Symbols in Battle - Civil War Flags in the National Park Service Collection
http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/flags/index.htm
At the beginning of the Civil War, each unit on both sides of the conflict was represented by its own flag and colors. Over time the number was reduced to help avoid confusion on the battlefield and save soldiers lives. After the South surrendered, the battle flags were sent to the War Department and later returned to the states they represented. Many were damaged in battle and later became deteriorated due to light and temperature. In an effort to conserve these symbols, the National Park Service has been working on treating and stabilizing them at the NPS Harpers Ferry Center, Conservation Division in West Virginia. During this course of treatment, the flags have been photographed and these images are available online.
A clickable map shows the battlefields that each flag came from. There is also a link to these National Parks.



