![[U.S. 34 star flag 1861]](../images/u/us-1861.gif)
image by Clay Moss, 13 February 2007
Last modified: 2023-03-18 by rick wyatt
Keywords: thirty-four | united states | great flower | old glory | concentric | candy stripe | cross | phalanx |
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image by Clay Moss, 13 February 2007
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In 1861, one star was added, representing Kansas, bringing the total number of stars to 34. There were thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies.
Rick Wyatt, 5 April 1998
This flag flew from 4 July, 1861, to 3 July, 1863.
Clay Moss, 13 February 2007
A passage in Michael Corcoran's book For Which it Stands [ccc02], on page 85, recounts that on 29 January of 1861 Kansas was admitted to the Union thus increasing the number of states to 34, and mandating that the 34 flag would become official on 4 July 1861. Yet, on Washington's Birthday, 22 February 1861, less that a month after admission, a 34 star flag was hoisted by Abraham Lincoln when he stopped at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, on his way to Washington D.C. I think the practice of using "once official" and "not-yet-official flags" was much more common than currently believed.
Jim Ferrigan, 13 February 2007
![[U.S. 34 star flag 1861]](../images/u/us~1861.gif)
image by Clay Moss, 13 February 2007
![[William Driver's Old Glory flag]](../images/u/us-glor.gif)
image by Rick Wyatt, 12 January 1999
In the early 19th century William Driver, a merchant seaman from Salem, Massachusetts, became captain of a U.S. war ship, he wrote that he was impressed by the flag it flew and wrote "I shall call it 'Old Glory'" When he retired from the Navy he took his flag with him and settled in Tennessee and proudly flew the Old Glory from his home. The rest of the story
R. Nathan Bliss, 22 February 1996
Nick Artimovich, 22 February 1996
![[U.S. 34 star flag 1861]](../images/u/us-1861a.gif)
image by Dave Martucci, 7 December 1997
This flag has the stars arranged with one in the center and two concentric rings of stars and one in each corner. This is one of many designs used during the Civil War. The pattern used here became popular during the Civil War until the late 1800s.
Dave Martucci, 7 December 1997
![[34 Star Concentric Circle Pattern Flag]](../images/u/us-1861b.gif)
image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 27 July 2001
![[Martinsburg Flag]](../images/u/us-34s-mart.jpg)
image located by Bill Garrison, 25 February 2023
Source:
https://www.facebook.com/berkeleycountyhistoricalsociety
A 34-star
U.S. flag of the "11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment", U.SA., that
fought in the July 2, 1861 "Battle of Falling Waters" or "Battle of Hoke's Run"
or "Battle of Hainesville" outside of Martinsburg (in then Virginia state, but
now in West Virginia state). The 11th Pennsylvania came to Martinsburg the day
after the battle and remained in town until July 15. On July 12, they were
presented with the "Martinsburg Flag" by the Union ladies of the town. It was a
homemade flag and was presented to them for their bravery and courage in
repelling the Confederate Rebels located north of the town. The Confederate
"17th Virginia Infantry" eventually captured the flag in late August of 1862
during the "Second Battle of Manassas". The "Martinsburg Flag" was returned to
the state of Pennsylvania in 1905. It is now located at the "Pennsylvania
Capital Preservation Committee Museum" in Harrisburg, PA, and can be seen on
display along with 390 other Civil War flags that have been preserved. Below the
stary union there is white lettering reading: "Martinsburg VA July 12th 1861",
and on the middle red stripe in black lettering there is: "11th Regt. P.V." and
in the next below red stripe: "April 26th 1861". Initially, the 11th
Pennsylvania was recruited from several counties in Pennsylvania as a
three-month regiment on April 26, 1861, but extended until early 1865.
Bill Garrison, 25 February 2023
![[Great Flower Design 34 Star U.S. flag]](../images/u/us-1861f.gif)
image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 28 July 2001
The "Great Flower" flag, also known as "The Candy Stripe" flag because of the red and white "candy stripe" running down the left side. Five asymmetric petal shapes loop out from the off-center heart of a graceful "Great Flower" pattern of thirty-four stars. The designer and locations that used this 1861-1863 flag are unknown.
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 28 July 2001
![[Cross Design 34 Star U.S. flag]](../images/u/us-1861c.gif)
image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 28 July 2001
Five clusters of six stars each with the final four stars being on the top, sides and bottom, centered. This flag shows great care in its design and in the making of it. The five clusters of stars form a St. Andrews cross and the other four for a St. George cross. The designer is unknown. This extraordinarily beautiful design also evokes, more poetically, great white blossoms or magnified snow crystals.
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 28 July 2001
![[Phalanx Design 34 Star U.S. flag]](../images/u/us-1861p.gif)
image by Blas Delgado Ortiz, 28 July 2001
The unusual length of the field of stripes indicates that this great standard was probably a naval flag. The pattern is basically a square "phalanx" of militarily aligned stars, with two independent "leaders" at left, and two "stragglers" at right. The result of this arrangement is a striking and very likely unique interpretation of the theme.
Blas Delgado Ortiz, 28 July 2001
![[Phalanx Design 34 Star U.S. flag]](../images/u/us_34s-swal.jpg)
image located by Bill Garrison, 2 May 2007
This swallow-tailed flag is a US Army cavalry guidon of the 1862-1885 pattern. By the 34 stars, it would be a very early one (design adopted 18 Jan 1862, 35th star added to US flag on 4 July 1863) or else a reproduction. See Cavalry Guidons.
Joe McMillan, 2 May 2007
![[Oval Design 34 Star U.S. flag]](../images/u/us-34s-oval.jpg)
image located by Bill Garrison, 22 February 2023
Source:
https://historical.ha.com/itm/military-and-patriotic/civil-war/civil-war-period-flag-with-unusual-34-star-pattern/a/6269-43032.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Open-ThisAuction-120115
Civil War Period Flag with Unusual 34 Star Pattern. Large dated 1863
wool flag with a rare and unusual 34-star pattern. The flag measure 63-1/2" on
the hoist, 127" on the fly, with each of what appears to be cotton stars
measuring 4-1/2". This hand sewn flag belonged to William Arthur Coffin of
Boston (tag on flag and ink stamp), and was made by his aunts. Per census
information The label identifying the makers reads "This flag made A.D. 1863 for
William Coffin of Boston by his Aunts Mrs. Eliza Davis and Miss Clementine
Foster of Gloucester, Mass". The 34-star flag became official on July 4, 1861
and lasted for two years.
Bill Garrison, 22 February 2023
