Flag Staffs

[dpalyka]

Anyone sell good ones?
Anyone have any suggestions on making my own?

[DougCooper]

Put me down on the list of folks who need the same!

[markj]

Guys,

Again, talk with Steve Hill. He can obtain very nice maple staffs--we used one of these for a 32nd Tennessee flag Steve made for me recently.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Vuhginyuh]

Anyone sell good ones?
Anyone have any suggestions on making my own?

Two section?

[13thnhv]

We got a one piece for our flag (9th Mass. Inf.) from Steve Hill 10 years ago (along with the flag which he also created). You will appreciate the one piece so much more!

[dpalyka]

Two section?
That would be easier to transport, but wouldnt a one section be more appropriate?

[VMI88]

Anyone have any suggestions on making my own?
You don't say whether you're talking about Confederate or Union flagpoles, but the Richmond NPS Visitor's Center currently has a display of 14 Confederate flagpoles captured at the end of the War, and now on loan from the Museum of the Confederacy. I'll pass along what I was able to observe.

No two of the 14 poles were even close in length or design. Length was impossible to measure in the case, but seemed to range from 7 - 9 feet.

Four of the 14 were very obviously nothing more than saplings cut for the purpose. One was only about the diameter of my thumb and crooked as a dog's hind leg -- if you saw anyone using it at an event you'd think it was farby! The remainder of the staffs were turned pieces of wood of varying diameters, but averaging 1.5 - 2 inches. One had the remains of a red paint job.

Two staffs had wooden decorations on the tip, and several others had metal decorations (balls, spear points, etc.). Most were plain or maybe just slightly rounded. Several of the poles had hand-carved grooves cut into the shaft to hold the ties in place. At least two others had metal eyelets screwed into the shaft for the same purpose.

The bottom line is that at least for Confederate flagstaffs, a hand-carved staff or a simple lathe-turned staff with a rounded tip would be absolutely correct. I took several pictures, but they didn't turn out too well due to the lighting conditions and the glass display case. I've attached the best picture here for reference.

Hope this helps.

[The Pigman]

Damon:

In Michigan you may want to contact Bill Graves in Byron. He has a period machine that can turn out correct staffs. I do not know what he would charge for this but I am sure he can do it.

Talk to your artilery guys, Bill does a lot of work fabricating cannon parts.

Thanks,
Mark C. Foster

[ley74]

Bill and all:

The Museum of the Confederacy loaned the 14 poles at the Tredegar Visitors Center. In addition, they have approximately 120 others in their collection. Last year, while on a tour of the vault, I was able to observe all of the ones not on display. Not a single one is of two-piece construction.

In this world of "that does not mean they didn't have a two-piece pole", it is good enough for me.

One other observation. Bill is correct, the lengths, types of wood, painted, unpainted, rough hewn, turned, finals, fineals, etc., are all over the place.

Join the MOC. Ask for a tour.

Just an observation.

[ley74]

One more thought.

In most instances observed, the stays were kept in position with grooves carved in the flagpoles. Only in a very few instances did I observe a type of eyelit.

[1stMaine]

Comrades,

I had a very good conversation with Steve Hill some years back regarding flagpoles. He related that, based upon his observations and studies, that nothing resembling the modern 2-section pole was available and/or used by either side during the war.
Now, Tiffany Co. of New York offered a modified pole with custom flags. This pole was designed so that the lower 1/3, or that section just below the flag, could be pulled down slightly and folded up against the flag. The whole could then be placed into a protective sleeve or case. This, though, was the exception and not the rule.
Although it is a pain to travel with, a one-piece pole is the only really authentic way to display the colors.
respects,

[Jasper]

Hey All

Just a Idea for you to try. Start contacting Legion and V.F.W. Post you would be shocked at to what they might have in the back room.

One of my pards is the owner of an origonal federal staff. It was made for and carried by a Iowa regiment (the 9th I belive) to replace one that had been damaged. It saw the last two months of the war after which it was returned to burlington IA. It agian saw service during the Spanish-American war but was agian returned to Burlington IA when flag size was changed during that conflict eliminateing the need for such a thick long staff it eventuly ended up in legion hall where it just sat being unused until it was offered to my friend.




Jasper

[pipthelimey]

I know this is a 2004 post, but if anyone is still looking, http://my.spinsite.com/crhendersonltd/ made our unit's. It's handturned, hand finished, and very nice. He can get some wicked spontoon heads as well.

Andrew Jerram

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Ditto on Andrew's post above. I got to look at some of his work at Tunnel Hill a few weeks ago, and his attention to detail is as good as I've seen in a long time and quite reasonable for the work entailed.

[ScottCross]

Having worked for the Wisconsin Veterans Museum for a few years, I can say that NONE of the original Wisconsin flags were attached to two-piece poles. One was replaced with a sapling, but most were finely made by the manufacturer. A proper point and ferel (sp?) at the base are essential. I took the dimensions from several orignals to get an average and made a set myself.

[Blackhat]

The flag staff in the Wisconsin Veterans Museum that Scott Cross refers to as a sapling was cut by members of the 7th Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade on Culp's Hill to replace the original staff shattered by an artillery burst earlier July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg.
Lance Herdegen

[C.R. Henderson]

Pip, Ross, thanks. That really means alot coming from you guys.

Chris Henderson :cry_smile

[csa blacksmith]

Whats a flag pole going for??? trying to get an idea..

[C.R. Henderson]

Depending on which head you wish me to use, I do them between $120 and $200. Mind you that these are single piece out of solid red oak, hand shaped (hand planes, draw knife, spokeshave [due to not having a lathe that has a 10' bed]) and hand finished with your choice of stain and boiled linseed oil. They finish out between 1" and 1&1/2" in diameter at the thickest part.

Chris

[csa blacksmith]

Ok, I was wondering what they were going for. My boss is trying to sell a civil war treadle lathe and it has the jig say attachment which I hear is rare. I believe it is about 8-10 ft long. It looks pretty cool, wish I had the money for it. :cry_smile

[rogue]

Somewhat of a "ditto" to what Scott Cross said, if further evidence is needed, the Civil War era flags of Illinois stored at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, all have one piece staffs.
Steve Sullivan
46th Illinois
Co. Mil. Hist.
CWPT

[C.R. Henderson]

Jay, you and

[C.R. Henderson]

Jay, You and me both, brother. In the next year or so, I'm going to try to build my own treadle lathe woit a 10' bed. Wish me luck.

Chris

[Blackhatter1]

The flag staff in the Wisconsin Veterans Museum that Scott Cross refers to as a sapling was cut by members of the 7th Wisconsin of the Iron Brigade on Culp's Hill to replace the original staff shattered by an artillery burst earlier July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg.
Lance Herdegen
Speaking of Culp's Hill, is there a marker on Culp's Hill designating the position held there by the 7th after July 1? It would be interesting to find out what type of tree that sapling/flag staff came from.

[Civilwardude22]

Anyone have any Idea what an authentic flag pole would have been made out of? Wood I would think.. I have been searching for an original example, so I can make one. One for the flag bearer to carry, and another for camp.

[LtCol0802]

John,
I used the search function to find these previous set of posts on the subject. Within there you will find everything you need!

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2922&highlight=authentic+flag+pole

S/F
LtCol John Owens USMC (ret)

[Civilwardude22]

Any Idea as to the length, and "girth" of the pole. I am going to make one.