1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics Regiment
SC-105-90: Silk regimental ▪ Dimensions: 75” x 75” ▪ Fringe
Description:
This silk regimental flag is painted with the federal eagle in the center and two arcing rows of gold painted stars above. The upper arc contains nineteen stars and the lower arc has fifteen stars. Below the eagle is a red painted ribbon with the regimental designation. It reads “1ST REGIMENT MICHIGAN ENGINEERS.” There is some loss in the painted areas of the flag, likely caused by the paint making the silk more prone to fracturing. A gold-colored fringe is attached to the top, bottom, and fly edge of the flag. The hoist edge is fashioned into a sleeve for attachment to the staff.
The staff, which measures 89” by 1”, is toped by a spade-shaped finial. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony marking the end of the war all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1st Engr & Mech’s”. The remains of a paper label are also on the bottom of the staff. The only word visible on the old label is “JOHNS”
The flag has a 144” blue and white twisted silk cord with two blue and white tassels which measure 2” in diameter. The tassels are formed on a wooden core.
Adoption:
December 12, 1998 - 507th Engineer Battalion Michigan Army National Guard
March 3, 2011 - Art and Kathy Ridley
July 9, 2016 - Emily Miller Ernst and family
1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics Regiment
SC-106-90: Silk national ▪ Dimensions: 74” x 74” ▪ Fringe
Description:
This silk national flag has gold painted stars arranged in two concentric ovals with ten stars in the inner circle, twenty stars in the outer circle, one star in each corner, and one star in the center. Battle honors are painted on the red stripes of the flag and read, in order, “MILL SPRINGS,” “CORINTH,” “PERRYVILLE,” “LAVERGNE,” “CHATTANOOGA,” “SAVANNAH,” “BENTONVILLE.”. A gold-colored fringe is attached to the top, bottom, and fly edge of the flag. The hoist edge was fashioned into a sleeve for attachment to the staff.
The staff, which measures 89.25” by 1.25”, is topped by a spade-shaped finial. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony marking the end of the war all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1st Engr & Mech’s”.
The flag has a 132” blue and white twisted silk cord with two blue and white tassels which measure 2” in diameter. The tassels are formed on a wooden core.
Adoption:
April 29, 2006 - Emily Miller
1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics Regiment
SC-110-90: Silk national ▪ Dimensions: 68.25” x 74”
Description:
This silk national flag is very tattered. There is almost nothing remaining of the canton and white stripes. Slightly more remains of the red stripes, but none are fully intact. Due to the loss, it is impossible to determine the star arrangement on the canton. Painted on the fourth red stripe is the regimental designation, but all that remains of this is “—EGT—NG—MEC—“.
The staff, which measures 91.5” by 1.5”, is topped by a broken, metal, spear-shaped finial. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony marking the end of the war all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1st Engr & Mech’s”.
The flag has a blue and white twisted silk cord with two blue and white tassels. The tassels are formed on a wooden core.
In 1998, the flag, which was so tattered it had been stored in an archival box, was sent to Textile Preservation Associates for conservation. The flag was humidified to relax the fabric and the pieces were realigned and dried with glass weights. The flag was then encapsulated between two layers of Stabiltex fabric.
Adoption:
1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics Regiment
SC-111-90: Silk national ▪ Dimensions: 70” x 60”
Description:
This silk national flag is very tattered. Most of the canton and the fly edge is missing. All of the edges are quite tattered. Due to the loss, it is impossible to determine the original star arrangement on the canton. The regimental designation is painted on the fourth white stripe and reads “1ST REGT ICH. ENG’RS & MECHANICS”. A reinforcing strip of fabric was used to attach the flag to the staff. The flag is severely torn along this strip.
The staff, which measures 87” by 1.25”, is topped by a spear-shaped finial. The staffs of flags returned to the state at the 1866 Detroit ceremony marking the end of the war all bear identical brass plaques. The brass plaque reads in Spencerian script “1st Engr & Mech’s”.
The flag has a 108” blue and white twisted silk cord with two blue and white tassels which measure 2.25” in diameter. The tassels are formed on a wooden core.
Adoption:
February 15, 2009 - Aaron Butts, Nicholas Martinez, Emily Miller, and Grace Renwand
August 7, 2016 - Emily Miller Ernst and family