Flag, Confederate 17th Reg. Arkansas Vol. Inf.

Flag, Confederate 17th Reg. Arkansas Vol. Inf.

Object number1960.008.01

DateUnknown Date

Associated LocationFort Smith, Arkansas

MediumCotton, Silk

Dimensions30 × 34 3/4 in. (76.2 × 88.3 cm)

Credit LineOld State House Museum Collection

Terms

DescriptionThe 17th Arkansas Volunteer Infantry battle flag. It is a silk flag with a red field on three sides surrounded by a white cotton border (approx. 4" wide). White cotton five point-stars are present on the field, each is four inches. Only five of the original thirteen stars remain. An inverted white cotton crescent is located in the upper left corner. The flag was designed by Earl Van Dorn for his "Army of the West." The flag was said to be made by the wife of W.L. Cabell and sent to her Arkansas cousin, Frank Rector.

The 17th Arkansas Volunteer Infantry was organized in Fort Smith, Arkansas in November of 1861, and was composed of men from Washington, Sebastian, Madison and Hempstead counties. Its first major battle was at Pea Ridge in March of 1862, where it was accused of performing poorly under fire. The flag, itself, was abandoned on the Pea Ridge battlefield and recovered by a Missouri Confederate regiment before eventually being returned to the 17th. After Pea Ridge, parts of the regiment went east with Earl Van Dorn and the rest stayed in Arkansas and consolidated with the 35th Arkansas Regiment. The 17th went on to fight at the Battles of Corinth and Iuka. In March of 1863, the 17th was consolidated with the 11th Arkansas Infantry Regiment and became the 11th & 17th Arkansas Mounted Regiment. The combined regiment spent the remainder of the war in southern Mississippi. Some of the 17th was captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana in July of 1863. The entire regiment surrendered on May 4, 1865 in Cintronelle, Alabama.

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Not on view

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