Flag relic, 16th Maine, ca. 1863

Flag relic, 16th Maine, ca. 1863
  • MMN Item 82258
  • Zoom

Description

Col. Charles W. Tilden of the 16th Maine Infantry Regiment was one of a number of soldiers in the regiment who tore their battle flag into pieces during the Battle of Gettysburg to keep Confederates from capturing it.

Tilden saved several fragments, including this one that he protected even while imprisoned at Libby Prison.

He sent it to his "companion" and lieutenant, Francis Wiggin in 1914, and wrote that the flag pieces were "not to be surrendered to any one, friend or foe."

View additional information about this item on the Maine Memory Network.