Colors - The Flag Preservation Project of the 148th New York Volunteer Reenactment Group

In the years immediately following the Civil War, reunions for members of the regiments who marched off to war, would be held. For many, these occasions were a chance to rehash old times and travels with former comrades. Items such as photographs, equipment used by the regiment, and the battle flags, would be at these reunions as a reminder to what these men had done during their time of service to the nation. As time passed, the young men and boys who had marched off to war from Geneva, NY in 1862 gradually turned older and every year a reunion was held, fewer and fewer men would be in attendance.

The State of New York eventually became the caretakers of the battle flags that these regiments held and guarded proudly during the war. For many years, the battle flags were prominently displayed in the halls of the New York State Capitol building, behind glass panes of glass and wrapped tightly around their staffs so as to fit as many as possible into the display cases. Eventually it was realized that having them displayed like this was doing a great deal more damage than good for them. Something had to be done. Otherwise, New York's most precious tangible reminders of the Civil War would be lost to time forever!

Though the 148th's National colors were lost forever in the fire that ravaged Seneca Falls in the 1890's, the regiment's State colors survive to this day, but they are in need of help. Fragile and frail due to the effects of time and improper care while in the capitol's display cases for over 80 years; time is now their greatest enemy. They are currently housed at the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center in Saratoga Springs, New York, which boasts the largest collection of Civil War flags in the world!!

What is Being Done to Preserve the Last Surviving Flag of the 148th?

Textile conservators from the New York State Deptartment of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are currently on a race against time to preserve New York's Civil War flags. One by one, these preservationists are working to protect these treasures for future generations.

In the 1960's, a very basic "netting treatment" was applied to a few of the flags, but not all of them. The only flags that are available for the current sponsorship program are the ones that had this treatment. Luckily, the 148th's flag was one of these and thus falls under the sponsorship program. The 148th re-enactment group is currently attempting to raise the estimated $4,000 needed to sponsor our state color. This money will fund the conservation and storage of the flag in the New York State Battle Flag Collection.

How You Can Help

To help in the preservation of all of the battle flags from New York you can donate to "The Natural Heritage Trust-DMNA Flag Project." To help in the 148th's preservation fundraising we encourage you to come out and visit with us at our numerous reenactments and encampments held each year. There you can talk with us, and we can answer any questions you may have about the regiment as well as the colors plus you can actually see and touch the exact replica of the banner we are attempting to preserve. Donation jars will be place at events we are attending plus local communities where our members live, or you can mail your contribution, labeled "Flag Preservation Fund," to company member, Corey Gavette, at 8 Fencewood Lane, Fairport, NY 14450. Any assistance you can provide for this glorious project is much appreciated. And we hope to see you at our events. Take a look at our upcoming Events and see where we are going to be for the current year.