Five New Jersey Flags Are Put On Display In Trenton

Originally published March 2016 · p. 24

TRENTON, N.J. — Five flags carried by New Jersey troops were recently unveiled in the New Jersey State Museum Gallery. They are among more than 100 flags in the collection that represents over 80,000 New Jerseyans who fought in the Civil War. The new exhibit includes the national colors of the 3rd and 15th Infantry regiments, the 33rd Infantry Regiment’s state colors, a guidon with a distinctive butterfly design from the 3rd Cavalry, and a rare Gen. Robert McAllister headquarters 2nd New Jersey Brigade flag. More than 20 members of the 15th New Jersey’s color guard fell dead or wounded during the battles of 1864 while defending the flag that is displayed. The regimental flag of the 33rd Infantry regiment was captured at the battle of Atlanta in July 1864

and then was recaptured by New Jersey troops in North Carolina in May 1865. The unveiling program organized by the New Jersey State Museum and the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association featured an educational gallery walk program by flag historian Dr. David Martin, author of New Jersey at Gettysburg Guidebook. The gallery’s rotating exhibition of Civil War firearms, equipment and photographs loaned by private collectors and military documents from the New Jersey State Archives, focuses on the 15th and 33rd regiments and the 1st Cavalry. Nicholas Ciotola, Curator of Cultural History at the New Jersey State Museum, prepared it with members of the heritage association. For information contact David G. Martin at [email protected].