Frame Size (H x L): 28” x 34”  
Flag Size (H x L): 17” x 23”

Offered is a thirty-six star flag featuring a Grant-Colfax campaign overprint.  It made of coarse glazed cotton, and it is extraordinary for at least the following reasons:  

First, campaign flags are the most desirable of all flags—particularly those featuring legendary leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ulysses S. Grant.  The first campaign flags were made in 1840 and were associated with the William Henry Harrison campaign.  In 1890, a bill was introduced that attempted to prevent the desecration of the flag by printing, painting, or advertising for public display or private gain.  The bill failed.  Then, in 1895, a similar bill was introduced, but also failed.  And finally, in 1905, a bill passed outlawing the use of marks and portraits on the flag, coat of arms, and other insignia of the United States.  With this background in mind, campaign flags are especially difficult to acquire, because they were only made between 1840 and 1905.  And in reality, most examples that surface are from a narrower time frame between 1860 and 1890. 

Second, this flag is particularly rare, even for a campaign flag.  It is the only example that we have encountered, and it is not documented in the Threads of History, written by Herbert Ridgeway Collins, former curator of the Division of Political History at the Smithsonian Institution.  Escaping documentation therein was difficult, being that Collins corresponded with 1000’s of collectors, museums, and universities, in his attempt to catalog every political textile.  In total, he documented 1500 examples, dating from 1775 to 1979, yet this flag went under his radar, almost certainly as a function of its rarity. 

Third, the stars of this flag are in a whimsical medallion configuration.  Upon initial inspection, the stars thereof appear to be arranged randomly.  But upon closer inspection, the inner stars of the medallion are arranged purposely, so as to define a “Grand Luminary” configuration.  This combination—basically, a medallion that defines a Grand Luminary, not to mention the flanking corner stars—is amongst the most rare and desirable configurations one will ever encounter.   

The Grand Luminary configuration is a large star made of smaller stars.  The smaller stars may be a variety of sizes, and they may be canted in a various directions.  Such a configuration was for a time perfectly acceptable, as prior to an Executive Order in 1912, flag makers were free to place the stars however they wished. 

US Naval Captain Samuel Reid is credited with designing the Grand Luminary configuration in 1818.  Reid was an officer in the US Navy and commanded the privateer General Armstrong during the War of 1812.  Andrew Jackson credited Reid's heroism in delaying the British Squadron in the Battle of Fayal, and aiding in General Jackson's defense of New Orleans.  Reid and his crew were considered heroes. 

The Second Flag Act, passed in 1794, stated that the flag would have 15 stars and 15 stripes, in response to Vermont and Kentucky being added to the Union.  Knowing that this approach would be unsustainable, with Reid's help, Congress passed the Flag Act of 1818, specifying that the flag should have 13 stripes and a star for each state admitted to the Union.  It further specified that the addition of each star should be on the Fourth of July following each respective state's admission. 

Reid played a significant role in the Flag Act of 1818, and in doing so, he recommended several potential star configurations, including 20 stars in the shape of a larger star for general use.  Reid suggested this configuration to make the flag consistent and easily identifiable, particularly at long distances and at sea.  His star configuration recommendation was not ultimately included in the Act, nor was any star configuration, but still Reid is universally credited with designing the Grand Luminary.  Its use peaked in the 1840s, but it was also used during the Civil War and occasionally during Centennial Celebrations.  Its last known commercial use was on 38 star flags.

And fourth, this flag is small enough to frame, handle, and display, yet big enough to make a statement.  In contrast, most campaign flags are either significantly smaller or bigger than this one.  The smaller campaign flags are less dramatic and easier to find.  The bigger campaign flags—such as handmade or machine sewn examples—are often much too large to display indoors, as they were designed to be hung from porches, buildings, and storefronts.  The flag offered herein is the perfect size, adding considerably to its desirability to collectors and statement seekers.  

GRANT’S RISE AND ELECTION
Grant was born, in 1822 to Hannah Simpson and Jesse Root Grant, a tanner.  As a child, Grant detested chores related to the tannery, and instead gravitated towards working the family farm and handling horses.  Because Grant was uninterested in the primary family business, his father arranged for Grant to attend the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. 

Despite Grant’s enrolling as Hiram Ulysses Grant, he was mistakenly listed as Ulysses S. Grant in West Point’s records, the basis for the “S” being a typographical error related to the first letter of his mother’s maiden name, Simpson.  Grant did not protest the error and, thus, from thereon was referred to as Ulysses S. Grant; U.S. Grant; Uncle Sam Grant; or per his classmates and for simplicity’s sake, Sam.  At West Point, Grant showed considerable aptitude related to horsemanship and mathematics, so much so that he considered becoming a math professor.  Apart these strengths, he was only modestly successful, finishing 21st in his class of 39 students.     

In 1843, following his graduation, Grant was assigned as a brevet second lieutenant to the 4th US Infantry, stationed at Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Missouri.  Grant saw action in the Mexican-American War, fighting under the command of General Zachary Taylor and later under General Winfield Scott.  From this, Grant learned the ins-and-outs of a successful campaign, and his gallantry begin to shine.  By 1847, Grant was promoted to first lieutenant, even though he was uninterested in action and even admitted later in life, “I had not moral courage enough to resign.” 

In 1848, Grant returned to Missouri and married Julia Dent, the sister of his roommate at West Point and the daughter of a merchant and farmer.  Thereafter, Grant went on to be assigned to Fort Vancouver in the Oregon Territory, and then went on to be promoted to Captain and assigned to Fort Humboldt in California.  He resigned the following year, in 1864—perhaps, in part, due to his fondness for alcohol and to avoid potential disciplinary action related thereto.  He again returned to Missouri, and he farmed 80 acres and dabbled in real estate.  Both ventures were failures.  Soon thereafter, at his professional rock bottom, he sold firewood in St. Louis as a street vendor.  In 1860, in yet another attempt at success or at least a living, Grant moved to Galena, Illinois and joined his father’s tannery business, no doubt a humbling experience, as he was a clerk under the supervision of his two younger brothers.

Grant’s fate would soon change.  In 1861, Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter.  As a result of the rebellion and a corresponding, simultaneous a surge in Grant’s patriotism, he again volunteered to serve in the military.  His offers of service were initially rejected, but he was eventually appointed to command the 21st Illinois volunteer regiment.  Though initially unruly, Grant’s leadership and experience had the regiment ready for service by September of 1861. 

Grant and his volunteers initially took the town of Paducah, Kentucky, and then—in combination with the US Navy—took Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, the two earliest, significant Union victories in the Civil War, the latter alone resulting in the surrender of 15,000 Confederate troops.  At Fort Donelson, in response to General Simon B. Buckner’s request for terms, Grant said, “No terms except unconditional surrender can be accepted.  I propose to move immediately upon your works.”  From this famous quote and victory, Grant earned the nickname “Unconditional Surrender Grant” and a promotion to major general.

In April of 1862, Grant moved his forces into enemy territory, where they took a surprise attack in what became known as the Battle of Shiloh, which took place near Pittsburgh Landing, Tennessee.  The two-day battle was one of the bloodiest of the Civil War.  On the first day, both sides suffered terrible losses.  Perhaps most notably, the Confederate Army lost General Albert S. Johnson, and the second-in-command, General P.G.T. Beauregard, had to take his post and make strategic decisions, including whether to attack Grant during the night between the first and second days.  Beauregard mistakenly decided against such an attack.  On the second day, Grant received reinforcements and had the resources to overwhelm the Confederate Army.  Despite an eventual victory, 1,754 Union soldiers were killed; 8,408 were wounded; and 2,885 were captured or went missing.  Grant had President Abraham Lincoln’s continued, unwavering support, but he received scathing criticism from almost everyone else, including Congress and military leadership, so much so that he was temporarily demoted.  

In December of 1862, Grant moved his forces to Vicksburg, Mississippi, a Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River.  Per the Union’s strategy, controlling the Mississippi was critical to victory, as doing so would cut the Confederacy into two distinct parts.  Grant took Vicksburg on July 4th, 1863 and other forces took Port Hudson—the last post on the Mississippi River—a few days later.  The Confederacy was officially cut in half.  Capturing Vicksburg was one of Grant’s greatest achievements, and in March of 1864, President Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general and gave him command of the entire army.  Grant led campaigns that wore down the Confederate army near the Confederate Capital of Richmond Virginia, while in parallel General William Tecumseh Sherman led campaigns headed southward through Georgia, and while also in parallel General Philip Sheridan led campaigns to take Virginia. 

On April 9th of 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively marking the end of the Civil War.  Grant did not take Lee or his men as prisoners.  Rather, as a gesture, he allowed them to leave, keep their horses, and ride to their homes. 

Grant had two particularly interesting views with respect to the Civil War.  First, Grant believed that taking down the Confederate Army was the key to winning the war, and he actively pursued Lee for over a year on this basis.  In contrast, most other leaders in the Union Army believed—likely incorrectly—that capturing territories was the key.  Second, Grant was saddened by the Confederacy’s defeat.  In his personal memoirs, he noted that he felt, “sad and depressed… at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and had suffered so much for a cause, though that cause was, I believe, one of the worst for which people ever fought.”

In 1866, President Johnson promoted Grant to four-star general, the first in history, and Grant oversaw the military’s role in Reconstruction efforts.  In 1868, in part because he was a war hero, the Republicans nominated Grant as their presidential candidate, and they nominated Schuyler Colfax as their vice-presidential candidate.  Colfax founded the St. Joseph Valley Register in 1845 and was its editor for 18 years.  Under his direction, it became on of the most influential papers in Indiana.  His party affiliation varied over time, as he transitioned from the Whig Party to the Know-Nothing Party and finally to the Republican Party.  He was elected to Congress in 1854, he was the speaker of the House of Representatives from 1863 to 1868, and he resigned in 1869.  Between 1865 and 1877, Colfax was a leader of the Radical Republicans, a subset of the Republican Party that believed in enfranchising freed slaves and disenfranchising former leaders of the Confederacy. 

Grant and Colfax ran against Democratic nominees Horatio Seymour and Francis Preston Blair.  Seymour had served as the Governor of New York in 1853 and 1854 and again in 1863 and 1864, while Blair had represented Missouri in the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 1850s, 60s, and 70s. 

Grant and Colfax won 214 electoral votes and 52.66% of the popular vote, while Seymour and Blair won 80 electoral votes and 47.34% of the popular vote.  The contrast in the electoral votes was expected, but proximity of the popular vote was surprising—particularly given that newly enfranchised freedmen voted almost exclusively for Grant and Colfax, and further given that many Southern whites, who would have voted almost exclusively for Seymour and Blair, had been temporarily disenfranchised at the time of the election (i.e., those in Texas, Mississippi, and Virginia, the states that had not yet been restored to the Union).  The leading explanation for the proximity of the popular vote is that whites—both Northern and Southern—must have voted for Seymour and Blair more often than had been expected prior to the election. 

THIRTY-SIX STAR FLAGS GENERALLY
Thirty-six star flags represent the inclusion of Nevada to the Union, and such flags were waved in celebration of the conclusion of the Civil War.  Nevada was admitted on October 31st, 1864, and this flag became official on July 4th, 1865.  Nevada was originally part of the Utah Territory beginning in 1850, became its own territory in 1861, and became its own state in 1864.

The timing of Nevada's inclusion was politically and economically based.  For political reasons, Nevada was admitted to the Union just eight days prior to President Lincoln's re-election bid against General George McClellan.  Such timing was meant to benefit Lincoln and his fellow Republicans.  For economic reasons, Nevada was included as part of the Union to help it pay off the country’s war debts.  Economically, Nevada was particularly attractive, because of its significant silver mining industry.  Nevada expanded its borders in 1866 when the western Utah Territory was added to its eastern side, and further expanded in 1867 when a portion Pah-Ute County in the Arizona Territory was added to its southern side.  

The 36 star flag was the official flag for the last six months of the Civil War and was used by the military during that time.  It was also the official flag during a portion of the Reconstruction era.  The 36 star flag was official until July 4th, 1867, the time at which the 37 star flag became official and began to represent the inclusion of Nebraska in the Union. 

Conservation Process: This flag was hand sewn to cotton fabric, and both were hand sewn to a mounting board.  To prevent the black dye in the cotton fabric from seeping into the flag, it was first washed in a standard wash and then in a dye setting wash.  The flag is positioned behind Optium Museum Acrylic.

Frame: This offering is in our Large Distressed Black and Gold Frame. 

Condition Report: This flag has some small tears and holes.  The tears have been stabilized, and the holes have been masked.  The flag has some minor stains.  Despite these issues, the flag is striking and looks great.       

Collectability Level: The Extraordinary – Museum Quality Offerings   
Date of Origin: 1867-1868  
Number of Stars: 36   
Associated War: Civil War (1861-1865)
Associated State: Nevada