On January 8, 1862 President and Mrs. Lincoln attended a celebration hosted by the 55th New York Infantry at Tennalytown, D.C. to mark their receipt of a new regimental flag. Newspaper reports from the winter of 1861-62 are full of stories about various regiments being presented with regimental flags in events attended by prominent home state politicians. What made this particular flag presentation unique was that the regiment was comprised heavily of French-born New Yorkers who had answered their adopted homeland's call for volunteers. The flag presentation ceremony was scheduled for January 8th to coincide with the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans, a battle in which French Creoles had fought with Americans against the British. This at a time when Washington was stridently trying to ensure that England and France did not intervene in the war on the Confederacy's behalf. Besides, this regiment also knew how to dine.
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Photograph of the camp of the 55th New York Infantry, near Tennallytown, D.C. At the time, the regiment was part of General Peck's Division. Civil War era records often spell the area as "Tennallytown." (Library of Congress) |
