ECW Weekender: New York State Capitol’s Flag Room (Virtual Tour)

A new six minute video highlights some of the 2,200 flags preserved in the Flag Room of the New York State Capitol. Most of the flags were used by New York troops from the War of 1812 through the modern conflicts in the Middle East, including many from Civil War regiments.

During the Civil War, Governor Edwin D. Morgan oversaw the creation of the Bureau of Military Statistics to record the history of his state in the war. In 1863, the first seven flags from New York units entered the collection when the regiment presented them to the governor. The flag collection grew exponentially and protected 811 banners by 1867. Moved to the State Capitol in the early 1880’s, the flag collection drew famous visitors, including President Ulysses S. Grant.

Take a virtual tour to learn about the Civil War and other historic flags! You might even see one from your favorite regiment. https://empirestateplaza.ny.gov/virtual-visit-flag-room

If you want to take the entire, virtual tour of the New York Capitol building, it’s also available: https://empirestateplaza.ny.gov/virtual-visit



4 Responses to ECW Weekender: New York State Capitol’s Flag Room (Virtual Tour)

  1. I go there every time I am in Albany. Have you been to the museum in Saratoga where they moved a lot of the Civil War militaria to?

  2. Both the flag collection displayed on the State Capitol first floor and the amazing displays and artifacts in the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs are well worth your time if you happen to be in upstate New York. Both areas are particularly rich in Civil War flags and artifacts.

  3. Thank you for sharing this! Mr. Morton was kind enough to show a regimental flag of the 65th NY, or 1st U.S Chasseurs, along with two flank markers, to my daughter Rachel and I at the NY State Military History Museum in Saratoga Springs a couple of years back. I ended up, with the permission of the Museum and the help of Mr. Morton, using an image of the flag on the cover of my book about the regiment, No Flinching from Fire. It is a beautiful and well preserved flag, and it looks great on the book cover, I think. Here is a link to the book with the cover visible:

    https://www.amazon.com/No-Flinching-Fire-Volunteer-Infantry/dp/1794636617/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2AJ4ZP6VFH4XR&dchild=1&keywords=no+flinching+from+fire&qid=1607184878&sprefix=no+flinching+from%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-2

    I appreciate seeing Mr. Morton again showing off the amazing flag collection which NY State has built.

    –Chris Barry, author, No Flinching From Fire: the 65th NY Volunteers in the Civil War

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