Description:

This silk regimental flag is made of two pieces of silk, one for the obverse and one for the reverse.  Each side was painted separately with a different design.  The obverse is painted with a federal eagle perched on a shield with a ribbon in its beak reading “IN JURE VINCIMUS” (We conquer in right.).   Sixteen stars are painted in silver above the eagle.  A red painted ribbon below bears the regimental designation and reads “MICH. 4th REG’T CAVALRY.”  Battle honors painted in gold surround the central design.  Starting at the top left and going clockwise they read “UNIONVILLE. RUTHERFORD CREEK. THOMPSON’S STATION. MIDDLETON. Hill Creek. CHICAKMAUGA. CLEVELAND. CHATTANOOGA. REED’S BRIDGE. TUNNEL HILL. Cotton Port. McMINNIVILLE.”.  The reverse of the flag is painted with the coat of arms of the State of Michigan in the center.  It also has battle honors painted in the same style as those on the obverse.  These honors read, starting at the top and going clockwise “LEBANON. WILSON’S PIKE. FRANKLIN. LIBERTY. SNOW HILL. STONE RIVER. SPARTA. SHELBYVILLE. ROVER. SPERRY’S MILL. HARPETH. LAVERGNE.”  There is some loss on the bottom fly edge of the flag and the original blue color of the silk has faded to an aqua blue.  A gold-colored cotton and silk fringe is attached to the top, bottom, and fly edge of the flag.  Three 1.5” by 9.25” silk ties are attached to the hoist end to attach the flag to the staff.

The staff, which measures 93” by 1”, is missing a finial but has a flange where a finial would have attached.  A plaque is attached to the staff.  It reads “Presented to the 4th Regt. Mich Cavalry by the Friends of the Flint Boys Blessings on our Gallant 4th Victory o’re every foe.”

In 2008, the flag was conserved by Textile Preservation Associates.  The two layers were separated to allow for treatment.  Nancy Pollak, a paint conservator with Art Care Associates then treated the painted areas by consolidating the flaking areas and carefully cleaning the painting.  Textile Preservation Associates then humidified the flag to relax the fabric and dried it using glass weights to remove the creases.  Each side and the ties were then encapsulated between two layers of Stabiltex fabric, and the ties were reattached with the ties in the middle.