Two New Historic Flags of Tennessee

These two flags are hot of the press from the great flag guys at The Flag Guys (where they still say "Yes Sir", "Yes Ma'am" and "Thank You For Your Business"®).

The first is a 3x5 foot reproduction of the original Old Glory of Captain William Driver, a former New England sea captain and supporter of the Union in the late unpleasantness, whose nickname for his personal flag became a part of national folklore when the Union Army raised his flag over the Tennessee capitol building in 1862. The original flag measures about 9 feet by 15 feet, and is in the Smithsonian Institution.

The second is the flag of the Rock City Guards, a three company Nashville militia battalion that became part of the 1st Regiment of Tennessee Volunteers. Among its soldiers was Private George W. Driver, son of Captain William Driver. The flag was made in April 1861, after Virginia joined the Confederacy as its 8th state, but before Tennessee formally seceded. Tennessee is represented at the 9th star outside the circle, representing that we weren't in the fold yet, but were on the way. The original flag measures about 3 feet wide and almost 7 feet long, and is in the Tennessee State Museum. Private Driver was mortally wounded at the battle of Perryville, Keentucky, in September 1862.