Saturday, September 7, 2024- In February 2015, the membership of the Cedar Fork Rifles Preservation Society, Inc (i. e. the 6th North Carolina State Troops Reenactors) decided to undertake the effort to raise the funds to conserve the silk company flag of the North Carolina Grays, currently stored in the inventory of the North Carolina Museum of History. This company became Company I of the 6th North Carolina State Troops, who we proudly portray as reenactors.
At the time, it seemed like an almost impossible task, given that the estimated total needed was nearly $14,000 for the conservation of a silk flag. Considering how much effort and time went into managing the fund raising for the now successful Sailors Creek Battle Flag conservation, a cotton flag requiring $6,500 and taking nearly three years, it was a leap of faith to undertake a project more than twice as costly. We kicked off the campaign with money in the left over from our Sailor's Creek project and forged ahead.
Starting in 2015, we slowly crept toward our goal, raising our total to $6000 by late 2018. The 26th NCT Reactivated announced in 2019 that they would take the N.C. Grays flag as their next preservation effort and joined with us to complete the fund raising which was accomplished by early 2023, sending this relic to be conserved.
On Saturday, September 7, 2024 the conserved flag was unveiled at a dedication ceremony at the North Carolina Museum of History before a mixed crowd of reenactors, historians and well-wishers.
The following is the Keynote address and slide show presented by Historian Rick Walton that will explain the interesting history of this unique flag.
 |
| Author, Rick Walton, with North Carolina Grays Flag |
