Period one-piece wooden flag staff with spear finial in good used condition. This item originally came from the now defunct Perkiomen GAR post near Philadelphia.

The item meas. approx. 9 feet 2 ¼ inches long from the staff base to the top of the brass finial. The wood just below the base of the finial shows evidence of having been carved. The previous owner said this carving was done by the GAR veterans to shorten the staff’s length so it would fit in a display case.

One of the nicest things about this staff is that it still retains the paper label that denotes which regiment used it. The label meas. approx. 2.75 x 1.75 inches and is marked in period black printing “180^TH/19^TH CAV.” The label has faded some and is chipped here and there but can easily be read and is no doubt original to the piece. This label is located approx. 28.00 inches up from the base of the staff.

Attached to the staff approx. 27.00 inches above the paper label is a darkened brass plaque that meas. approx. 1.00 x 0.50 an inch and bears the deeply engraved initials “S.S.F.” Just whose initials these are is not known.

The finial at the top is a solid brass spear point that has darkened with age but is definitely correct for the period.

The wood is solid and does have some minor chips and scratches which is to be expected.

The 180^th Regiment raised by the state of Pennsylvania was the 19^th Pennsylvania Cavalry. The regiment was raised near Philadelphia and mustered in during the latter half of 1863 and was assigned to the 16^th Corps in the Department of Middle Tennessee. In June of 1864 it took part in Sturgis Expedition and in November of 1864 it was assigned to the Cavalry Corps in the Military Division of Mississippi and moved to the Gulf Department in March of 1865. The regiment was mustered out in May of 1866.

During its service the regiment was engaged in 30 actions most of them being small affairs. The largest battle they took part in was Nashville. All together the regiment lost 66 men killed, wounded and captured with another 106 men dying from disease for a total loss of 172 men.

Wartime flag staffs are rare and those that can be identified to a particular regiment are rarer still. This one saw action in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

NOTE THAT THIS ITEM IS TOO LONG TO BE SHIPPED

VIA USPS OR UPS.

PICK UP OF THE ITEM AT THE SHOP IS RECOMMENDED.

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