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In January of 1999,
the FBI arrested a man trying to sell a very rare
Civil War relic -- a flag carried into battle by
the 12th Regiment Corps d'Afrique, one of the first
black Army units formed during the Civil War.In
February, during a ceremony at FBIHQ, Director Louis
Freeh returned the flag to U.S. Army officials.
During the ceremony, he remarked that "there
are two ways to steal history: one is to steal a
valuable artifact -- a regimental flag which represents
so much bravery and sacrifice; the other is not
to teach or write about it in a manner that is noteworthy
and memorable."
Lieutenant General
John Dubia, Director of the Army Staff, accepting
the return of the 12th Regiment Corps d'Afrique
Civil War Battle
flag from FBI Director Louis J. Freeh.
Director Freeh with
Civil War reenactor and retired Army Sergeant Major
Joseph Lee with recovered battle flag.
How it all began
| New
Orleans, Louisiana, 1861
- The Louisiana Native Guard was formed by free
black men who wanted to defend the city of New
Orleans during the Civil War. Initially organized
to fight for the South, once the North captured
New Orleans, the Native Guard was incorporated
into the Union Army in 1862 and renamed the
Corps d'Afrique. Former slaves also joined its
ranks. The flag was obtained for the regiment
at this time. Flags were extremely important
because they were used to "dress"
the lines, allowing opposing forces to know
where the battle lines were drawn. They became
symbols of pride to their regimental units. |
In October 1998, Les
Jenson, a curator at the Army Center of Military
History, Washington, D.C., got in touch with the
FBI, advising that he had recently been contacted
by a dealer who was approached by Charles Wilhite,
an antique military collectible dealer from Kansas.
Wilhite told the dealer he had a 12th Regiment Corps
d'Afrique battle flag for sale. Jenson knew the
man could be telling the truth: that flag had been
discovered missing by the Army sometime in 1975
or 1976. The flag, previously on display at West
Point, had been placed into the collection of the
Army Historical Property Section in 1963.
The Special Agent initiated
an undercover operation posing as a Civil War artifacts
dealer in an attempt to recover the flag.
|
The first
use of Black troops took place along the Mississippi
River. Two fortified cities enabled the Confederacy
to maintain control of 200 miles of river.
Vicksburg to the North and Port Hudson to
the South.... These strategic cities had to
fall in order for the Union to control the
Mississippi River and split the Confederacy
in two. The first chance for the Corps d'Afrique
units to fight came at Port Hudson, Louisiana.
<Vicksburg
National Military Park website>
|
The operation advances
|
Port Hudson,
May 26, 1863 - "I have just had a stirring hour, occasioned
by the arrival of the black infantry, one
thousand strong, who halted in our midst and
attracted much attention. I was interested
to see how my men would regard such neighbors
and was glad to see there was not much merriment
and no contempt...."
<Diary
of William Logan Rodman, Infantry>
|
The Bureau worked the
case in conjunction with the Army Criminal Investigative
Division. In November, undercover FBI Agents traveled
to a Civil War collectibles show in Richmond, Virginia,
hoping to learn more about Mr. Wilhite. And they
did: one relic dealer told the two Agents that he
too had been contacted by Charles Wilhite a couple
of months earlier about the battle flag, but he
declined to purchase the flag when told there were
some ownership "problems."
| Port
Hudson, May 27, 1863
- The day of reckoning had arrived. Gripping
the unfurled banner was Color Sgt. Anselino
Planciancois with the order to "protect,
defend, die for, but do not surrender these
flags." Sgt. Planciancois responded, "Colonel,
I will bring these colors to you with honor
or report to God the reason why."
<Vicksburg
National Military Park website>
|
In December 1998,
posing as a dealer, an FBI Agent called Wilhite
and asked him if the flag was still for sale. Wilhite
said "yes," confessed there were some
ownership problems with the flag, but he wouldn't
go into any more detail over the phone. He told
the agent if he wanted to see the flag he'd have
to come to Kansas.
Several weeks later,
the agent called Wilhite again. This time, Wilhite
was more talkative. He admitted the flag had been
stolen, and he warned the Agent that the flag should
go into a private collection. He offered it for
the bargain basement price of $20,000 (claiming
he could get $40,000 or more on the open market).
The victory
|
Port Hudson,
May 27, 1863 - The bugle sounded "Charge!" The Confederate
rifle pits and batteries opened fire with
everything they had.... Black soldiers wavered,
halted, then rushed for cover only to reform
and again advance...The Color Sergeant was
decapitated and fell still clutching the banner.
Six men died for the honor of carrying the
flags.
<Vicksburg
National Military Park website>
|
Arrangements were made
for Wilhite to sell the flag to the undercover Agent
for $28,000. On January 11, 1999, upon presentation
of the flag to the Agent, Wilhite was immediately
placed under arrest.
Wilhite was charged
with Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property
and Theft of Major Artwork.
| Port
Hudson, July 8, 1883
- Port Hudson surrenders to the Union. |
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