This 34 star cotton bunting flag is completely hand sewn, including the stars, which are cut out of white cloth and attached to the canton. The flag meas. approx. 51.00 inches on the hoist and 72.00 inches on the fly. The hoist edge has five sets of ties along its length for securing to a pole. The body of the flag has a few small scattered holes none of which are very large and there is also some light surface dirt from age, storage and use. The red and white stripes were sewn together by hand and all the seams are holding firm. The fringe around the edges is made of white cloth.

As stated above the 34 stars were hand cut and applied to the blue canton. Of the 68 stars that cover both sides of the flag approx. 12 have sustained some separation and curling. Most of the damaged stars have the material present and just need to be re-sewn while a small number do have missing material. A good conservator should be able to repair the damage. The cause of the damage to the stars may be found in the old handwritten note that comes with the flag. It reads

“THIS FLAG WAS IN CIVIL WAR. NOTE: THE STARS ARE SEWED ON AND STRIPES ARE SEAMED. IT IS NOT WOVEN LIKE NEW FLAGS. I WASHED IT JULY 20, 1968. THE HOLES WERE IN IT.”

This flag belonged to Captain Charles W. May of Company F, 101st Pennsylvania Infantry and came with his frock coat, waist belt, sash, fireman’s belt, GAR kepi and hand-made US flag.

The following biography of Captain May is found in the 101st Pennsylvania regimental history:

“Company F, 101st Regiment, was recruited in Beaver County during the autumn months of 1861 by Capt. Charles W. May. Capt. May, at the outbreak of the Civil War, had reached mature manhood and did not enter the service through boyish enthusiasm. From his boyhood days he had followed the river, and prior to the war was a master of steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. His contact with the people south of the Mason and Dixon's line gave him some conception of what might be expected before the conflict ended. From the time the Regiment was mustered into the service until he severed his relations with it on January 7. 1863, no officer in the battalion performed more arduous or faithful service than Capt. May. When Col. Morris was carried off the battle field of Fair Oaks early in the battle on May 31, 1862, Capt. May assumed command of the Regiment, and after the enemy had succeeded in flanking Casey's position, and the various regiments were forced back to escape capture and had been more or less routed in confusion, Capt. May succeeded in rallying his command, which maintained its position, and again only fell back to prevent annihilation. In the promotions which followed the death of Col. Wilson, a large percentage of the Regiment, both rank and file, believed that Capt. May deserved recognition, for no other line officer had acquitted himself with more gallantry in the presence of the enemy, and none was his superior in efficiency as a disciplinarian. Universal regret was expressed when he retired from the service.

After his return from the service Capt. May resumed his former vocation and followed the river, as master and pilot, until 1876, when he located at Beaver Falls, Penna. He had charge of the construction of the New Castle branch of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Rail Road, and afterwards engaged in the retail hardware business, under the firm name of May and Co.; and later was connected with the Beaver Falls Steel Works.

While never an aspirant for political preferment Capt. May took an active interest in civic and political affairs. Especially so in everything pertaining to the welfare of the borough and county, to promote the interests of the former he served as councilman.

Capt. May was born near Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Co. Penna., April 27, 1827. He resided there and in Pittsburgh until he removed to Beaver Falls.

Prior to the war he was an active member of the Pittsburgh Blues. The portrait of the captain, which appears in this volume, is from a photograph taken at Harrisburg, Penna., in February, 1862, a few days before the Regiment departed to join the Army of the Potomac.

Capt. May died at his residence. 1105 Eighth Avenue. Beaver Falls. Pa. Jan. 6, 1910, aged 82 years, 9 months, and Q days. The writer visited him in September, 1909, and although then confined to his bed by disease and physically weak, his mind was quite alert.”

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