My great great grandfather was Conrad Petsinger
His story of hiding the American flag in his clothing has been passed down every generation. My sister visited Soldiers and Sailor Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh PA and was able to see the flag and photograph it. As the picture shows, the white stripes are in fairly good condition, the red ones are tattered. Upon seeing the pictures on my iPhone my Mom said "it makes me shiver." It was hard for her to comprehend she was viewing the flag that she had heard about as a young girl.
His story of hiding the American flag in his clothing has been passed down every generation. My sister visited Soldiers and Sailor Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh PA and was able to see the flag and photograph it. As the picture shows, the white stripes are in fairly good condition, the red ones are tattered. Upon seeing the pictures on my iPhone my Mom said "it makes me shiver." It was hard for her to comprehend she was viewing the flag that she had heard about as a young girl.
This is Conrad Petsinger's story...137 years ago
Allegheny County.—Flag of Company B, One Hundred and Third Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers presented to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Hall by the Regimental Association, January 30. This flag was presented to Company B in the autumn of 1861 at Camp Orr, Kittanning, by the pupils and friends of Blaney School, then located in Sugar Creek Township, Armstrong County. It was the handiwork of the girls attending Blaney School.
When the Federal garrison of Plymouth, N. C, was about to surrender to the Confederate forces, April 20, 1864, Private Conrad Petsinger of Company B wrapped the flag around his body, underneath his clothing, and for nearly eight months kept it concealed in Andersonville Military Prison, and after his parole, December 10, 1864, brought it into the Federal lines. On his death he bequeathed it to his son, who gave it to his father's Regimental Association, by whom it has now been given to Memorial Hall.
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