Projects Past and Present
The 5th Alabama Flag Project
In September 2008 the APG was presented with a project working with the Alabama Achieves to conserve and preserve the battle flag of the 5th Alabama Battalion. Army of Northern Virginia. The flag, in the custody of the Alabama Achieves, was the perfect project for the APG considering our plans for a miniatures show and fundraiser in Gettysburg in July of 2009. The flag had been captured at Gettysburg on July 3rd 1863 during the failed attack commonly refereed to as "Pickett's Charge" The flag would become the centerpiece of the show in Gettysburg and our annual project.
The project actually began when after sending out several inquiries to historical sites and museums about possible projects we received a response from Mr. Bob Bradley at the Alabama Archive. Bob invited Bob Langenberg and Mike Stelzel to the museum to view the flag in Montgomery, AL.
The flag was actually found on the field
by Lieutenant William Smith the 1st
Delaware immediately after the repulse of the
Confederates in front of the "Stone Wall" on
Cemetery Ridge. Lt. Smith reported the
capture to General Hay's and was told to
take the flag to Brigade Headquarters in the
rear. Unfortunately Lt Smith didn't make it.
His body was found with flag in one hand
and his sword in the other. He was killed by
an unknown assailant while attempting to
deliver the flag. Some of the stains on
the flag are believed to be fluids from the
Lt. Somehow the flag came into the possession of then Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine. At some point it was also cut in half and then sewn back together. A descendent of Chamberlain returned the flag in 1943 to Alabama along with the flag of the 13th Alabama Regiment also captured on July 3rd within feet of the flag of the 5th Battalion. How it came into Chamberlains hands is unknown. The is reportedly a photo of Chamberlain taken years after the was with both flags. We have been unable to locate that photo.
After viewing the flag, complete with blood stains and bullet holes, the decision to fund the preservation was not hard to make. As a bonus Mr. Bradley agreed to display the flag at our show. It was the perfect artifact for our efforts. The next 10 months went to planning the show, our first, and into raising funds for the project. In August 2009 our efforts came to fruition. On Sunday morning,after a successful show, auction, and several other fundraising activities a check was present to Mr Bradley and the Alabama Achieves.
Incredibly we were able to present the check and display the flag within feet of the spot on Cemetery Ridge where the flag was found by Lt. Smith. After 146 years the flags was back. It was a very emotional moment for many. After conservation the flag will be put on display at the Achieves along with that of the 13th Alabama Regiment in time for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Thanks to everyone that participated and helped make this project a success.
To read an article on the flag written by member Pete Culos click on the title below.
The "Semper Fidelis" Project
"From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli"
Campaign to Conserve 5 blades belonging to famous
Marines of the 19th Century
The Artist Preservation Group launched its 2nd annual Membership Drive on Oct 1st 2009. The drive ended 31 December. The membership drive was conducted in conjunction with a fundraising effort to aide the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Money raised during the fundraiser was donated to the Museum to be used to conserve 5 artifacts from the 19th century that once belonged to some of the most notable Marines from that century. The artifacts are were placed on exhibit in the museums newest gallery opened in June 2010.
List of artifacts:
Presentation Sword presented to Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon USMC by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Lt Presley O’Bannon, a native of Fauquier Co. Virginia is famous in Marine Corps history for his exploits in the First Barbary War against the Barbary (Tripolitain) Pirates. O’Bannon along with 7 Marines and a sailor under the command of William Eaton led an expedition of 500 Mamalukes, Greek mercenaries and other “soldiers of fortune” across 600 miles of North African desert. Their mission, to depose Yusat Karamanali and replace him with his brother Hamet to the throne in Tripoli thus ending years of piracy resulting in the seizure of US ships, ransom, tribute, and the sale into slavery of US citizens.
Upon reaching the city of Derna Tripoli O’Bannon demanded the surrender of Yusat. Yusat's reply was “My head or yours.”O’Bannon ordered the attack on the harbor fort. O’Bannon led the daring frontal assault and after 2 hours of fierce fighting the fort fell. O’Bannon and his Marines raised the American flag over the captured fort. This was the first time in history the Stars and Stripes had been flown over foreign soil. That incident has been immortalized in the second line of the Marine Corps Hymn …to the shores of Tripoli.
According to tradition Hamet presented O’Bannon with his personal Mameluke sword in recognition of his bravery and as an expression of his gratitude. Upon returning to the states O’Bannon was presented a sword by the State of Virginia modeled after the Mameluke sword given to him by Hamet. That sword is one of the objects of our conservation efforts along with a Naval dirk owned by O’Bannon.
Presentation Sword Belonging to
Colonel Archibald Henderson USMC
Archibald Henderson affectionately known as the “Grand old man of the Marine Corp” served the Corps for 53 years, 38 years as it’s Commandant.
Henderson was commissioned in the Corps in 1806
and served aboard USS Constitution during the
War of 1812. He served as acting Commandant of
the Marine Corps from Sept 16, 1818 to
March 2, 1819. He was permanently appointed Command
ant as a LtCol on Oct 17, 1820 at the age of 37.
Henderson is best known for his success in thwarting the
attempts of President Andrew Jackso to\combine the Marine
Corps with the Army. As a result of his efforts Congress
passed the Act for the Better Organization of the Marine
Corps in 1834. This act made the Corps a permanen part
of the Department of the Navy.
As Commandant, normally an administrative post, also gained fame when he went to the field in 1836 and 1837 to command Marines in actions against the Indians in Florida and Georgia. He was promoted to Brevet Brigadier General in recognition of his actions during those campaigns. Marine Corps tradition holds that Henderson put the Marine Corps in the care of a senior enlisted man and pinned a note to his door that read, “Gone to fight the Indians. Will be back when the war is over.”
According to Marine lore, the Colonel Commandant had attempted to will his home — actually government-provided quarters in which he had lived for 38 years — to his heirs, having forgotten that they were government owned.
The presentation sword we are conserving was given to Henderson by the State of Virginia to honor him for his actions in the historic naval battle between the USS Constitution and the British ship HMS Cyane and HMS Levant Feb 1815. The Levant and Cyane were defeated in that engagement ironically after a peace treaty had been signed between the US and England.
Sword owned by Colonel Mclane Tilton
Tilton was commissioned in March of 1861 and served at various posts and participated in campaigns with the West Coast Blockading Squadron during the Civil War. He was described as “one of those unconventional characters for whom the Corps has always seemed to exercise an attraction. ...”
He is most noted for his participation in the landings and capture
of the Salee (Han) River forts in Korea in 1871. 6 Marines earned
the Medal of Honor during that campaign. In a report of the battle Tilton and his Marines were described by one Naval Officer. "To Captain Tilton of the U.S.S. Colorado and his Marines belongs the honor of the first landing and last leaving the shore, in leading the advance on the march, in entering the forts and in acting as skirmishers; chosen as the advanced guard on account of their steadiness and discipline and looked to with
battle Tilton and his Marines were described by one Naval Officer. "To Captain Tilton of the U.S.S. Colorado and his Marines belongs the honor of the first landing and last leaving the shore, in leading the advance on the march, in entering the forts and in acting as skirmishers; chosen as the advanced guard on account of their steadiness and discipline and looked to with confidence in case of difficulty, their whole behavior on the march and in the assault proved that it was not misplaced."
march and in the assault proved that it was not misplaced."Korean Headquarters Flag captured at Fort McKee by Private Purvis, USMC, assisted by Corporal Brown, USMC, and Captain Tilton (right). Both Purvis and Brown were awarded the Medal of Honor for their capture of the flag.
During 4 separate tours as senior Marine Officer, Tilton commanded the Marine detachment at the Naval Academy Annapolis, Md. After retirement, Tilton moved into the house where he was born just outside the walls of the academy. The house remains a historic landmark and the basement still contains the coffin he had built for himself but was never used. He died in January 7, 1914.
Presentation Samurai Sword belonging to
Brigadier Jacob A. Zeilin USMC
Jacob Zeilen was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in Oct 1831. He served at various stations and aboard ships including, USS Erie, USS Columbus, and USS Congress. While aboard Congress he commanded Marine detachment and took part in the conquest of California 1846-47 during the Mexican-American War. He served as Military Commandant of San Diego and with the Pacific Squadron participating in the capture of several important ports in Southern California. After the war he saw duty at several posts on the East Coast. He was assigned to the Marine Detachment aboard USS Mississippi and cruised to Japan with Commodore Perry in 1853. He is credited with being the 2nd US citizen to ever step foot on Japanese soil. As a special recognition of his part in that event he was present with the Samurai sword we are conserving.
During the Civil War Zeilen saw action at the Battle of First Manassas (Bull Run) with the Marine Battalion as a company commander and was wounded there. He also took part in the Siege of Charleston but due to illness was returned to Portsmouth N.H. After regaining his health he served for a short time with the South Atlantic Blocking Squadron under Admiral Dahlgren. In June of 1864 Zeilin was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Marine Corps. In 1874 he was promoted to Brigadier General becoming the Corps first General Officer. As commandant he approved the design of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor as the official design for the Marine Corps emblem.
He retired after 45 years of service and died in Nov 1880.
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149th Pennsylvania Flag Project
The State Colors of the 149th Pennsylvainia
After the great success of the 5th Alabama Bn flag project we were all very anxious to get started on another mission. Considering our next show would also be in Gettysburg we wanted something that would be related again to that battle. I put out the word that we were seeking candidates for consideration. Almost immediately our friend Greg Goodell, Curator of the Gettysburg Museum came forward with an artifact for consideration.
For some time Greg had wanted to exhibit the state flag of the 149th Pennsylvania at the museum as part of the 1st days fighting section in the museum. The flag was the property of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania but would be on temorary loan to the Gettysburg Museum. Through recent efforts of the Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee (CPC) the flags in their collection had been stabilized but were not in any condition to be displayed properly. Greg felt is was important to tell the story of the 149th and their participation in the fighting on the 1st day. If we would provide funds to have the flag fully conserved the museum would put it on display. The decision to back this effort was easy and we quickly commited to the project. We had a focal point for our show and another artifact would be properly preserved and displayed for the interpretation of the battle and the education of the public.
Sometime during our fundraiser Greg had made me aware of some other artifacts that had just become available and he thought important. The frock coat, gloves, and sash of Capt Issac Nicholls of the 124th New York (Orange Blossoms) had just come into the museums collection and Greg want them displayed. Capt Nicholls was killed during the fighting at the Devils Den on July 2nd 1863. Because our fundraising efforts been so successfull at that point we were also able to fund the conservation of these items. They too are now on display at the museum.
Capt Nicholls Uniform.
On July 16th 2010 the National Park Service and Gettysburg Foundation unvieled the flag in a ceremony at the Visitors Cemter. Quite a few APG members were also present to receive the thanks of the Foundation and Museum and view the results of their hard work.
Board member Bob Langenberg unveils the 149th Flag
The story of the 149th is to lengthly for me to type here some I am attaching it for you to read. It's a great story of average men put into a difficult situation and how they stood the test.
For more on the Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee (CPC) and it's efforts go to http://cpc.state.pa.us/cpcweb/flags_donate.jsp
Thanks to everyone that made this work possible.
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Appomatox Surrender Document
In 2009 through the good graces of Greg Goodell at the Gettysburg Museum I was fortunate to meet his sister Gretchen Goodell. Gretchen is the Curator at Straford Hall, Home of the Lee's in Virginia. Greg thought that she might have some objects in need of conservation work. Gretchen and I corresponded for several months in late 2009 and during this time she presented several candidates for that were in need of work. Of the many she sent me one stood out above the rest. It was the document drafted by General Grant to General Lee propsong surrender terms at Appomatox in April 1865. The document was in need of some work before it could be put back on exhibit.
Stratford Hall
http://www.stratfordhall.org/
I was introduced to Judy Hynson who is the Director of Research & Library Collections. Judy has resonsibility for the Document and I would be working with her. The first task was to get a quote on the work that needed to be done. Judy got an estimate and it was well within our budget so I agreed. It took months to get the document to the head of the line at the conservator but by this summer the work was complete.
Gretchen Goodell and Judy Hynson with the Surrender Document prior to restoration and conservation work.
Shep Paine said it best in an email to me when he voiced his support for taking on this project. He said he thought that Grants terms to Lee in this document was the first step our country would take in unification after 4 years of bloody conflict. I agree. I was very happy not only that the APG could help preserve this document but also make it available again for public viewing.
http://www.stratfordhall.org/
For more info on the document click here to read and article by Judy Hynson.
Reducing Wrinkles with a dental tool
Adding paste to repair tear.
Treated Work
Thanks to everyone that participated in this project.
http://www.stratfordhall.org/
