THE FIRST ITEM is a small 2 1/2-inch GAR canteen is made of tin. It has a cork stopper with chain and sling keepers with its original cord. Both sides are covered in canvas. The front side features tan colored canvas with the words, “THE REBEL FLAGS WILL NEVER BE RETURNED, NO NEVER!”. The reverse shows blue canvas with the G.A.R. symbol and wording that reads, “WE DRANK FROM THE SAME CANTEEN”.

In 1887, during the first Cleveland Administration, the U.S. Government proposed to return to Southern states Confederate flags captured by Union units in the ACW. Governor Foraker of Ohio flatly refused and filed for a writ of mandamus to prevent the Secretary of War from doing so. The storm of protest was led by Grand Army of the Republic leader General Fairchild. Fairchild, "called down palsy on the hand, brain, and tongue responsible for the order returning the flags." (New York Times, April 25, 1905, p. 2). At a GAR ceremonial dinner in New Haven Connecticut, Fairchild stated "They tell us nowadays that all men are loyal. I thank God that it is so. But the Grand Army men have a loyalty that is spelled with capital letters; a loyalty without any "ifs" or "buts;" a loyalty which they will teach to their children and children's children; a loyalty teaching that the allegiance of every American citizen is due to the American flag under all circumstances, and if demanded they shall turn their backs upon their State flags and follow the Stars and Stripes. The Grand Army men have always been the friends of the South from 1861 to 1887. They were the best friends of the Southern people when they saved them from themselves. When afflicted with yellow fever, when they wanted to build soldiers' homes, when Charleston was wrecked by earthquakes, the Grand Army men were the first to tender assistance. We have no feeling of hate or malice toward the South, but we feel that they have no right to take back into their possession the relics of the rebels' flags. I believe, thank God, that the right to associate a State in the Union with a State which it was supposed was in existence during the war. What would Missouri or Maryland or Kentucky do with the rebel flags if they were restored to them[?] Destroy them I should hope. To return them would be a lesson in treason. (NYT, June 17, 1887, p. 1)

​Fairchild pleaded with the Governor of Connecticut to not return the flags. The governor rose and assured the GAR man that the flags would not be returned. Another guest at the dinner was William T. Sherman who did not reply to Fairchild's remarks saying that he only came to witness the GAR event. President Cleveland rescinded the order saying that returning the flags was not justified by law or executive act. (The Evening Star (Washington, DC), June 17, 1887, p. 1). Nevertheless in 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the flags returned to home states. Some flags could not be identified as to unit and were given to state historical societies.

THE SECOND ITEM is a gold bullion fringe from a captured Confederate battle flag. The length of the fringe is 16 inches while the hanging fringes themselves are 2 inches long. The fringe appears to be 100% metallic with no evidence of a thread core. This excellent condition relic was captured by Captain/Major John Milton Deane of the 29th Massachusetts volunteer infantry. This Medal of Honor winner for his actions at Fort Steadman March 25th, 1865, retained some remarkable mementoes from his 4 years of service. This was among them. When the Horse Soldier acquired the Deane collection about seven years ago this fringe was accompanied by a note in Deane's own hand stating, "Fringe torn from a captured Rebel battle flag". This was sold to a highly respected collector and our consignor along with other very significant items of Deane's including a Confederate sharpshooter's shell jacket he captured at Fort Steadman. Sadly, the consignor in a move from Pennsylvania to Virginia had a storage cabinet "misplaced". In this cabinet, besides many Civil War documents, was the tag that Deane had written "Fringe torn from a captured Rebel battle flag". The 29th captured at least 3 flags during the war.  Two members of the 29th received the Medal of Honor for their bravery in capturing two Confederate battle flags during the battle of Fort Sanders November 29th, 1863.  And it is recorded in Deane's diary that the regiment captured a rebel battle flag outside Petersburg on June 17th, 1864. A diligent researcher could probably track down the exact flag.

Offered here together as a package are 2 very interesting Confederate flag related treasures. [PE] [PH:L]

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