flag Preservation Committee

•

Formed in the Spring of 2007,

• Established by members from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, it includes members from the S.U.V.C.W. Ladies Auxiliary, 5 th New Hampshire as well as other patriotic and fraternal organizations.

•

The N.H.B.F.P.C. is incorporated in the State of New Hampshire as a non-profit charitable organization and registered with the Attorney General.

•

The N.H.B.F.P.C. has 501 (C) 3 status as a tax-exempt non-profit organization.



Timeline 2007


Purpose of the N.H.B.F.P.C.

• Lead the efforts to raise funds through donations, grants and to devise and implement a mutually acceptable plan of preservation with the Joint Legislative

Historical Commission that will preserve New Hampshire’s flags in the most timely, efficient and economical manner for future generations.

• Fund the preservation effort:

The NHBFPD has no illusions about funding for preservation. There will be no significant funding from state government. Funding will have to come from the private sector through donations and grants.

•

Educate the public on why this is important.



Timeline 2007


Why is another group needed for flag preservation efforts?

Why not just work within the existing FLAG?

FLAG was created within the framework of State Government.

•

There is no comprehensive preservation plan in place at the current time.

•

In the current economic climate, the state has no available funds to fund preservation efforts.

•

$6000 has been raised in five years through FLAG. At this rate, it would take 600 years to raise the amount estimated for preservation.

•

The amount of money raised through FLAG is approximately $6000 and the state would like to see the entire amount needed for preservations efforts raised, before implementing a plan, however, the NHBFPC believes incremental funds can result in significant steps on the path to preservation.



Timeline 2009


N.H.B.F.P.C. Plan

•

Update the survey done in 1989 by a textile conservator.

•

Remove the flags from the cases

•

Have them professionally photographed and catalogued by archivists.

•

Store them flat in cases where they would still be accessible for study.

•

Provide for an adequate storage archive

•

Replace the flags with museum quality reproductions.



Timeline 2009

How you can help In preserving New Hampshire’s civil War

Flags?

•

Contact the N.H.B.F.P.C. members

• You can help with personal resources,

Monetary Donations

Time as a volunteer

You may have skills that can help us.

• If you are a member of an organization that would like to help, N.H.B.F.P.C. members will come to your organization to explain how.



The color bearers were charged with the duty and honor to defend the colors with their lives if necessary.

Many of them did.

These men defended these flags with their lives and left them to us as a great historical and cultural treasure.

All of us today are at a cross-road in time and history where we can preserve these colors for future generations as well.

a history of flag preservation in nh

Report of the Textile Conservation

Center

New Hampshire Battle Flag Preservation Committee

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Report of the Textile Conservation

Center

New Hampshire Battle Flag Preservation Committee

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