On Saturday, February 13th, the Virginia Flaggers raised a permanent 20-foot-by-20-foot Confederate Army of Northern Virginia battle flag on a large 80 foot pole off U.S. Highway 301 near I-95 south, exit 41, in Prince George County, just south of Petersburg.
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| Lt. General Wade Hampton III. Photo taken in 1865 near the end of the War. |
This flag, placed on private land, was raised in honor of Confederate Lt. General Wade Hampton III -- a native of South Carolina, and personal military hero of this blogger -- about a mile from the site of the famous Beefsteak Raid in September of 1864. Under the leadership of the Confederate cavalry general, a force of about 3,000 Confederate troops successfully crossed into Union lines in a 100 mile long raid rustling over 2,400 head of cattle back across the lines to the Confederate capital of Richmond, VA and the starving soldiers and people there. This even was popularized in the 1966 Hollywood film Alvarez Kelly.
About 150 people attended the flag raising, which was reportedly met with lots of cars and trucks honking their horns in approval from the nearby interstate. It was with great regret that this blogger was not on hand to take part in the ceremony, or get good photos; although there are some outstanding photos and a description of the service at the Virginia Flagger's blog page.
About 150 people attended the flag raising, which was reportedly met with lots of cars and trucks honking their horns in approval from the nearby interstate. It was with great regret that this blogger was not on hand to take part in the ceremony, or get good photos; although there are some outstanding photos and a description of the service at the Virginia Flagger's blog page.
The raising of the I-95 Wade Hampton Prince George Memorial Battle Flag is the 18th such raising of large battle flags across the State of Virginia by the VA Flaggers since September 2013.
As a South Carolinian and Confederate descendant, I would like to offer my personal thanks to the Virginia Flaggers for their amazing efforts in honoring our Southern dead -- in this case General Wade Hampton -- and for fighting back against anti-Confederate heritage regressive ignorance at every turn.
As a South Carolinian and Confederate descendant, I would like to offer my personal thanks to the Virginia Flaggers for their amazing efforts in honoring our Southern dead -- in this case General Wade Hampton -- and for fighting back against anti-Confederate heritage regressive ignorance at every turn.
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| The I-95 Wade Hampton Prince George Memorial Battle Flag. Image courtesy of The Virginia Flaggers facebook page. |
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| Outstanding drone shot of the Hampton Memorial Battle Flag. Image courtesy of The Virginia Flaggers facebook page. |
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