16th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Company flag, H
Company
This is an original receipt for the flag of H Company. It is
made out to the 'Warren Guards', the Company were from Warren County,
TN, at the time this flag was made it cost $40, a lot of money in 1861.
Originally thought to be the flag of H Company, 16th Tennessee Infantry,
further research indicates that this is most likely that of D Company, 35th
(5th) Tennessee Infantry. The invoice is dated the 9 September 1861 to a B. J.
Hill.
1/ Both D Company of the 35th and H Company of the 16th were men from Warren
County.
2/ The Company Commander of the 35th is named Benjamin Jefferson Hill and there
was no Hill with those initials in the 16th.
3/ The 35th were organized on the 11 September 1861, just two days after the
invoice. The 16th had been organized in June 1861 with its battle flag
presented on the 4th July 1861 and by the 9th September they were in (West)
Virginia.
This First National flag was captured by near Cleveland, TN,
on November 1863 by Colonel Eli Long’s
Second Ohio Cavalry Brigade
from the wagon trains of the Confederate Brigade
of Marcus Joseph Wright that had been guarding
the town. The flag now resides in the Texas Civil War Museum, Fort Worth,
TX.
This flag was made by Robert T. Fleming, 62 Union Street,
Nashville, TN (in 1857 Nashville Business Directory lists him as having lived at
62 North Spruce Street, Nashville). Fleming advertised in newspapers as a
'house, sign and ornamental' painter, and the stationary with the receipt
written upon it says 'house and sign painter', he may also have painted
flags for other local Companies and Regiments.
More information on Robert Fleming, H Company flag and any other flag
painted by Fleming would be gratefully received.
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