Flag that tripped Booth

[Ed Steers]

The CT flag was mounted on a staff to the left of the box as you look at the box from the stage. I have done considerable research on "all" of the flags that decorated the box and visited CT shortly after they unveiled the flag. The CT flag is a "presentation" flag (not issued by the army). The regt was issued the National Standard along with a regimental flag (blue - on display) - hence, the treasury guards had three flags, two official, one unofficial (presentation). The issued National Standard is the one in the photo I posted. According to the early claim of of the Treasury Dept it was draped on the balustrade and the flag that tripped Booth. You can see the tear in the flag if you examine photo closely. It was displayed at Treasury for several years before going to Oldroyd who displayed it in the Petersen House. Several articles were written about it in the late 1800s and again in the 1920s and 1930s. The flag went into storage with the Oldroyd collection and being silk slowly disintegrated into small fragments. The fringe remained intact for the most part, I photographed the fragments and fringe in the late 1970s when it was storedin Union Station. I am certain the Park Service did not know its history at the time believing the blue regimental flag was the flag that tripped Booth. I believe otherwise after researching the five flags that were displayed. I wrote a lengthy article on all five (plus the Milford flag) which remains dorment on my computer - needs editing. I should edit it and post it as a digital article on Amazon. The confusion about the flags is recent - since the 1950s. There was no confusion up to the 1940s - shows how old I am! I am posting the "tag line" accompanying the photo.