The 1st Michigan Cavalry Civil War Battle Flag has been part of the Detroit Historical Society’s collection since 1948, when it was transferred from the Burton Historical Collection, along with other materials. The flag recently received a remarkable restoration, bringing new life to an important artifact with deep connections to Detroit.
Conservation and reconstruction
After being stored for more than 160 years, the 30” x 33” hand-painted, dark blue silk flag had largely disintegrated. Over the course of several months, conservator Francis Faile painstakingly reconstructed the fragile flag, gently humidifying the silk fabric to flatten out the pieces and fitting dozens of original fragments together one by one. She also untangled and reattached the original silk fringe and sewed in stabilizing nylon netting to hold the pieces together. Faile, who recently retired after working in the restoration shop at The Henry Ford, completed the project from her home in Metro Detroit.
The flag in pieces before restoration.
During restoration, as fragments are reassembled and secured with nylon backing.
Detroit Connections
Nearly half of the 1st Michigan Cavalry’s first 244 enlistees were from Detroit. The 1861 lithograph above shows the regiment in a training encampment at Camp Palmer before marching south. The 1st Michigan Cavalry would go on to fight at major engagements, including the Second Battle of Bull Run and Gettysburg, and was present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Its commanding officer, Brigadier General Thornton Brodhead, is the namesake of Detroit’s Brodhead Armory.
A poignant connection to Brodhead is found on the flag itself. The words “The Old Flag Will Triumph Yet” that appear near the top are the dying words of Brodhead, who was killed during the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862. His final words were later commemorated in a song that is also part of the Detroit Historical Society’s collection.
In 1864, while the Civil War was still being fought, Lieutenant Henry Beach sent the flag to the Historical Society of Michigan. Correspondence documenting that the transfer is now housed in our collection. Another 1st Michigan Cavalry regimental flag is held in the collection at the Michigan State Capitol, donated in 1866.
See it in person
The completed flag after restoration.
Now restored and safely back in the Society’s collection, this extraordinary flag offers a tangible connection to the Detroiters who served during one of the most consequential periods in American history. See it on Thursday, August 20, 2026 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, when Director of Curatorial and Collections Jeremy Dimick will discuss its history and restoration, along with other rare flags in our collection. Find details here.