The three flags captured by the Sixteenth Vermont

"Our Reg't won the admiration of all for its gallantry,

having captured 3 stand of colors and lots of prisoners."

Capt. E.D.Keyes, Company H, 16th Vt. July 4, 1863

16th Vermont regimental flag
VHS

Stannard says the Sixteenth took in "the regimental colors of the Second Florida and Eighth Virginia Regiments, and the battle- flag of another regiment."   ~ Report of Brig. Gen. George J. Stannard, July 4, 1863. 

Veazey's diary says the third flag was lost: "Captured 3 colors -lost one afterward. Brought in 2nd Florida and 8th Va. We have won a great victory."  ~ From the Diary of Wheelock G. Veazey, Colonel, 16th Vermont Regiment.(VHS), in David Cross, Wheelock Veazey, (Rutland Historical Society, 1995)

The first flag.

The regimental flag of the Second Florida, "a handsome silk flag," was taken by Company K Color-Sergeant Charles D. Brink, "who bore it off from the field with the colors of the Sixteenth", according to Benedict.

This was indeed a beautiful and special banner, with a sunburst design unique to any Confederate regiment, with the inscriptions "Williamsburg" and "Seven Pines" and the motto “In God is our trust.” The flag had been sewn by the women of Tallahassee from the best silk gathered by Gov. John Milton of that state.

The Second Florida was with Lang on Wilcox' left. The Sixteenth Vermont, having just flanked and routed one of Pickett’s regiments, turned bout, and crashed headlong into the left flank of the Second Florida. In one swoop, the Vermonters captured eighteen of the regiment’s men. Shane M. Turner, REARGUARD OF THE CONFEDERACY: THE SECOND FLORIDA INFANTRY REGIMENT "Being unsupported... our only safety from utter annihilation was in retreat." Lang reported. "The 2d Florida being on our left, and their color-bearer wounded, they lost their colors and the greater part of their men." Southern Historical Papers D. M. Pogue was carrying the regimental flag when, “at the moment the Vermonters attacked, a cannonball tore off his left foot. He handed the flag to another man who took just a few steps before being forced to surrender." Shane M. Turner, (citing D. M. Pogue, Letter “April 9, 1906,” United Daughters of the Confederacy Collection, Florida State Archives, Tallahassee, Florida.)

One of Brink's descendants quotes a witness as later writing "Color Sergeant Charles Brink while carrying his own flag in one hand, grasped a rebel flag with the other and demanded its release."

Others had other stories:

Vermont Record, 06 Nov 1863,

The second flag.

The flag of the Eighth Virginia was brought in by Pvt. Piam O. Harris, of Company E. 

The Eighth Virginia served with Garnett's brigade, on Kemper's left, part of Pickett’s Division. About ninety percent of the Eighth were killed, wounded, or missing in the charge.   Hunton of the Eight later wrote that "only 10 of those who went in [the charge] responded to the roll call--190 out of 200 were gone."  Bendedict says "In the thickest of the assault on Pickett's flank, the colors of the Eighth Virginia, of Garnett's brigade, fell with the fall of the standard bearer, and were captured by private P. O. Harris of company E of the Sixteenth"

But the Eighth Virginia was nowhere near Veazey's assault on Wilcox and Lang.  There are conflicting stories how the regimental flag of the Eight Virginia came into Vermont hands. 

One speculates that "Some of the men from the [8th Va] regiment may have been intermingled with those of the 11th & 24th Va. Regiments of Kemper's Brigade in parrying the flanking movement by Stannard's 13th & 16th Vermont Regiments." Kathy Georg Harrison & John W. Busey, Nothing But Glory: Pickett's Division at Gettysburg. 

Eugene Schael's account of the charge of the "Bloody Eighth" agrees that "the brigades of Kemper, Garnett and Armistead intermingled. In succession, bearers of the 8th's flag were wounded and killed. When there was no one left to pick it up, it was captured by the 16th Vermont Infantry."  Eugene Scheel' "30 Gruesome Minutes for 'Bloody Eighth'" The Washington Post Company Sunday, July 2, 2000 

Another source says, "The color Sgt. of the 8th Virginia Regiment pitched his flag into the bushes  near the Vermont line [spitting]that he would not fight with that flag in his hands. A Vermonter picked it up where the Color Sgt. had left it, only to get wounded and drop the colors. Private Piam Harris (Company E, 16th Vermont) found it & carried it from the field." John Michael Priest, "Into the Fight -- Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg. 

According to Wert, Private Harris found the battle-flag of the Eighth Virginia, as "Harris walked along the wounded and dead Confederates." Jeffrey D. Wert, Gettysburg Day Three 228, this is probably speculation based on the fact the location of the 8th Virginia was north of Kemper. At the Angle, not with Wilcox or Lang. 

Or did Company E itself fight farther to the north? Perhaps Piam and Company E of the 16th were fighting at the Angle.   Company B of the 16th was north of the Codori house " separated from the regiment's other pickets," according to Coffin. "It withdrew toward the Clump of Trees and would fight there." As Benedict has the Sixteenth's flanking movement extending behind the Virginians as far north as Codori house:

"As the left of the Sixteenth regiment extended beyond the rear line of the enemy, it undoubtedly prevented the retreat of a large number of them, and many surrendered to the Sixteenth. Lieutenant Spafford [ of Company E] with a squad of men brought in a number of Confederates who were scattered among the trees of the orchard near Codori's house; and still larger numbers threw down their arms closer to the Union front. ... In the thickest of the assault on Pickett's flank, the colors of the Eighth Virginia, of Garnett's brigade, fell with the fall of the standard bearer, and were captured by private P. O. Harris of company E of the Sixteenth."

.

 "In any event," as Harrison & Busey say, "the 8th VA lost its flag to the 16th Vermont sometime during the repulse of the attack."  Nothing But Glory: Pickett's Division at Gettysburg.

The third flag?

Benedict says the third   "battle-flag” was taken by W. C. Kingston of company C.  "It had been torn, probably by a shell, so that put a portion of the flag remained on the standard; and, after carrying it a short distance it was thrown away by Kingston, as it interfered with his use of his musket, and it was subsequently brought in by other troops."

Kingston's obituary says it was the flag of the “17th Alabama regiment."   But the 17th Alabama was not with Wilcox or Lang on Picket's right. What flag was it?

The Confederate story is that this was not a flag, but only the standard of the battle-flag of the 5th Florida, and that the flag itself had been saved when Capt. Junius Taylor tore it from the staff and hit it under his shirt.  Only "the staff stripped of its flag [was] turned it over to Veazey." Pickets charge the last attack at Gettysburg.  [This source also has the Flag of the Second Florida not captured in battle but “left lying on the ground to be picked up by Veazey's men."]

In any case, on July 4 "Sergeant "Brink and Private Harris, escorted by company E of the Sixteenth, marched to General Meade’s headquarters next day and formally delivered the captured flags to him, and received his thanks, which he accompanied with praise of the gallant service rendered by Stannard’s brigade. Benedict, George Grenville. Vermont in the Civil War. Burlington VT: Free Press Association, 1888 CHAPTER XXVI 475

As Veazey says: "Captured 3 colors - lost one afterward. Brought in 2nd Florida and 8th Va."

Postscript

 Meade forwarded the two flags among a large number of captured flags to Washington.. (" I have the honor herewith to transmit thirty-one battle-flags, captured from the enemy in the recent battle at Gettysburgh")

The beautiful silk flag of the Second Florida, with a record of its capture by the Sixteenth Vermont, was one of the eighteen captured Confederate flags sent by Secretary Stanton to be exhibited at the great fair of the Sanitary Commission in Chicago, in October, 1863. 

The flag of the 8th Va is now in the Museum of the Confederacy.

And the Second Florida flag is now lost. One source says the War Department loaned it to the 16th Vermont after the war and it was lost. Another, implausibly, that “the flag captured that day is now displayed in the State Capitol in Augusta, Maine."  It has somehow .disappeared.