1864, Lincoln-Johnson-Colfax Campaign Flags (U.S.)

Last modified: 2025-05-31 by rick wyatt
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• Description of the flag

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• Presidential campaign flags
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From https://historical.ha.com

Huge 1864 pole-raising flag for U.S. Pres. Lincoln, Johnson, and Schuyler Colfax. 104" x 45"; has 13, 6-pointed-stars in its canton (when there were 35 stars in the then-1864 national flag) but only 7 red/white stripes (when there would normally be 13). It is a large-format cotton campaign flag produced for the 1864 presidential election, promotes the re-election of Abraham Lincoln and his running mate Andrew Johnson, as well as Schuyler Colfax who was campaigning for a seat in Congress (and would later become Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant). Given its size and the inclusion of Colfax's name, this flag was likely custom-made for a specific mass meeting event in Indiana, Colfax's home state. This is a striking artifact from Lincoln's pivotal 1864 re-election campaign, which took place amid the Civil War and centered on preserving the Union; a relic of Lincoln's final and most consequential campaign. The association with Colfax adds another layer of historical significance, as he was a key political figure and an ardent supporter of Reconstruction policies. The flag has a sleeve hoist with 13, 6-pointed applied stars on one side in the canton. The flag is entirely hand-stitched with 4 red and 3 white stripes. The printed block letters have faded somewhat The natural blue dye in the canton has turned brown and has migrated causing adjacent discoloration at the edges of the canton. Image by: Heritage Auctions.
William Garrison, 1 April 2025