AN EXTRAORDINARY & RARE TEXAS HISTORICAL TREASURE.

THE CONFEDERATE FLAG ONCE CARRIED BY THE 7TH TEXAS INFANTRY BEING THE FINEST & PERHAPS MOST HISTORIC CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG & UNQUESTIONABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT CONFEDERATE TEXAS BATTLE FLAG KNOWN TO EXIST. This extremely rare flag, rectangular in shape, is referred to as a “Southern Cross Confederate Battle Flag”. It is in the patent of the Army of Tennessee, measuring 49” on the hoist by 66” on the fly. It is double-sided, single piece flag sporting 15 single-applique cut-out stars on each side. The unit designation “7th XS” is sewn polished cotton on both sides. The battle honors are applied on the other side only including Fort Donelson, Raymond Chickamauga, Tunnel Hill, Ringgold Gap and crossed cannons earned during Battle of Chickamauga when Greggs Brigade helped capture a battery of Union cannons. The 7th Texas Regiment was a renowned unit which fought for the Confederacy during the war. On October 2nd, 1861 at Marshall, Texas, nine infantry companies were organized into a regiment. The force behind this organization was John Gregg, District Judge from Fairfield, Texas. Gregg received a Colonel’s commission and the authority to raise an infantry regiment. The regiment was sent by train to Shreveport & marched to Memphis, Tennessee and in November of 1861 was in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment was Jeremiah M. Clough, who was previously a District Attorney w/ Harrison County. The Major of the unit was Hiram Bronson Granbury, formerly a member of the renowned Texas Rangers and he also served as Chief Justice of McLennan County. In February of 1862, the unit arrived at Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. After two days of vicious fighting, Fort Donelson was surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant and the surviving members of the 7th Texas Unit (with the exception of those men who were able to escape & some of whom later served in Terry’s Texas Rangers in the 9th Texas Infantry). All of the 7th Texas Unit that was captured went to a Northern Prison until September of 1862 when they were exchanged at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Col. Gregg was promoted to Brigadier General in August of 1862 & Major Granbury was promoted to Colonel. By February of 1863, it had acquired enough troops to regain its regimental status & was placed in Brigadier General Gregg’s aid. In May 1863, they were sent to Raymond, Mississippi where the 7th Texas were engaged in a horrendous battle which resulted in a loss over 50% of men. The 7th, together with the other unites of Gregg’s Brigade, fought valiantly & conspicuously and after the battle a Federal Commander stated he was convinced that he had been attacked by an entire division rather than a brigade. In 1863, the brigade was sent to Jackson, Mississippi, once again seeing much fighting & action. In mid-September of 1863, they were involved in the great Battle of Chickamauga where they once again lost a number of their men. The 7th Texas conspicuously participated in the final charge which drove the Union army from the field & into siege at Chattanooga. After Chickamauga, the 7th Texas was placed in the brigade of James A. Smith of Major General Patrick R. Cleburne’s division. Here the 7th Texas would remain until the end of the war. On November 25th & 26th 1863, they participated in the Battle of Missionary Ridge & the 7th Texas helped to defend the Confederate right. General Smith & his second in command were both wounded which thus elevated Col. Granbury to Brigade Commander. General Braxton Bragg’s center & left collapsed and his army retreated. Cleburne’s men, including the 7th Texas, occupied the post of honor that being the rear guard. On November 27th, 1863, Cleburne & his unit received additional glory at the Battle of Ringgold Gap for their incredible action in the campaign. Cleburne’s division won the thanks of the Confederate Congress and on February of 1864, Colonel Granbury was promoted to Brigadier General and command of the brigade. By May of 1864, the Army of Tennessee opposed Sherman’s advance on Atlanta & fought for over 100 days. Once again, the 7th Texas gained new glory at places like Pickett’s Mill, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro, & LoveJoys Station. During this campaign, the 7th Texas once again lost a number of men. On November 30th, 1864 (the date the flag was captured by Union forces), the 7th Texas fought heroically in Franklin, Tennessee. In one instance, charging without the benefit of artillery against entrenched Federal positions. During this desperate battle, a great number of 7th Texas were killed, wounded or captured and Brigadier General Granbury & Major Cleburne were among the killed. The Commander of the 7th Texas, John William Brown, was also captured and at the end of the day, Captain Edward Thomas Broughton of the 7th Texas commanded the brigade. The Confederates pursued the Federal Army to the environs of Nashville & on December 15th & 16th, 1864, two days of battle ensued. The 7th Texas and the rest of the brigade fought well but were eventually driven back from the field. On April 26th, 1865, the regiment accompanied the Army of Tennessee into the Carolina’s where they surrendered to Major William Tecumseh Sherman. After the war, numerous men for the 7th Texas distinguished themselves as business & civic leaders, particularly William L. Moody and K.M. Van Zandt. The people of Texas memorialized John Gregg as Gregg County in East Texas named in his honor. Granbury in Hood County is named in honor of General Hiram B. Granbury. The 7th Texas was truly a historic & distinguished regiment in the Texas Confederate Army. The flag of the 7th Texas is one of the finest Confederate flags currently in private hands & possibly the finest ever offered at public auction. One of the most desirable attributes of a historic flag is its graphic design & condition and here the 7th Texas flag is exemplary. Its’ brilliant red background with huge blue cross interposed with beautiful sewn through starts, is ornately embellished w/ numerous battle honors. There are only a handful of Confederate Battle flags today in private hands with battle honors but this is the only Texas Confederate Battle flag left in private hands having battle honors. This example is in incredible condition & the numerous battle honors on the flag include Chickamauga, Ringgold Gap, Fort Donelson, Raymond, & Tunnel Hill. In addition, it features the “Crossed Cannons” which was earned during the Battle of Chickamauga, when Gregg’s Brigade helped capture a battery of Union artillery. The 7th Texas flag shows three styles of battle honors. One artist did the unit designation (on both sides) and the “Fort Donelson” battle honor. Another did “Ramond” (sic) and “Chickamauga”. Still another painted the cross cannon honors awarded to the regiment for capturing Federal guns at Chickamauga where Gregg’s Brigade shattered the Federal center. The honors for “Tunnel Hill” and “Ringgold Gap” are the most interesting however. Done in white paint they are the same style of honors painted on Hardee/Cleburne battle flag of the 17th & 18th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted) that was captured in the Battle of Atlanta in July 1864, this suggests that the same artist painted the honors on these two flags. Other flags of Cleburne’s Division were decorated by different artists in different styles. The flag is truly exemplary but the history of the flag itself is also exemplary. There was only one other flag like this made & known to exist, the other one however does not have the rare & fabulous battle honors found on the flag of the 7th. The second flag was the flag of the 50th Tennessee, which now resides in the State Museum of Tennessee. The 50th Tennessee flag, however, only exists in fragments & as stated earlier, has no battle honors. The 7th Texas flag is truly distinguished in both graphic design, condition, & replete with these extraordinary battle honors. The flag was originally acquired by the regiment sometime prior to May 10th, 1863 and Major K.M. Van Zandt of the 7th Texas in a letter to his wife described the acquisition of the flag that they acquired before the Vicksburg and Chickamauga campaigns, which the 7th Texas was very much involved in. The flag was lost to Union forces on November 30th, 1864 in a fierce battle. At the time, the flag was carried by Ira B. Saddler of Company A, 7th Texas Infantry, CSA. Saddler was appointed First Lieutenant & Ensign of the Regiment by Secretary of War on March 13, 1864. He was recommended by Captain Collet, who was commanding the 7th Texas on April 7th, 1864 and was referenced by Captain Collet as “having engaged in many battles and always distinguished himself with coolness and bravery”. This recommendation was forwarded by Brigadier General Granbury, also in which he said “He is intelligent. Brave, and entirely devoted to the cause”. All of this was forwarded to General P.R. Cleburne, Lieutenant General Hardee, & General J.E. Johnston. Saddler was twice wounded while carrying the flag. He carried the flag with honor for 7 months. In Atlanta, during a fierce battle, he was wounded in the thumb and eventually lost his thumb. After recuperating, later on November 30th, 1864, he was severely wounded and at that time, the flag was captured. The flag has various blood stains on it, some of which are likely from Saddler’s wound. Saddler did not live long after the war but distinguished himself both during the ware and after. In 1870, he was in the Waco, Texas census and was elected to the Texas House of Representations of the 14th Legislative Session in 1874-1875 representing the 19th District (which included Coryell, McLennan, Brown, Bosque, Hamilton, Coleman, Reynolds, and Comanche counties). By 1880, he resided in Brownwood w/ his wife, Rebecca, & their children, Lila, Edgar, & Delta, where he was practicing law. Saddle, who was born June 20th, 1844, finally died in January of 1881 before he reached his 40th birthday. The capture of...