N-SSA Northwest Territory members help “Save the Flags”

Originally published October 2017 · p. 13

NWT Regional Commander Chuck Kindle (right) displays the Legislative Tribute and Huron Rangers Commander Henry Heatley (center) holds a photo of the adopted battle flag of the 5th Michigan Infantry. Both were presented by State Director of the Save the Flags project, Matt Van Acker (left), during the flag adoption ceremony at the skirmish at Laingsburg, Mich., on July 30, 2017.

LANSING, Mich.—Every year unit commanders of the North-South Skirmish Association’s Northwest Territory select a historically-based project and donate $1,000 to that cause. Past donations have gone to organizations like the Gettysburg Foundation, Civil War Trust, and last year to Detroit’s Historic Fort Wayne where many Michigan regiments were mustered into service. For 2017, the NWT selected the State of Michigan’s Save the Flags project. Based on unit seniority, NWT commanders selected a flag of the 5th Michigan Infantry for adoption. Company F of that regiment is known by their militia company name: the Huron Rangers (N-SSA #004). Those adopting flags are honored in a special ceremony. The State Director of the Save the Flags project, Matt Van Acker, attended the regional skirmish at Laingsburg on July 30. The Huron Rangers were given a photograph of the adopted battle flag and a legislative tribute signed by both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor was presented to NWT Regional Commander Chuck Kindle. The NWT will also be added to a “Roll of Honor” plaque displayed in the Michigan Historical Center’s flag exhibit area at the capitol complex in Lansing. Save the Flags is Michigan’s project to preserve, research, and display 240 battle flags carried by Michigan soldiers in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I. One of the project’s great successes has been its “adoption” program. For a donation of $1,000, individuals, families, organizations, schools, and communities help with the preservation, research, and display by “adopting” flags in the collection. To date, over 150 flags, mostly from the Civil War, have been adopted, providing the project with much needed funds. Adoptions also help preserve history by commemorating particular regiments and individuals. Adoptions are often made in the name of the original regiment which carried the flag into battle or adopted in the name of a veteran by his descendants.