Flag, Union (Civil War)

CIVIL WAR UNION FLAG - The basic "Stars and Stripes" design of the Civil War Union flag was not altered during the war, but the Union flag did see some other changes during that time.  These changes were due to the addition of states to the Union, which caused the number of stars on the flag to change.   Stars were never removed from the Union flag, because the Union did not believe states had a right to secede.   Therefore, the Confederate state's departure was not acknowledged on the flag.  This, however, didn't stop some citizens from making their own flags with fewer stars.

At the beginning of the war, the Union flag carried 33 stars.   However, in early 1861, Kansas joined the Union.  This brought the official star total up to 34.   Finally, in 1863, West Virginia was added as the 35th state in the Union, bringing the star count up once more.   Some unofficial 36 star flags appeared in 1865 to honor the state of Nevada's entrance into the Union, but the 36th star was not officially added to the flag until after the Civil War was over.