Flags awaken incredibly powerful and patriotic emotions. Throughout the 1860s, scores of Missouri secession, state guard, and battle flags unfurled over the ranks of men defending their homelands against invading soldiers from the North. Symbolizing the way of life the men of Missouri sought to protect, these flags provide a unique index to the history of the Civil War in this western state. From the stirring banner borne by the First Regiment Missouri Volunteer Militia, which serves as a significant reminder of the Camp Jackson massacre, to the famed flag Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby never surrendered, each Missouri ensign represents a moment in history. This comprehensive study of Missouri's Civil War-era flags presents more than fifty authentic flags, along with a history of the origins and the units they represented. The emblems, materials, construction, and dimensions of each flag are also included. From the state secession flags of 1861 to the flags of the Missouri State Guard and the Audrain County Flag of the Second Missouri Infantry Regiment, this examination is a true tribute to the men who bore these colors and is certain to be cherished by Civil War experts, genealogists, and students of military history.
