After many long years of extensive research the original 1st North Carolina Cavalry Regimental Battle flag has been discovered! The moment of discovery was a profound and emotional experience for many of us, to say the least. It  was a member of  the Sons of Confederate Veterans, that first brought this discovery to our attention.  Here was our most glorious banner that was proudly carried at the head of our Regiment into countless skirmishes, battles, engagements, campaigns and marches. Hear was the Regiment's "esprit de corps" personified. Here was the "Regimental Colors" that so many of our North Carolinian troopers and soldiers had proudly fought, rallied and died under. Few, if any, Regiments or Companies in the Civil War Reenactment Community today can boast of or lay claim to this type of discovery .....and honor!

Our most treasured flag is proudly owned and preserved today by a private citizen named Gary Coffey of Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Mr. Coffey, the Commander of General John B. Gordon Camp, of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, had purchased our Regimental Colors from an antique dealer who had supposedly obtained it from the Gordon family (either through an estate auction or direct sale). As many of you know, James B. Gordon , a Major in the 1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment at the beginning of the war, was promoted through the ranks and eventually became a Brigade Commander (commanding four North Carolina Cavalry Regiments) under General Hampton’s Division of Cavalry. Brigadier General Gordon suffered an arm wound in May 1864 at the battle of Yellow Tavern. The wound was not mortal but erysipelas set in and ravaged the wound. He died a few days later. It is rumored that this same flag had draped the General’s coffin and was duly given to the family after his burial. This of course means that this very important flag, which made it through most of the war, was never surrendered to Union forces.

Mr. Coffey noted that the 1st North Carolina Cavalry's Battle Flag differed from most other Confederate battle flags because of its eight-pointed stars. As in many of the flags constructed in that era, the areas where the stars sit were cut out of the flag and the stars inserted and sewn into place. This way, the stars would show on both sides.

It is important to note that this very same battle flag is prominantly illustrated on the book cover of the biography entitled:  Stuart's Tarheels: James B. Gordon and His North Carolina Cavalry, by Chris J. Hartley. This thoroughly researched book on the life of James B. Gordon is a tremendous step in acknowledging the often overlooked accomplishments of the North Carolina Cavalrymen during the Civil War.
 
 

The flag of the Second North Carolina State Troops (see picture) is one of only three known surviving first pattern silk flags ordered in August 1861 by Quarter Master General L.O' B. Branch for the ten North Carolina regiments designated as "state troops".  These early painted two-sided silk pattern state flags with the unusual six pointed stars were much more elaborate than the later wool bunting issues.    Source:  North Carolina Confederate Flags in the collection of the North Carolina Museum of History.

At the onset of the war, the 1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment was officially designated the 9th North Carolina State Troops (9th NCST) by the Confederate War Department.   Except for the Regimental Number, the flag would have appeared exactly the same for our Regiment.

Special thanks to our honorary member 1st Sgt. Gary Edmisten (ret.) for the research and pictures** noted below.
 
 

                                   ** © Copyright N.C. Museum of History.
 
 

Shown below is a picture** of the company flag of Rufus Barringer's company of Cabarrus Troopers that he formed in the first few months of the War.  Barringer's post war accounts included the day the ladies presented the silk flag to the "Cabarrus Rangers", which later became their guidon for Company F of the 1st NC.

The picture was taken by David Suther of Concord, North Carolina (SoothBch@aol.com).  The flag itself is owned by Cabarrus County and resides in the old Courthouse Museum in a vault along with several other civil war company flags.  Special thanks to David Suther who incidently reenact's as a member of the 26th NC Infantry Regiment.