IamveryawarethatIhavebeengrantedaprivilegetoaddresstheDirectorsofthenationsoldestpubliccollegealumniassociationandIhavemadeanefforttomakesuremyaddressisworthwhileofyourtimeandattentionsoletsgetrighttoitbyquotingArticle1Section2paraBofyourBylaws:

“Tofoster,PERPETUATEandpreservethehistory,memories,valuesandtraditionsofTheCitadel,theMilitaryCollegeofSC,theCorpsofCadetsandalumni….”Itisoneofthe3statedobjectivesthatallowsforthisalumniassociationsexistence.

Becausetodayspoliticizedatmospherehasthepotentialtonegativelychallengeourcollege’ssouthernheritageinwhichdatesto1842,theAssociationLeadershipthoughtitimportanttohighlightthemeaningofArticle1Section2andprovidetheDirectorsabriefingonthehistoryandfactsbehindtheartifactknownasBigRedsothatyouwillbebetterabletofoster,perpetuateandpreserveitshistory.

Mybriefingwillbe30minutesandinthattimeIwilllayoutasimplelistofprovenfactsthatconclusivelyprovetheflagondisplayintheAlumniCenterwasthesameflagthatpostedatthecadetpositiononMorrisIsin1861.ThereisanurgentneedtoeducatethealumniandtheCorpsonthehistoryofthisflag,giventhatitwillsurelybeattackedasa

symbolassociatedwiththeconfederacy,sopleasetakethepertinentinformationhometoyourmembersandconveytothemwhatyoulearnhere.

AfewimagesfromaPowerpointPresentationIhavecreatedthatistobepresentedtotheIowaMuseumsBoardofTrustee’ssometimeinthenearfuturetoconvincethemtoallowTheCitadeltoretaintheflagpermanentlywillbeutilizedsothatyourattentionremainsatleastsemi-focused.Italsoallowsmetoskipmuchofthedetailandadditionalissuesthatwillberequiredforthatfullbriefing…….hopefullysometimenextyear.

BeforeIbeginwiththeevidenceprovingthisBRflewonMorrisIs.,letmeprovideyousomebackgroundthatmightbehelpfulforyoutoputintocontextwhatyouwillhear.

11YearsagotheStateMuseuminIowafoundBRinabasementstorageareawrappedinaburlapbagsince1919andpostedanimageofitonitswebsite.ItattractedtheinterestofagroupofusandultimatelyIwasoneof3originalgrads&1non-gradwhoembarkedonitsresearch.

Twoissueshadtoberesolved.(1)thereversecrescentnoonehadeverseenbefore(2)provethisisTHEflagthatactuallypostedin1861.Asitturnedoutoncewecouldproveonetheotherwenthand-in-hand.

WeknewfromtheoutsetthiswouldbedifficultbecausephotographywasinitsinfancyandthephotooptodaysskepticsrequirewasjustnotavailableonMorrisIsland.Further,therewereonlyabout55cadetsatthebatteryandtheywereonlythereforabout2weeks,3weekstops.Thatwastooshortatimeforwrittendocumentationlikelettershomeandifany19yearoldactuallykeptadiaryitprobablydidn’tsurvivethewarwheresomuchpropertyandsomanylivesofSouthCarolinians

werelost------toinclude316CitadelAlumnioutoftheapproximately2100whoattendedbetween1842-1864.

InDec1864,whenitwasfearedthatGeneralShermanwasgoingtomarchonCharleston,allofTheCitadel’sarchivesandpossessionswererelocatedtoTheArsenalinColumbia-------andwerepromptlylostwhenShermaninsteadturnednorthandburnedthatcitytotheground.

Thus,withveryfewpotentialeyewitness’s,almostnopersonalwrittendocumentationandnopossibilityofanythinghavingbeenarchivedweinvestedourresearchtimeinreviewingeverypublication,document,map,photo,drawingandquotationtoincludeallspeculation,theory,analysisandcritiquethatreferencedBigRed.

Newspaperreports,magazines,officialrecords,oneletterand2rareartist’ssketch’sofablack&whiteimagebecametheprimarysource’sofevidence.----Iprobablyhaveinvestedover1500hoursinresearchandtheothersnearlythatmuch.Theonlylimitationontheinformation/evidencegatheredwasthatplacedonusbyhistoryitself,i.e.,thepassageof155yearsoftimeandthedestructionresultingfromthewar.

Withoutthehistoricalbackgroundthereversecrescenthasbeenthemostdifficultissueforalumnitounderstandandthereareskepticsamongalumni,buttheyhavenotseentheevidenceyouwillseehere.Forsome,evenseeingtheevidence,anythingshortofaphotoopoftheflagonMorrisIswillnotconvincethem.

Thecollegeknewofaredpalmettoflagthatpostedatthecadetposition,butlittleelsein2007.In1960forthe100yearcelebrationofthefiringontheSOWTheCitadelresurrectedBigRedandwhentheydiditwasbroughtbacktolifewithacrescentwhosehornspointedthe

sameastodaysstateflag.TheCentennialcelebrationendedandBRdisappearedonceagain.

GeneralWattsbroughtittolifeagainaround1988andtheBOVproclaimedittheofficial“SpiritFlag”ofTheCitadel,butitneverreallyestablishedafeaturedpresenceoncampus----andthatbringsusto2007whentheBRimagewasposted.

ThefactstobepresentedwillshowthatBigRedisNOTaconfederateflag,itisnotabattleflaganditsnotacapturedflag.Itishowever,theidentifyingmarkoftheSCCC.

TheevidencewillshowthatBigRedwaspresentedtoCitadelSuperintendentStevensbythefamilyofHughVincent,aCharlestonflagmakerforthepurposeofmarkingthecadetpositiononMorrisIsland.ThattheflagpostedfortheSOWevent,departedtheIslandwithStevensandneverflewagain.

BigRedthendisappearedfromhistoryfor4yearsuntilApr1865whenanIowasoldierassignedtoguardcapturedconfederatebootyfromthelastbattleofthewar“procured”theflag,keptituntil1919whenhedonatedtohisstatemuseumwhereItremainedburiedinstorageuntil2007

InterestinglythefactswillalsoimplyalongassociationbetweenBRandtheCAAfrom1882-1948.

FIRST:BRisNOTaconfederateflag!!!Theconfederacyformedon4Feb1861.BRflewonly2times-----bothtimesinearlyJanuary1861.Neveragain.BigRedneverpostedduringthelifeoftheConfederacy.

2nd---BRisnota“BATTLEFLAG”.---17shotsattheshipbycadetsbutnoreturnfirefromSOW.A“battle”requiresanexchangeofgunfire.

3rd—BRisnotacapturedflag.TheevidencestronglysuggestsitneverpostedduringthebattleofFtBlakely,thereforenevercaptured.

Summary:BRisnotconfederate,notabattleflag,notacapturedflag!!

WHATthenisthisflagknownasBigRed?ItisTheCitadel’sinheritedmarkthatidentifiestheSCCCandhasdonesosince1861.SimilartotheNikeSwoosh-----itisw/owords,w/oaname-------itssymbolsidentifythecadetcorps.Anyonewhosee’saredpalmettoflagwithareversecrescentidentifiesitwithTheCitadelanditscorpsofcadets.

Leavingoutalldetail(behappytoanswerquestions)IwillpresenttherawfactsastheyrelatetoBR:

1.TheMercuryNews5Jan1861editionestablishedthata”Palmettoflag”waspresentedtoSuperintendentStevensforthepurposeofpostingitonMorrisIslandACharlestonQuartermasterreceiptthatdescribesa“palmettoflag…..designedforFtMorriswaspresentedbyTheLadiesofHughVincent’sfamilytoSuperintendentofTheCitadelMajorPeterStevenson4Jan1861.1”

2.A“redPalmettoflag”wasreportedbya26JanuaryHarpersMagazinewhenitquotedtwoeyewitness’s,oneaboardthefederalship,StaroftheWestandtheotheronMorrisIsland.

3.Anothereyewitness,FirstLadyofSouthCarolinaLucyPickens,establishedinalettertoSuperintendentStevens,“…..ourgloriousamorials,thecrescentandpalmetto,astheywavedinourharbor…….andfloatedoverthecadetbattery……”

Quicksummaryoftheabove---ConfirmedbynewspaperreportingandeyewitnessaccountsaredpalmettoflagwithcrescentandpalmettotreeatthecadetpositiononMorrisIson9Jan1861.

4.Continuing,aNYIllustratornewspaperreporter/artistsketchedablack&whitedrawingofapalmettoflagwithreversecrescentatopTheCitadelbarrackson4or5Jan1861thatappearedinNYIllustratedNewsnewspaperon2Feb.4

Itisimportanttonoteherethatafter10yearsofcontinuousresearchwehaveconcludedthatnootherflagofthisuniqueandidenticaldesign(redw/palmettoandreversecrescent)everexistedpriortothissketchbeingmade.ThereisandalwayshasbeenonlyoneBR.

5.TheCharlestonDailyCourier,reporteda“wellguardedredpalmettoflag”inpossessionofSuperintendentStevensdepartingMorrisIs.mid-January.BigRedflewtwice----aboveTheCitadelandonMorrisIs------amaximumtotalofabout15days,aminimumtotalof2.

AsIhavementioned,thecombinationofthepalmettoandcrescenttogetherasthesoledevicesonaflaghadneverbeenseenbeforethesketchofBigRedovertheCitadelonthe4thor5th.Infact,theonlyotherflagtohavebothacrescentandpalmettoasthesoledevicesotherthanBigRedwastheSCStateflagintroduced3weekslateronthe28thofJan.ItisarguablethatBigRedwasthemodelforthecurrentstateflag!

Again-----BigRedandtheSCstateflagaretheonlyflagstodisplaythese2devicesaloneonaflag(oneSCunitin1862isanexception)andtherehasneverbeenaflagwithredfieldanddecrescentwiththispalmettodesign----exceptBigRed!NOTE:TheSCSovereigntyflag,createdin

CharlestonafewweeksbeforeBigRed,didhavethepalmettoandreversecrescentonaredfieldinadditiontoabluecrossofstars.IMAGEofSovflag

6.SHSIconservatorLauraRamerizreportedina2009documentasfollows:

"Sir,Icantellyouthatwe,TheIowaBattleFlagProject,havedonethestabilizationworkontheflag.Wehavedocumentedtheflagcompletely.Shehasundergoneavisual,microscopicandphotographicdocumentationandacompletefiberandparticulateanalysis.Thelastwasperformedasaparticulatesample....Asforyourlasttwoquestionswearecertainabouttheageoftheflagbecauseofthefiberandthreadanalysis,thetypeofconstruction,knowledgeoftheflagmakersthemselvesandbyresearchingtheflagjustasyouhavedone....Allotherdocumentationgivesusagoodargumentthatthisindeedistheflag,witnessedbyatleastfourindividualsthatflewoverMorrisIsland.Ibelieveitis"BigRed"...."Ihopedthishashelpedyou."

MsCyndiPederson,DirectorofIowaDCAon19March2010madearecordedoralstatementtotheassembledpublicandpresswhilevisitingCharlestoncommentingthat“"AfteryearsofresearchwecannowreasonablyconcludethatthisisBigRedtheflagthatflewovertheCitadelCadetBatteryonMorrisIslandonJanuary9th1861whenshotswerefiredattheStaroftheWest".."assuchtheflagishistoricallysignificanttotheStateofIowa,TheStateofSouthCarolina,TheCitadelandtheNationasawhole"#19/textslide#7

7.Summarizingagain:thesketchofaflagwithreversecrescentandpalmettotreeatopTheCitadelbarracksoneither4/5Jan,thesamedayapalmettoflagwasconfirmedpresentedtoStevensby“TheLadies”,andtheeyewitnessdescriptionsplacingaredflagwithcrescentandpalmettotreeonMorrisIs.on9Jan------areallprovenfacts.ItisalsoprovenfactthatStevensdepartedtheIslandmid-Janwitha“wellguardedredpalmettoflag”.Digestthatwhilepermittingmetodigressforamoment…..

Inadditiontotheundeniablefactualhistoryalreadystatedaboutthisartifact,itisnecessarytohighlightafactonceknown------butlostovertime------bythisalumniassociationandthatisthattheAssociationhashadalongandcontinuousrelationshipwiththereversecrescentandpalmettotreedatingbacktotheSOWevent.ThisisimportantwhenlookingatthelifeofBRandthemeaningithastoTheCitadelandtheAssociation.

Theimageontherightisthe1882officialAssociationofGraduateslapelpinandintroducedtothemembershipuponthereopeningofthecollegeafter17yearsofUSgovernmentoccupation.Webelieveitwaspatentedbutafter70yearsthepatentexpires.Noteit;ssreversecrescentandpalmettoandthelettering,SCMA.

Theimageontheleftisfroma1930CitadelYearbook.ReversecrescentandpalmettotreewithTheCitadel.Thisindicatesthatthelapelpinof1882wascontinuouslyused,aliveandwell,underAssocofCitadelMen…..andresearchrevealedthispinremaineduntilthejewelercloseditsdoorsin1948.

Theimageinthemiddleisfrom1875---priortothere-opening----onabuildingownedbyaformerSOWcadetandagraduatewhowasinstrumentalinthere-openingofthecollegeandresurrectionoftheAOG.

WebelievetheAlumniAssociationmodeleditslogoafterBR--------howelsedoesanyoneexplainareversecrescentandpalmettotreeontheofficialpin?

CONCLUSION:Thereisabsolutefactualproofbasedonmultipledocumentsandeyewitnessreportsfromthefederalship’sCaptain,anewspaperreporteronboardthesameship,aneyewitnessonMorrisIs.andtheFirstLadyoftheStateofSouthCarolinathataredflagwithapalmettotreeandcrescentwasvisibleonMorrisIson9Jan1861.Importantly,anewspaperartistdrewasketchofapalmettoflagwithareversecrescentheviewedatopTheCitadelon/about4or5January,thesameday,ordayafter,apalmettoflagmadebyHughVincentforFtMorriswaspresentedtoSuperintendentStevens-------adesigninredneverseenexceptfortheflagknownasBigRed.

Onelastimageisasketchdrawnin1866byanewspaperartistwhowassummarizinghowthewarstarted.Thissketchmarksthecadetbatterywithaflagthatshowstwodevices----adecrescentandpalmettotree----Iwouldsubmitthattheimageandthefactualproofcannotbedenied!Itis1861’s“photoop”andconclusivelyprovethataredflagwithreversecrescentandpalmettowasatMorrisIson9Jan1861.

enlargedImageofflagbelowat

cadetbatteryshowingareversecrescentandpalmettotree.ThisimageiseasilymadeclearerwithbettertoolsthatIdon’thave.

CadetBattery

BRdisappearedfromhistoryuntiltheBattleofFtBlakelyAlinApr1865---thelastmajorbattleofthewarwhenanIowasoldier,oneCplBakerwhowaspostedforguardduty“procured”---tousehiswords----theflag.Nootherdatahasbeenfoundonhowhe“procured”theflag.However,inabattlethatwascomprisedofover4000confederatesoldiers,only12ofwhomwerefromSC-----ThePalmettoBattery-----commandedbyaCitadelGraduateand2ndincommandaCitadelgrad,bothformerSOWcadets,withatleast4otherCitadelalumni,thereisconclusivereasoningtosuspectthatthesoldierassignedguarddutyofconfiscatedproperty“procured”BigRedbycommandeeringitfromthecapturedbelongingsofCitadelalumni.ThisandtheprovenfactthatthisredflagwiththisdesignhasneverbeenseenbeforeorsinceandtheparticulatesampledonebySHSIisoverwhelmingcircumstantialevidencethatthisisTHEredflagthatpostedon9Jan1861.

Bakermaintainedpossessionuntil1919whereuponhedonatedtotheIowamuseumwhoimmediatelyplaceditinaburlapbaginthemuseumbasementfor87years.

Iwillconcludethispresentationwithaproposalforyourconsideration:AsperArticle1,Sect2para‘B’regardingtheCAA’sobligationtopreservethecollege’shistory,itseemsnecessarytomethattheCAAre-establishtheformerHistorycommittee.

ItisapparenttomeandothersthatgivenTheCitadel’sprideinitssouthernheritageandtheaccomplishmentsofitsalumni,todayspoliticalenvironmentdictatethecollegespeakwithoneinformedvoiceonthedetailsandhistoryoftheremembranceswehonorlocatedoncampus.IurgetheBODtodebatetheissueofresurrectingthatoldStandingHistoryCommittee,renameittheHistoricalPreservationCommitteeandstaffitwithalumniknowledgableinthedetailsandnuancesofthememorieswehaveinherited.TheCommittee’spurposewouldbetoserveasavoluntarycounseltobothThePresidentandBOVwhowhenmakingpolicy,wouldhaveattheirdisposalaccurateinformationfromaninformedgroupknowledgableonphysicalormythicalCitadeltraditionsand/orhistory.RecentlytheCAAwasaskedtoendorseaBOVvoteforremovalofaflagintheChapel.AcommitteeofalumniwithknowledgeofthehistoricalfactsandanunderstandingofArt1Sect2papaBcouldhavebeenconsultedifitwasanactivecommittee.Additionally,newspaperreportersarealwaysattemptingtopervertourheritagebyquotinguninformedcampusofficialsansweringloadedquestionsdesignedtoembarrassthecollege.Theseofficialsareoftennon-graduatesnotnecessarilyversedinthehistoricalfacts,orpreservingsomeaspectsofourheritage.Theyshouldbeinstructedtodefertothecommitteeforthelegacyofaremembranceandrecommendationsbeforespeakingpublicly.

Lastly,thecommitteewouldbeexpectedtosuggesttoLeadershipoptionsforeducationandtrainingoftheSCCCwithrespecttotheirplaceintheLongGrayLineandourheritage.IncomingKnobsshouldbeaspecificinterest.

Inthisway,theCAAcantrulyupholditsobligationstatedinArticle1Sect2paraBoffostering,perpetuatingandhopefullypreservingourhistoryaswellasprotectingthecollegefromuninformedcommentarybythosewhodonotknowthehistoricalfact.