Richmond Lance Pennon Stickers/Magnet

Due to the shortage of proper cavalry weapons (sabers, revolvers, and carbines) in the first year of the American Civil War, the Confederate War Department formed several regiments of mounted troops as "lancers", whose sole arm was to be that weapon. Three regiments and several companies of Texans were so equipped, and it was intended to raise at least one regiment of lancers in Virginia as well. To equip this eastern regiment of lancers, the Confederate Q.M. Dept. contracted with a few ladies in Richmond to produce up to 1,000 small (12" hoist by 18" fly), swallowtail pennons to attach to these lances. The design chosen for these swallowtail pennons followed the basic pattern of the 1st National flag of the Confederacy, the "Stars & Bars"

', and consisted of three horizontal bars (red-white-red) of equal width with a square

blue canton in the upper hoist corner bearing eleven white stars. This pennon is one of those made for the Virginia lancers. Its field is all made from polished cotton, hand sewn and hand hemmed on all sides. The field measures 11-718" on its hoist by 16-3/4" to 17" to the points of the swallowtail and 11-3/4" to the cut of the swallowtail, and is composed of three horizontal 4" wide bars: red over white over red. The 7" square blue canton inset into the upper hoist corner, in common with other surviving pennons of this style bears eleven, white polished cotton stars of only four (4) points, hand sewn to each side of the canton. The pennon was intended to be nailed to its lance, and many of the dozen or so that survive bear rusty nail marks where they were affixed. In spite of their colorful appearance, the lances were rejected as a combat weapon in the eastern Confederacy and were sent to storage in Richmond, where most were found (and looted) by the occupying Union forces that took over that city on 3 April 1865.

Each purchase comes with one sticker or one magnet.