(C) 2015-2024 Documented by Frederick Walton, Historian
The flag of the “North Carolina Grays” was designed and hand made by the girls and ladies of Cedar Fork to be presented to their loved ones who were departing for war as company I of the newly formed Sixth Regiment of North Carolina State troops. It is an Infantry company flag.
The silk flag has a blue field with a white canton containing a hand painted NC state seal. Beneath the state seal, on a painted flowing white ribbon, are the words "THE OLD NORTH STATE FOREVER”.
The reverse white canton reads "NORTH CAROLINA GRAYS” on a white arc above a centrally located small, single, gold five pointed star, with the words “PRESENTED BY LADIES OF CEDAR FORK” on a white arc below the Star.
This flag was carried with them to the seat of war in Virginia, but packed in a trunk and unused while the regiment fought in many a bloody battle. The storage trunks were discovered during a Federal raid and the contents taken. Many years later the flag was returned and put on display.
Today the flag resides, in climate controlled storage, at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, N. C. Overall the paint is badly cracked and the silk fractured. No conservation has been performed upon this flag due to the brittle and shattered silk. It cannot be viewed or studied until conservation has been undertaken because even moving it causes deterioration.
Following is the concise, but detailed timeline of the flag from its inception to it delicate current state. It is now up to us to preserve both its memory and the physical reminder of this historic relic.
The Conception
1859- Cedar Fork Academy formed with Richard W. York as Principle and Hiram Weatherspoon as president of the board of trustees.
Source: The Weekly Standard, 14 Dec 1859, Wed, Page 1
“The school is located immediately on the North Carolina Railroad, sixteen miles N. W. of Raleigh and four [miles] North of Morrisville, and students can get off the mail train at the academy. [I. e. School is located near the tracks]
source: New Bern Daily Progress, 28 March 1860, Page 2.
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| Map Showing Location of Cedar Forks Academy near present day Morrisville, N. C. |
January 7, 1860- York calls a military meeting at Cedar Fork and organizes the “Wake Riflemen” with Weatherspoon as Captain and York as 3rd Lt.
Source: Weekly Raleigh Register, 18 Jan 1860, Wed, Page 1
April 29, 1861- A “Soldiers Relief Association” is organized by the Ladies of Cedar Fork with a stated objective of presenting Professor R. W. York’s volunteers with a “handsome flag” as well as supplying the volunteers with the material comforts of home and offering moral support.
Source: Semi-Weekly Standard, 8 May 1861, Wed, Page 3; Semi-Weekly Standard, 18 May 1861, Sat, Page 2
May 11, 1861- “Prof York, of Wake, has suspended his school and raised a company [The North Carolina Grays], of which he has been elected captain. He expects to have 100 men or more.”
Source: Semi-Weekly Standard (Raleigh, North Carolina)11 May 1861, Sat • Page 3 & Semi-Weekly Standard, 18 May 1861, Sat • Page 3
The Flag is Made
May 1861- Blue Silk Flag, with white hand painted Cantons, edged with heavy Gilt fringe was made by Miss Sophia Partridge of Raleigh who was conducting a female school in Raleigh and was a prize winning seamstress and artist.
source: The State Chronicle, 7 Feb 1892, Sun, Page 1
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| Sophia Partridge |
May 16,1861 6th Regiment organized and went into camp of instruction at Company Shops, near present day Burlington, N. C.
source: Jordon, “NC Troops”, Vol 1, pg 258
May 21, 1861- Letter from C. F. Fisher [Charles Frederick Fisher, president of the North Carolina Railroad and organizer of the 6th Regiment] to Capt. York apologizing for being unable to meet due to other business but urging him to decide whether to join the regiment he was then forming. “I am called upon to present the names of Captains & Officers- for appointments- I believe no more short term volunteers will be received- so the governor says- until the State Troops are filled up. So your question would be as between myself & some other chief.”… “If you are yet determined- send me your names of officers by morning train to report for appointment at once or wait to see me- as you please”
Source: North Carolina State Archives, PC.498, Charles F. Fisher Paper, 1 Item copied by Frederick Walton 8/13/2005
May 28, 1861- Company I [The North Carolina Grays] was organized and assigned to the 6th North Carolina State Troops with 120 members on the roll.
source: Durham Globe (Durham, North Carolina) · Sat, Oct 15, 1892 · Page 1
The Flag is Presented
June 1, 1861- Meeting of the North Carolina Grays at Cedar Fork to include speeches, sermon, flag and bible presentation, military drills and food.
source: Semi-Weekly Standard, 18 May 1861, Sat, Page 3; The Weekly Standard, 12 Jun 1861, Wed, Page 2 (note: see this article for text of speech presenting and receiving the flag.)
July 9, 1861- 6th Regiment of North Carolina State Troops acts as Military Guard and escort for remains of deceased Governor John W. Ellis. source: The Raleigh Register. Raleigh, North Carolina, Saturday, July 13, 1861 - Page 3 Note: The North Carolina Grays Company Flag was carried at Ellis Funeral: “Co. I assigned to escort the body of Governor Ellis flying their company flag.”
Source: The State Chronicle, 29 Sep 1892, Thu, Page 4
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| North Crolina Governor John W. Ellis (1820-1861) |
July 11 1861- the 6th North Carolina State Troops, 957 strong, enters Confederate Service and left for Virginia. S
ource: Semi-Weekly Standard, 13 Jul 1861, Sat, Page 3
July 21, 1861- Battle of Manassas- North Carolina Grays are now Co. I of the 6th North Carolina State Troops and are participants in the first great battle of the war. Colonel Fisher Is Killed Leading his troops into battle.
August 1, 1861- Official statement of the killed and wounded in Col. Fisher's regiment at the battle of Manassas - Company I, Capt. York, commanding.--Sergeant Hiram Sears, Sergeant John W. Wilson and Private Joseph T. Morris, mortally wounded; Private James H. Moring, severely wounded, and Joseph D. Ausley, slightly wounded.
Source: The Richmond Daily Dispatch: August 1, 1861
APRIL 12, 1861- General Lee Surrenders at Appomattox Court House. The war is over . 181 members of the 6th North Carolina State Troops Surrender and receive their paroles, including 26 members of Co. I (“North Carolina Grays”). None of those surrendering were officers. They returned without the (probably long forgotten) company flag.
The Flag is Lost
October- December 1861- In an 1892 interview, York recalled setting forth to “die for his country with his wife’s Saratoga packed full of clean linen and other articles deemed by them necessary for his comfort and well being.” Saratoga trunks were the premium trunks of the period containing myriad compartments, trays, and heavy duty hardware. Finding them cumbersome and inconvenient for active field operation York and about 60 of the men in his company left their trunks in charge of a man living near their camp, in a house on the Potomac adjoining Mount Vernon. The North Carolina Grays company flag, no longer used, was stored in Captain York’s trunk along with his other valuables.
Source: The State Chronicle, 7 Feb 1892, Sun, Page 1
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Example of a "Saratoga Trunk". Less practical than a knapsack when on the march!
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“Sometime in 1863”- the 73rd Ohio Regiment, guarding Washington, D.C., is sent on a special expedition to scout the area in their front and discovers Company I’s cache of Confederate trunks which were “captured”. The North Carolina Gray’s “handsome silk flag” was given to Major Thos. W. Higgins by the Brigade Commander as a souvenir.
Source: The State Chronicle, 30 Jan 1892, Sat, Page 1
Note: York Writes in “BRIEF SKETCHES NORTH CAROLINA STATE TROOPS IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. “COLLECTED AND COMPILED By JAMES C. BIRDSONG, ex-State Librarian. APPENDIX A. FLAG OF THE "NORTH CAROLINA GRAYS.:
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During the fall of 1862, while in camp on the Potomac river, the company was sent on an expedition against a force of Federal troops, and while on this duty the house wherein was stored the company's baggage, etc., was captured by the 73d Ohio Regiment under command of Major T. W. Higgins, and thus the flag fell into the hands of the enemy. Major Higgins sent the flag to his home in Ohio where it was preserved as a trophy of war.”
May 7, 1879- York, working on writing a regimental history solicits material from former comrades.
Source: The Observer, 8 May 1879, Thu, Page 2
June 22,1888- Major York writes to Chatam Record and explains that the North Carolina Grays Flag was “lost” when the trunk it was stored in was taken in a raid, not “captured in battle “and in fact was “never in any engagement”. S
ource: The Chatham Record, 28 Jun 1888, Thu, Page 3
The Flag is Found
Jan 22, 1892- U. S. Federal Army Major Thos. W. Higgins writes to the Raleigh State Chronicle relating the story of how he came to process the North Carolina Gray’s Company flag and offers to return it to veterans of that unit in the spirit of reconciliation.
Source: Major Thos. W. Higgins in The State Chronicle, 30 Jan 1892, Sat, Page 1
Feb 4, 1892- The Chatam Record prints an article about the offer to return the flag and suggests organizing a veterans reunion and inviting Higgins to present the flag to the veterans.
Source: The Chatham Record (Pittsboro, North Carolina) · Thu, Feb 4, 1892 · Page 3
February 5, 1892- Major York request the flag be returned and offer to forward to the state Library where is can be displayed as an “historical relic”.
Source: Durham Globe, 5 Feb 1892, Fri, Page 1
June 7, 1892- Major York announces reunion Planning meeting to be held at Cedar Fork on July 2, 1892
. Source: Durham Globe, 7 Jun 1892, Tue, Page 1 Note: See Durham Globe, 18 Jul 1892, Mon, Page 2 for particulars decided on at the meeting.
Aug. 22, 1892- Announcement of Confederate Veterans reunion at Cedar Fork on October 7, 1892 featuring the return of the North Carolina Grays Company Flag, speeches, picnic dinner, etc.
Source: Durham Globe, 22 Aug 1892, Mon, Page 4; Durham Globe, 6 Sep 1892, Tue, Page 1;Durham Globe, 4 Oct 1892, Tue, Page 1;The State Chronicle, 29 Sep 1892, Thu, Page 4
October 1, 1892: Major York invites N. C. Governor Holt to Reunion to receive the flag. Holt appoints a delegate and pledges to carefully preserve the flag in the memory of those who so courageously followed it.
Source: The State Chronicle, 2 Oct 1892, Sun, Page 1
The Flag is Returned
October 7, 1892: The Last Reunion held at the Cedar Fork [Baptist] Church, The North Carolina Gray’s Flag is finally returned to North Carolina by Colonel Higgins and presented to Mrs. Fannie Lyon Lowe, who originally presented them to the company in 1861. She in turn presented them to Lieut. D. C. Gunter Major R. W. York gave a historical sketch of the company, Sgt C. L Williams read the roll call of 120 original members and many were answered “dead” by friends, but 31 were present to answer the roll. Recruits during the war pushed the final roll to 252 men of who 67 were still living. A picnic and intermission followed the roll call. After dinner the people reassembled to watch Major York thank Col Higgins and present the colors to the state to be displayed in the state library. ( the State library was located on Capitol Square in the Supreme Court and Library Building which it occupied from 1888-1914) The Governor, unable to attend Appointed Col. E. G. Harrell , QMG to accept the flag on his behalf. A large crowd of over 3,000 people attended, Several speeches and music by the Durham band entertained visitors.
Details reported in several newspapers: Durham Globe, 8 Oct 1892, Sat, Page 1; The State Chronicle, 8 Oct 1892, Sat, Page 4 (includes Harrell’s speech);Durham Globe, 15 Oct 1892, Sat, Page 1 (Birdsong’s Speech)
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| Mrs. Fannie Lyon Lowe |
Note: The Blue Silk “Fisher” Regimental Flag was also present at the reunion. Source: The State Chronicle, 8 Sep 1892, Thu, Page 3
May 20, 1895- 25 men of “the Cedar Fork Veterans, Co. I, [Sixth] N. C. Regiment” carried the recently returned company flag in the parade to dedicate the Confederate memorial on the lawn of the Capitol in Raleigh. The Flag was borrowed from its display at the state library.
Source: News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina) · 21 May 1895, Tue · Page 5
December 5, 1902 Hall of History Created- Fred G. Olds Opens a “hall of History” in the State Museum (forerunner of the museum of Natural Sciences), in The Capitol City of Raleigh. Olds's private collection and the State Museum's collection were merged and opened to the public as the Hall of History. This 100 x 40 foot room is equipped with the latest in environmentally secure, triple locked display cases. The intention is to show the rich history of North Carolina from Prehistoric Indian relics through the latest conflict of the war with Spain. Of special interest are relics, uniforms, arms and flags of the war between the states, including the Company flag of the “North Carolina Grays” previously displayed in the state library.
Source: The Morning Post, Raleigh, North Carolina, 03 Dec 1902, Wed • Page 5
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North Carolina Hall of History (taken between 1914 and 1930)
[North Carolina Museum of History Accession #: H.19XX.188.1]. |
December 1914- The North Carolina Historical Commission took over the Hall of History and assigned it a twofold purpose: to teach the history of North Carolina and to preserve historical material. The hall moved into its second home in the State Administration Building, now known as the Ruffin Building, at the intersection of Morgan and Fayetteville streets. These new quarters occupied two large halls on the second floor. Collector Fred Olds spent a great deal of effort to acquire Confederate flags for all the North Carolina regiments. It is not clear if the North Carolina Grays flag became part of the collection in 1902 or 1914.
Source: NCMOH website
1926: A description of the Flag is found in the in the 1926 book “North Carolina Women Of the Confederacy, Written and Published by MRS. JOHN HUSKE (LUCY LONDON) ANDERSON, Fayetteville, N . C. Historian, North Carolina Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy:
“In her sketch of Company I, 6th N. C. Regiment, Mrs. A. J. Ellis, the beloved historian of the Raleigh "Daughters," tells of the presentation of a beautiful flag to these boys of the Morrisville and Cedar Fork communities of Wake County. She says, "A beautiful banner of blue silk, trimmed with white silk fringe, the N. C. coat Of arms painted in one corner, and the inscription. "To the Morrisville Grays by the Ladies of Cedar Fork," in the center had been made by Misses Morris, Page and Lyon. This was presented to the company by Miss Jennie Lyon in an appropriate address, being accepted by Lt. Page. After patriotic songs and resounding cheers by the soldiers, a Bible was given each man by the ladies.
The flag was captured during the war by Major Wiggins, of Ohio, and a great celebration took place at Cedar Fork when it was received by the lady who first presented it, now Mrs. Lowe. This flag is now in the Hall of History in Raleigh.”
Note: the flag actually says “North Carolina Grays” not “Morrisville Grays”. The nucleus of the regiment was from the Cedar Fork Community, near Morrisville.
The Flag Today
February 2015 - The membership of the Sixth North Carolina State Troops /The Cedar Fork Rifles Preservation Society, Inc. has decided to undertake the effort to raise the funds to conserve the silk flag of the North Carolina Grays.
May 2017- Historian Rick Walton is a presenter at the N. C. Museum of History's History à la Carte
The author was fortunate enough to photograph this flag when it was brought out during a History à la Carte (“Sophia’s Civil War Flag”) presentation he made about the history of the flag in May 2017.
2018- After several years of fund raising, it seemed like an almost impossible task, given that the estimated total required was nearly $14,000. We had some money left over from our previous fund raising effort for the Sixth NCST Saylor's Creek battle flag (now on diplay at the NCMOH) Our various efforts had raised our total to $6000 by late 2018.
2019- The flag today is safely stored at the North Carolina Museum of History, but is in such a fragile state it can not be displayed and can rarely be seen. The silk and painted images are so brittle and fragile it can not be handled or studied. Simply opening the storage draw to look at it would potentially cause additional damage to the already stressed flag.
Oct 2019- The 26th NC Troops announced their partnership with the 6th NC State Troops, Co. I in order to preserve the company flag of the North Carolina Grays.
Jan 2020- At the annual business meeting, the members of the Sixth N.C.S.T. voted to donate $2,500 towards the company flag preservation. That puts the total at over $9,300.
Feb 2023- We are thrilled to announce that the North Carolina Museum of History, holding these funds on our behalf, informed us that we have now raised the $13,742, the amount needed to conserve this flag. Conservation has yet to be scheduled and is expected to take over a year.
April 2023- N.C. Grays flag has been delivered to the conservator. Conservation is expected to take about a year.
Sept. 7, 2024- The Conserved Flag was dedicated in a Ceremony at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh.
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The Conserved Flag of the North Carolina Grays
Dedicated at the N. C. Museum of History on September 7, 2024 |
Please keep an eye on this blog for future updates.
Flag Details:
NCMOH Accession Nbr: H.19XX.330.174
Flag Dimensions: 6’ 3” (190.5 CM) length x 4’ 1/16” (122.0 CM) width
