Capt. Enoch Knight's letter to Col. George F. Shepley about the 12th Maine Infantry, which was being formed in the fall of 1861, is decorated with an American flag and a liberty cap.
The liberty or Phrygian cap was used as a symbol of liberty in the American and French revolutions.
It was especially meaningful as a Union symbol during the Civil War as it originated as a cap given to Roman slaves when they were freed. Added to the top of the pole of the American flag, it served as a double message of liberty and union.
Enoch Knight of Bridgton was captain of Co. D of the 12th Maine. A lawyer, he enlisted in November 1861 at age 27 and served until August 1863.
