Flag Remnant
The framed remnant of the flag, showing the embroidered year and the frayed edges of the fabric. Photo Courtesy of Sara Vala
A torn, tattered piece of New Paltz’s military history, the remnant of the American flag traces back to the 156th Regiment, New Paltz’s own soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War.
Description:
The fabric is framed atop wood shingle with space to see the fraying and ripped edges beneath the glass in a 1-inch wooden frame. The piece was likely torn from the bottom stripe of the flag, based on the extent of the tearing on the other sides. There is an inconsistency in the red dye in splotches throughout the remnant and seems to be from a stain, which was reported to be from the blood of soldiers. The embroidery reading “1863” is likely machine sewn. It was pinned to blue lined paper that was removed in September of 2012 to reveal an inscription reading “Remnant of Flag carried by 156th Regt” (156th Regiment).
Provenance:
This flag piece can be dated to the year 1863 based on the type of embroidery typical of the time, the written accompanying narrative from the New Paltz Independent and New Paltz Monumental Society, and the embroidery on the flag itself. It was reported to have been carried by members of the 156th Regiment – more specifically color-sergeant James Brink, Corporal Alexander Cameron, and Corporal John Scott – and is said to have the splatters of the blood of each of these men. Its origin in the 156th Regiment further alludes to an origin in New Paltz specifically, as a majority of the 156th Regiment was recruited in and from the town. At the Monumental Society, this piece was displayed and was in the possession of Elvy D. Snyder. Later, the remnant was given to the granddaughter of Cyrus Freer who married into the Snyder family. Speculation has led many to assume it was given to her as Cyrus Freer was killed during the civil war as a gift in memory of her father.
Narrative:
1863 was a formative and bloody year in American history – the peak of the United States Civil War. With hundreds of thousands left dead, countless more wounded, and a nation nearly ripped in half, the war called for soldiers across the nation, including New Paltz. The 156th Regiment, inscribed on the paper it was pinned to on the back, was composed of hundreds of men from New York, including the “New Paltz Volunteers.” The regiment was formed in 1862 and continued until 1865 when they were disbanded in Georgia. This tattered fragment of fabric was written about in the “New Paltz Independent” paper on January 6th, 1870, and described as “a relic.” Carried in the Second Winchester Battle in Winchester, Virginia, one of three pivotal battles, this remnant points to a country in turmoil.
A pinpoint on a map identifying Winchester, Virginia relative to the Mason-Dixon Line.
The First Winchester Battle on May 25, 1862, was a decisive Confederate victory over Union troops, who suffered over 2,000 casualties and lost control over the Shenandoah Valley to Confederate forces. With Virginia already being located so close to the Mason-Dixon line, this was an important location for the Union to stand their ground and push the Confederacy to retreat. As part of the Gettysburg Campaign, soldiers returned to the battlefield between June 13-15, 1863, where this flag was proudly marched by the Union. The battle resulted in yet another Union defeat, giving the Confederates control over the territory. It wasn’t until the Third, and final, Winchester Battle that the Union defeated Confederate troops.
The flag this piece was survives from was carried by color-sergeant James Brink, who was wounded in the arm while carrying it. It is said to have splatters of his blood and the blood of two other men: Corporal Alexander Cameron, who was killed during battle after taking this flag from James Brink, and Corporal John Scott, who was fatally wounded with it shortly after seizing it. In the writing sample, they write, “The stains of blood may yet be seen upon the flag!” It wasn’t until twenty days after that writing sample was written that Virginia rejoined the Union on January 26th, 1870, during Reconstruction.
It is unclear as to how this piece was separated from the rest of the flag. It could be something that was torn during the throes of battle, later discovered and embroidered its year to commemorate the battle. Alternatively, the year could have already been embroidered prior to its discovery, having been intentionally selected for display. There is a small “~” mark that appears just before the year and a “.” at the end, which seem to collectively imply that there was more embroidery around this year. This adds to the supposition that it was intentionally selected to be separated as it contained the year, which would have been important given the context of the battle it was carried into in 1863 and the men who died with it that year. And if the flag remnant continued with the group, this would explain the delay in its arrival in New Paltz until 1870 when it was revealed and discussed at the New Paltz Monumental Society by Elvy D. Snyder.
This flag remnant is a time capsule of the military contexts of the time and intersects with a part of New Paltz’s history as a snippet of the greater United States experience in the bloody year of 1863.
~Allyson Sheneman
Works Cited
“1863.” National Museum of American History, 26 Aug. 2013,
LeFevre, Ralph. History of New Paltz, New York and Its Old Families: (from 1678-1820)
Including the Huguenot Pioneers and Others Who Settled in New Paltz Previous to the Revolution. with an Appendix Bringing down the History of Certain Families and Some Other Matter to 1850. Genealogical Pub. Co., 1973.
“New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center.” 156th Infantry Regiment ::
New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/unit-history/infantry-2/156th-infantry-regiment.
“Second Winchester.” American Battlefield Trust,
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/second-winchester.
“The Story of Virginia’s Reconstruction.” Reconstructing Virginia,
https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/overview.
McGoldrick, Louise. “Freer Family Research” 12 Apr. 2023