Maine Memory Network

This detail of the Civil War quilt created by women in Belfast is from the third white stripe of the large flag.

Written on it is, "Belfast Maine and June 17th 1864." It was on June 17 that the women began to design the quilt.

On one of the white stripes of the large flag, the group that made the quilt identified itself. Written on the stripe is "U. S. G. Society." The initials may stand for "Ulysses S. Grant," who had been named lieutenant general of the U.S. Army a few months earlier. The rarely used rank made Grant commander of all Union forces.

The "U.S.G. Society" was the organization name used by the young women of the Branch Aid Society when they made the quilt.

This detail shows stars on the blue canton of the Belfast Civil War flag quilt. The large white star contains the Lord's Prayer and each of the five points contains a biblical verse drawn from either the old or new testaments.

The smaller stars surrounding the large star represent a battle or campaign in which Belfast soldiers took part in. This photograph was taken before the quilt was conserved.

This small star, a detail on the Belfast Civil War flag quilt, contains the word "Knoxville," representing the 1863 Knoxville Campaign.

The phrase "Colors That Never Run, Red White and Blue" are written on this white square on the checkerboard border of the Belfast Civil War flag quilt.

"Hurrah For The Boys of the Pine Tree State" is written on one section of the Belfast Civil War flag quilt. It is one of several quilt squares meant to inspire Maine soldiers.

General Charles D. Jameson's name is underlined in this detail from the Belfast Civil War quilt. The underlining indicates that he died in 1862, following the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia.

"Our Star Spangled Banner. Long May It Wave" is written on this portion of the checkerboard border of the quilt. It is one of several references about the American flag. The entire quilt is an American flag.

Marianne Furber, one of the stitchers of the Belfast quilt wrote a poem on one of the four, small corner flags.

She wrote, "Freemen to arms! Your country's cause in this dark hour demands your aid, God's blessing on the hand that draws in her defence a patriots blade."

This quilt details includes a riddle, "What Soldiers Cannot Be Surprised? Those on Guard."

On this square that contains a 13-star American flag, a stitcher of the Belfast Civil War quilt wrote, "Our Country and Liberty! God for the right."

Arbella "Belle" Johnson signed her name to one portion of the Belfast Civil War quilt. She was president of the U. S. G. Society and one of the stitchers of the quilt. She was 22 years old in 1864 when the quilt was made.