Flags of the Regiment

31st Indiana, National Flag

The above Flag is a later National Flag for the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry. This Flag is kept at the Indiana War Memorial in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. This is Flag No. 97 in the State's Flag inventory. On the fifth from the top red Stripe, is the regiment's name "31st IND. VET. VOLS." The Major Battles the regiment fought in are listed on the Flag as follows:

• Fort Donalson[sic], Tenn. F 11
• Shiloh
• Corinth [Mississippi]
• Chaplin Hills other wise known as Perryville, KY
• Stones River, Tenn.
• Chickamauga, Ga.
• Chattanooga, Tenn, 1863
• Rockyface, Ga. 1864
• Resaca, Ga.

The Flags were made of silk and bordered with a gold braid. These Flags measured 6 foot X 6 1/2 foot. Many of the Indiana Civil War Flags are in sad shape. This particular Flag has a Map attached showing the regiment's movements during the Civil War.

31st Indiana, Regimental Flag

The above Flag is a later Regimental Flag for the 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry. As you can see, the right side of the Flag is in bad shape. However, this is still a beautiful Flag. Written in the red banner is:

This Flag is No. 98 in the State's Flag inventory. Two earlier flags are also kept at the War Memorial for a total of four 31st Indiana Flags.

The reason I call the Flags displayed here as being "later", is that the 31st Indiana Vol. Regiment was reorganized as a Veteran Regiment in January 1864. Therefore the later Flags contained the "VET." designation, by which they were proud to be called. Grandpa Gosnell served under these Flags.

The earlier Regimental Flag, No. 100, (not shown) is in extremely bad shape, with only about a third of it remaining. This flag is believed to be part of the set of flags that were ordered in March of 1863 because part of the word "SHILOH" is present on the left. On Indiana Executive Dept. stationary a sketch was made of how the Regimental Flag and the National Flags were to be arranged. It is dated March 12, 1863. For the Regimental Flag, listed as the "Blue flag" it shows a banner with " 31st Regt. Indiana Vols." Below the banner sketch the following battles are listed to be arranged as such:

Below the sketches for the Regimental Flag is a sketch of the National Flag with the following on the flag:

" 31st Regt. Indiana Vols. (on Red Stripe on both Side)" ...........and below that is written:

" Two Flags for the 31st Regt.

The names of the battles only on one side of the blue flag. "

An earlier National Flag, No. 99, (not shown) is in reasonably good shape. It has the following wording on the red stripe below the Star Field, "31st INDIANA VOLS.." This flag may not have been ordered in March of 1863. It could possibly have been ordered earlier since it does not have "Regt." in its lettering. The State's numbering system has nothing to do with the chronological age of the flags.