American History: Premier Auction

Blue star-shaped piece of flag, appears to be wool, approx. 3.25 x 3.5 in., in a lucite mount with copy photo of Colonel William Henry Fitzhugh ("Rooney") Lee, Robert E. Lee's second son and attribution of the flag as from the estate of M.A. (Marshall Ambler) Moncure, 9th VA Cavalry. The entire lucite display is housed in a 13.5 x 15.5 x 1.75 in. frame. 

Accompanying the piece of flag is an article from Civil War News, September 2018 about a fragment of the 9th Virginia Cavalry battle flag. (Beckendorf, John Peter. "The Last Confederate Battle Flag." pp. 14 -15) According to the article, the flag was ripped to pieces near the end of the war, with soldiers taking small pieces home as souvenirs. The unit received a new flag in September-October 1864.

The 9th Virginia Volunteer Cavalry (CSA) was formed in January 1862. It was primarily assigned to the Army of Northern Virginia, and so fought in all of the Eastern Theater battles: Seven Days', Gainesville, Second Manassas/Bull Run, Sharpsburg/Antietam, Fredericksburg, Dumfries, Rapidan Station, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, Culpepper C.H., Bristoe, Mine Run, Wilderness, Richmond, Petersburg, Appomattox, and more. It was surrendered with the ANV at Appomattox.