35 Star United States 16th Kentucky Infantry Battle Flag

The 16th Kentucky Infantry Regiment was recruited and organized in the fall of 1861, at Camp Lee, near Maysville, Kentucky, under Colonel Charles A. Marshall and mustered in for a three-year term of service at Camp Kenton Kentucky on January 27, 1862. Before the regiment was even mustered into service they participated in an expedition into eastern Kentucky and fought in the battle of Ivy Mountain on November, 8th 1861 where Colonel Marshall led the 16th in a charge against Confederate forces defeating them and forcing their retreat back into Virginia. This action of the 16th Kentucky resulted in 4 men killed and 13 wounded. This was one of the few early Union victories and was much needed for the morale of the troops as well as the people of the northern states. After mustering in, they were attached to the 18th Brigade of the Army of the Ohio and remained in the southern part of Kentucky during the winter of 1862 tasked with guarding the area from the frequent Confederate guerrilla attacks from Tennessee. In August of 1863, the 16th was ordered to Glasgow and joined General Burnside’s expedition to East Tennessee. At Kingston, they aided in successfully repulsing a Confederate cavalry attack. They also participated in the siege of Knoxville. They were engaged at Mossy Creek, on December 27, 1863, in a severe battle in which a large Confederate force was defeated and pursued from the battlefield. After the Battle of Mossy Creek, the regiment reenlisted and marched back to Kentucky, where they spent the month of January on veteran furlough. After returning to duty in February of 1864 they were assigned to guard duty for two months. In April the regiment was sent to Camp Nelson, and finally to Red Clay, Georgia, where they joined Sherman’s army for the Atlanta Campaign from May 7th – September 2nd, and fought in the Battle of Resaca, where they lost 3 killed and 28 wounded. They were engaged in several battles and skirmishes in that campaign, including Cartersville, Etowah River, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, crossing of the Chattahoochee, around Atlanta, Jonesboro, as well as other places. After the Atlanta Campaign, the regiment was sent to Nashville under General Thomas and then to Pulaski Tennessee under General Schofield. They were engaged at the crossing of Duck River on November 29th, 1864. At the battle of Franklin, the regiment suffered 83 casualties total killed, wounded, and missing. In December the 16th Kentucky fought in the battle of Nashville with the 23rd Corps. With General Cox, the regiment was engaged in intense fighting at Cape Fear River skirmishing with the Confederate 2nd South Carolina Cavalry all day, and the next day took part in the Battle of Town Creek. They went on to fight at Eagle Island, participated in the capture of Wilmington, and finally the campaign of the Carolinas from March 1st – April 26th, 1865 when General Joseph Johnston surrendered and Bennett Place. The 16th Kentucky Infantry Regiment lost a total of 188 men during the war. 58 were killed or mortally wounded and 131 died of disease. After having served nearly four years, almost all of which were on active duty, the 16th Kentucky Infantry mustered out of service on July 15, 1865.

The regimental battle flag carried by the 16th Kentucky Infantry was a 35-star American Flag with an unusual 8-6-7-6-8 linear star pattern. Prior to 1923 when the National Flag Conference adopted a flag code for the national flag, there was no certain way the stars were to be arranged within the blue field. As a result, there were American flags with several different star patterns. Especially throughout the 1800s. Many Union Army infantry regiments carried the US national flag as their regimental colors.

This is a reproduction of the 16th Kentucky Infantry flag. The actual dimensions and material are not exactly the same as the original flag. The artwork is visible on both sides.

• One solid piece of printed, hemmed fabric
• Lightweight, 100-denier polyester that will fly nicely in the slightest breeze.
• Bright colors
• 4 rows of stitching on the fly end to prevent premature fraying
• Reinforced header with brass grommets
• Flag size: 3′ x 5′