This small cloth banner is an original, Civil War, United States Signal Corps flag sometimes referred to as a ‘wig-wag’ or ‘horseback’ signaling flag. The artifact was part of the estate of veteran Civil War cavalryman George Stone of the 18^th Regiment, New York Cavalry Volunteers.

George Stone was an eighteen year old resident of Delaware County in New York State when he enlisted on August 22, 1861 as 1^st Sergeant in Company “E”, 3^rd Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry. The 3^rd NY cavalry was an active unit and served in more than one hundred and fifty battle engagements and skirmishes during the conflict. Stone had an active military career and participated in numerous engagements with the unit. The young man gained an officer’s commission as 2^nd Lieutenant on December 12, 1861 and served with the 3^rd Cavalry until December 1862 when he resigned and took a commission to recruit for the then-forming 14^th NY Cavalry. In July 1863, Stone re-enlisted in the 14^th as a 1^st Lieutenant in Company “B” and served until November 1863 when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 83^rd U.S. Colored Infantry.

Three months later, at his own request, LTC Stone was relieved of that duty and returned to the 14^th NY cavalry. Stone served with his unit as a 1^st Lt. through the engagements at Henderson, Pleasant Hill, and Mansfield, LA where he was captured and taken prisoner. Sent to Tyler, Texas, he was confined there until released in October 1864. Ever active, this patriotic individual transferred to the 18^th NY Cavalry in June 1865 and was promoted to Captain of Company “E” in October of that year. Detached to San Antonio, TX in August 1865, he served on the staff of General Wesley Merritt until mustered out on Oct 10, 1865. Captain Stone returned home, married and relocated to the State of California where he became active in State affairs including commander of the GAR of California; commander of its MOLLUS order and held the position of Adjutant General of the State from 1901 to 1904. Stone also served in the US Customs officer in San Francisco until 1912.

Stone’s small ‘wig-wag flag’, in rough, unmarked condition overall, is an example of an original U.S. Signal Corps Civil War signaling flag, also referred to as a ‘horseback’ flag. Signaling flags were developed in the 1850s as a system to communicate with distant stations using left or right hand flag movements that corresponded to a binary code of Morse code-like dots and dashes. In 1861, the Union Army adopted the ‘wig-wag’ flag system and outfitted special units with sets of eight individual signaling flags of various sizes, large, medium and small or horseback size. Flags were either a red square with a white center or a white square with a red center, the colors being chosen for contrast against varying backgrounds. This smallest specimen of signaling or horseback flag is made of a single section of lightweight, white linen material that features a red cloth square in the center. The white colored background material measures roughly 20” high on the hoist and 16” wide on the fly. A 6” x 6” square of red linen is hand-stitched to the center of the white material. Signal flag is secured to a 39” long, tapered wooden staff and attached via two small corner straps (ribbons). The white linen field of this flag has turned a mellow, off-white color and suffers from moderate fraying, numerous edge tatters along with a number of stains and scattered surface soiling. The red cloth square is still bright and strongly attached to the white background with original hand stitching.

Military and pension records along with miscellaneous family history of George Stone accompany the Signal flag. Unfortunately, there is no record in the family of where or how George Stone acquired this flag but his lengthy time in the Federal cavalry during the Civil War duty lends itself to possible detached service with the Signal Corps and use of these small or horseback size signal flags.

Here is a rare opportunity to acquire an original Civil War Signal Corps signal flag together with a fine history and provenance of a Northern veteran from New York.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!