tigerfan Posted August 28, 2016 Share #1 Posted August 28, 2016 Here is an interesting piece that I got out of the woodwork a year ago. It is a large banner, measuring about 4'-9" x 5'-9", made of silk and from the "Rochester Union Grays". The Grays were a New York militia type unit formed in 1838 and existed for many decades. This banner was presented "By The Ladies" on June 9, 1839. I spent several hours at the Rochester library researching the "Grays" and came across two different newspaper articles telling of the presentation of the banner. One article is short and brief while the other went in to great detail. The banner being made of silk has an embroidered center with green fringe. In the article it tells how there is a painting on the other side with a goddess and bird surrounded by a wreath of leaves. Unfortunately the paint they used somehow faded away of fell off as there isn't a trace of paint left. But the wreath is still there as it is also embroidered on. I have looked in to having the banner conserved by a professional conservator and it isn't cheap but well worth doing. During the civil war several of the members from the "Grays" went federal and formed battery L of the 1st NY artillery. Since many of the officers and men of this battery were members of the "Grays" they kept the nickname "Rochester Union Greys". In 1864 the militia unit "Grays" were mustered in to federal service for 100 days to serve at the depot in Elmira NY (probably as a guard unit). For that brief time they were the "First Independent Battalion, Light Artillery". This banner is part of a larger grouping that I may show as time allows. My photos aren't the best as I am at the top of tall step ladder and the lighting was off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share #2 Posted August 28, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share #3 Posted August 28, 2016 Here is an original paper from the "Grays" from 1883 telling of a few highlights of their history. Notice the entry on the banner presentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted August 28, 2016 Author Share #4 Posted August 28, 2016 This is a copy of a newspaper article telling of the presentation in detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerdragon54 Posted August 28, 2016 Share #5 Posted August 28, 2016 Not far from me and I love it!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted August 29, 2016 Share #6 Posted August 29, 2016 That's an amazing article. Can I ask what you mean by "out of the woodwork". The side you show has held up well. Interesting that the other side is gone - wonder if it had something to do with how it was stored? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share #7 Posted August 29, 2016 "out of the woodwork" a phrase that some use to show that something has surfaced for the first time. Other phrases I have heard are: "direct from the attic" "never in a collection" "fresh to the collecting market". The side you see in the picture has held up well as it is not painted. It is all embroidered. On the other side is a similar wreath of flowers and leaves but the middle area that was painted is blank. It very well could have "vanished" from the way it was stored. This came ouf of a very old home that belonged to a descendant of one of the founders, or possibly the founder, of the "Rochester Union Grays". The house had been left alone for several years and is now inhabited by mice, squirrels and raccoons. I found the banner in a box with old linens in one of the closets. The sections of material missing at the bottom I'm sure were eaten by one of the above residents. I now have the banner rolled up with thin conservation type paper on a piece of pvc tubing. I don't unroll it much as it is made of silk and is now 177 years old. I am amazed that it still has a fair amount of strength in the fabric. The photos you see of the banner were taken within an hour of finding it. That was just over one year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted August 30, 2016 Share #8 Posted August 30, 2016 Thanks for the info. I'm in the Rochester area so I was wondering whether the house it was found in was in the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share #9 Posted August 31, 2016 Thanks for the info. I'm in the Rochester area so I was wondering whether the house it was found in was in the city. Just east of the city in Penfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsgalloway Posted September 16, 2016 Share #10 Posted September 16, 2016 So awesome. Glad you found it. So many wonderful artifacts just get thrown away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share #11 Posted September 18, 2016 So awesome. Glad you found it. So many wonderful artifacts just get thrown away. Your right, if I hadn't found all that I did in this house I'm sure almost everything I found but the swords would have been pitched in to the dumpster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted September 18, 2016 Share #12 Posted September 18, 2016 What were the other things you found and what swords did you find, if I may ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share #13 Posted September 18, 2016 I have a civil war era "father - son" lot. Consists of two coats, sash, sword belt, belt plate, photos, two swords, original newspaper articles, this banner and misc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share #14 Posted September 18, 2016 What were the other things you found and what swords did you find, if I may ask? Sorry I was to vague about the swords. One sword belonged to the father. It is a heavy style wrist braker with a nice engraved blade. It is marked Horstmann & Drucker as I remember. The other sword is a typical foot officer sword that belonged to the son. It is engraved on the top throat: H.R.S. from Rev. M.V.R. August 18th, 1862 and I believe marked Horstmann. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhsroc Posted October 18, 2023 Share #15 Posted October 18, 2023 The flag has returned home! It has been acquired by The Military History Society of Rochester and currently is on display at our facility located at 250 N. Goodman St., 2nd floor, Rochester, NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted October 19, 2023 Share #16 Posted October 19, 2023 I've been there. I'll have to get back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marktk36thIL Posted October 22, 2023 Share #17 Posted October 22, 2023 Very nice piece to see an update about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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